Drone Flights Banned Over Sites In Wall & Neptune

WALL, NJ — The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary ban on drone flights over sites in Wall and Neptune until late January.

The temporary flight restriction was issued in Wall and Neptune on Dec. 24 for “special security reasons” and will remain in place until Jan. 20. The FAA did not elaborate on the special security reasons for the restriction.

According to a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, the temporary flight restrictions were issued over critical infrastructure facilities in New Jersey “out of an abundance of caution.”

Since Nov. 18, flights have been banned across nearly 60 sites in New Jersey. Many of the sites are electric substations, but there are other types including transportation sites as well.

In addition to Wall and Neptune, drone flights have been banned over a site in Howell, a site in Colts Neck and over three sites in Brick.

In Wall, the site covered by airspace restrictions is the NJFX Carrier-Neutral Data Center on Wall Church Road. The restrictions extend for a 1 nautical-mile radius out from the center point and airspace up to 400 feet in the air.

In Neptune, the site covered by airspace restrictions is by Jumping Brook Reservoir. The restrictions extend for a 1 nautical-mile radius out from the center point and airspace up to 400 feet in the air.

Under 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, according to the FAA notice.

Read: Drone No-Fly Zone Expands Across NJ: See Where

Authorities have been looking into reports of drone sightings throughout New Jersey for over a month, though local and federal agencies say there is no threat to the public.

In Monmouth County, Sheriff Shaun Golden called for a state of emergency over the sightings and urged Governor Phil Murphy to issue an executive order banning recreational drone use during nighttime hours.

"Residents are increasingly alarmed by the surge in drone activity after dark, raising concerns about public safety and security," Golden said. "We cannot wait any longer. The Governor must act now, and the Air National Guard needs to step in to protect our communities.”

In response to people’s concerns, Governor Murphy told residents to “take a breath” and reassured them that there have been no identified threats from the drones.

Agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security also said there is no evidence that the drones are doing anything nefarious.

The FBI told Patch that they have received more than 5,000 tips about drone activity in the state, with about 100 of those reports warranting further investigation.

In a joint statement from the FAA, FBI, DoHS and DoD, the agencies said many of the sightings 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 urged Congress to enact counter-UAS legislation that would extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities to identify and mitigate any threat that may emerge.

"We recognize the concern among many communities," the statement said. "We continue to support state and local authorities with advanced detection technology and support of law enforcement."

With reporting by Michelle Rotuno-Johnson, Patch

Related

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• Monmouth County Officials Call For State Of Emergency Over Drone Sightings
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