Drone Or Plane? Newark Airport In ‘Close Proximity’ To NJ Sightings

NEWARK, NJ — Are the planes landing and taking off at Newark Airport and Morristown Municipal Airport potentially contributing to the mysterious drone sightings that have been reported in nearby Morris County? That’s a hypothesis from a local police agency, which issued a statement about the ongoing phenomenon on Wednesday.

The drones (as officials describe them) – which some have said should be unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or unidentified flying objects (UFOs) – have been seen causing a stir in towns across Morris County.

An FBI spokesperson said the agency is actively investigate the incidents. Read More: As Drone Sightings Expand In NJ, Authorities Offer Few Answers

The Florham Park Police Department is among the agencies that have been commenting on the sightings, which have been taking place every night for the past two weeks just after sunset and lasting “well into the early morning hours.”

It’s worth remembering that every light in the night sky is not a drone, Florham Park police added:

“Please be mindful that not all low flying aircraft are drones, as we have the Morristown Municipal Airport on our western border and Newark [Liberty] International Airport in close proximity.”

Some internet pundits have insisted the lights are not airplanes, however, with one X user recently posting a video of an object that they claimed is a drone flying at 500 to 1,000 feet over New Jersey. “This isn’t a plane – you can hear the rotor blades,” they wrote.

Meanwhile, local police continue to press for more answers.

“Members of the local law enforcement community have been pressuring our partners for answers regarding this activity as their presence around our critical infrastructure is concerning,” Florham Park police reported Wednesday, adding that some of the sightings have taken place above critical infrastructure such as water reservoirs, electric transmission lines, rail stations, police departments and military installations.

“While we currently have no evidence or information to indicate these drones pose an imminent threat at this time, their presence appears nefarious in nature,” police added.

Apparently, the buzz about the flying lights has also reached Essex County, where the Township of Fairfield issued the following advisory on Thursday:

“In the event of a drone sighting, please call your information into the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. You may also email them at tips@fbi.gov. Also, if you come across a drone that has landed in Fairfield, please call us so we can investigate it further and make any additional notifications, 973–227–1400.”

Sightings of bright lights in the sky continue to be reported across North Jersey.

An X user recently posted videos of what they claim are two of the mystery drones flying over Morristown in a southwest direction. “There was some flight traffic to Newark but nothing else,” they wrote.

Earlier this week, a Reddit user who lives near Newark Airport posted a video showing a light moving across the sky.

“I’ve seen Starlink and other satellites but this stands out,” they commented.

• See Related: Weird Lights Seen In New Jersey Skies: ‘Elon Musk, Is This You?’

This article contains reporting by Russ Crespolini, Patch staff

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