December 15th 2024.
In the bustling city of Boston, there has been a lot of concern and confusion surrounding the appearance of drones in the skies above New York and New Jersey. Elected officials are now calling for swift action to identify and put an end to these mysterious flights.
During an interview on "Fox News Sunday," Representative Jim Himes, a top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, expressed his frustration with the lack of answers. "We can't just accept 'we don't know' as an answer," he stated firmly.
While national security officials have stated that the drones do not seem to pose a threat, they are unable to determine who is behind them or how to stop them. As a result, leaders from both political parties are demanding better technology and authority to deal with this issue.
Senator Chuck Schumer has called for the deployment of better drone-tracking technology by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. "New Yorkers have many questions about these sightings," he stated, promising to provide answers to the public.
However, during a media briefing on Sunday morning, the federal government failed to provide any concrete answers. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas assured the American public that they were actively working with local authorities to investigate the matter.
Mayorkas also clarified that some of the reported drones were actually "manned aircraft" that were mistaken for drones. He also stated that there was no evidence of foreign involvement in these sightings.
Last year, new aviation rules were put in place requiring certain drones to broadcast their remote identification. However, it is unclear if this information has been utilized to identify the operators behind these drones.
Senator Schumer is urging the use of recently declassified radio wave technology in New York and New Jersey to track and identify these drones. This technology can determine if a flying object is a bird or a drone, read its electronic registration, and trace it back to its landing spot. Currently, state and local authorities do not have the authority to track drones.
In response to the situation, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that federal officials will be sending a drone detection system to the state to assist with investigations. However, no further details have been provided at this time.
These mysterious nighttime flights have been occurring for the past month, mainly in New Jersey. The concern grew when the drones were spotted near a military facility and President-elect Donald Trump's golf course. While drones are legal in New Jersey, operators must follow FAA regulations and flight restrictions.
The sightings have now spread along the northern East Coast, with reports of drones in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. President Trump and other political leaders have called for stronger action, including shooting down the drones.
Secretary Mayorkas clarified that certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security have the power to "incapacitate" drones, but they require expanded authority to effectively deal with this issue. A bill in the U.S. Senate aims to enhance federal agencies' authority and give local and state agencies the ability to track, disrupt, disable, or seize drones without prior consent from the operator.
Representative Mike Waltz, President Trump's national security adviser, stated on CBS' "Face the Nation" that the drone sightings have exposed gaps in authority between different agencies. "It's hard for Americans to believe that we can't figure out where these drones are coming from," he remarked.
Reporting from Hartford, Connecticut, Dave Collins contributed to this article.
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