FBI, Homeland Security Provide Update On Drones In CT Skies

CONNECTICUT — The FBI and Department of Homeland Security say they may have an answer for what's behind the increased sightings of mysterious aircraft and lights in the skies over Connecticut and nearby states: absolutely nothing unusual.

In a joint statement released Tuesday, the agencies said that they've received some 5,000 tips and followed up on more than 100 leads with advanced detection technologies and trained observers.

"Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones," the agencies said. "We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast."

This may well be met with a skeptical eye by the residents and local officials in Connecticut, who have taken to social media over the past week — and over the past month in New Jersey — to share video of sights which they do not believe to be so easily explained away.

See also: More Mysterious Drones Reported — This Time In Stamford: Police

The FBI and Homeland Security did not explain why, if the sightings are just regular private and commercial drones and planes, there has been such a marked increase in the sightings.
It comes within days after Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered a statewide investigation into the incidents, and the Pennsylvania State Police deployed helicopters to more closely investigate.

The federal agencies said they still "recognize the concern" the public has expressed regarding the drones, and urged Congress to pass "counter-UAS (unmanned aircraft systems)" legislation immediately. They advised new legislation to "extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities to identify and mitigate any threat that may emerge."

Related: Can You Shoot Down Drones In CT? What To Know

Connecticut state Sen. Tony Hwang has also requested the federal government give the states authorities to deal with the drones directly, calling them a national security and public safety risk.

"It's unacceptable," Hwang said during a news conference on Monday. "The fact that we've had sightings last Thursday, and that weeks have gone by since sightings in New York and New Jersey, but we have not gotten an explanation as to who and what these drones are. It's a breakdown of transparency, trusted communications and answers."

There have been reports that some people have shot at drones in some northeast communities, something that Hwang does not advise in Connecticut.

"That is the concern," Hwang said. "That is a big reason why I wanted to have this news conference, absent action, absent guidance, people are going to take actions into their own hands. And that is dangerous. To the general public, please, do not take these situations into your own hands. We do know what's in [these drones], we don't know what's at risk. Let us work in concert with our state agencies and local law enforcement to be able to address this issue."

Sightings over military facilities in New Jersey and around the country are not new, authorities said, and investigations are consistently ongoing into encroachment by drones over Department of Defense airspace.

— Justin Heinze, Patch Staff, contributed to this report.