Drone Flights Banned Over Site In Howell

HOWELL, NJ — The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary ban on drone flights over a site in Howell until mid-January.

The temporary flight restrictions were issued on Dec. 24 for "special security reasons," the FAA said, and will be in place until Jan. 19. The flight restriction notices did not elaborate on the special security reasons.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the temporary flight restrictions were issued over critical infrastructure facilities in New Jersey "out of an abundance of caution."

There are nearly 60 sites across New Jersey where flights have been banned dating back to Dec. 18. Many of the sites are electric substations, but there are other types including some transportation sites. The restrictions came after weeks of reports about drone flights all over the state. Sightings included drones over two military installations, Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County and Naval Weapons Station Earle in Monmouth County.

The site in Howell covered by the airspace restrictions is the New Jersey American Water plant on Squankum Yellowbrook Road. The restrictions extend for 1 nautical mile out from the center point and airspace up to 400 feet in the air.

Authorities have been looking into reports of drones hovering around Garden State communities and near important infrastructure for more than a month, with multiple federal agencies involved in the investigation. And despite concerns from residents and local officials about the aircrafts' origin and purpose, those agencies insist there is no threat to the public.

Drone sighting chatter has dissipated over the last few weeks. Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy told the Asbury Park Press the reports in the county have decreased sharply since early December. While the sheriff's office has a unit tracking drones, he told the Press his office is "just waiting for our federal partners to let us know what’s going on."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation told Patch they have received more than 6,000 tips about drone activity in the state, about 100 of which warranted further investigation.

Under the temporary flight restrictions, no drones — also called unmanned aircraft systems — are authorized except under special circumstances, including ones being flown by law enforcement or in support of "an act of national defense, homeland security, firefighting, or a disaster response mission," and commercial drones with a valid statement of work. Drone pilots must have a special governmental interest airspace waiver and comply with all other federal aviation regulations, the FAA notice said.

Thus far, Gov. Phil Murphy, the FBI, the FAA, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Homeland Security have all said that there is no evidence the drones are doing anything nefarious.

The most concrete answer federal authorities have given is that many sightings are not suspicious, but rather "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 four federal agencies did acknowledge residents' concerns, and urged Congress to enact legislation "that would extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities to identify and mitigate any threat that may emerge."

With reporting by Michelle Rotuno-Johnson, Patch