Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Sunday called for the federal government to use its powers to identify who is behind the mysterious drones being reported hovering in U.S. airspace above concerned residents.
“New Yorkers have tremendous questions about it. We are going to get the answers for them,” Schumer told reporters after he asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deploy their drone-tracking technology to identify the unidentified drones and their operators.
He suggested the federal government use a recently declassified radio wave technology to investigate the flying objects. The radio wave detector can be attached to a drone or airplane and can determine whether another flying object is a bird or a drone, read its electronic registration, and follow it back to its landing place.
So far, briefings by government officials regarding drones sightings reported in multiple locations across the United States have added little clarity to the situation.
“There’s no question that people are seeing drones,” U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. “But I want to assure the American public that we are on it. We are working in close coordination with state and local authorities.”
Some of the drones reported in parts of New York and New Jersey have turned out to be “manned aircraft that are commonly mistaken for drones,” Mayorkas said. “We know of no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the Northeast. And we are vigilant in investigating this matter.”
Mayorkas said that certain agencies within DHS have the power to “incapacitate” drones. “But we need those authorities expanded,” he said.
Members of Congress from both political parties are demanding transparency, better technology, and more power to deal with the drones. Schumer noted that state and local authorities do not have the authority to track drones.
Many are voicing support for passing the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act to strengthen FAA oversight of drones and extend authorities to track drones to state and local authorities. UAS stands for unmanned aerial vehicle.
Over the last month, dozens of unidentified drone-like objects have been reported flying in from the ocean over parts of New Jersey, including residential areas, each night, raising concerns about safety and national security. Initial reports had the objects flying near Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility.
Drones are legal in the state as long as they comply with local and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must also be FAA certified.
Last year, federal aviation rules also began requiring that drones weighing 0.55 pounds (250 grams) or more broadcast real-time their remote identification, including the location of their operators, to improve the safety and security of U.S. airspace.
“What the drone issue points out are gaps in our agencies, gaps in our authorities between the Department of Homeland Security, local law enforcement, the Defense Department,” Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), who has been chosen to serve as President-elect Donald Trump’s national security adviser, said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
“Americans are finding it hard to believe we can’t figure out where these are coming from.’’
The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) also said on “Fox News Sunday,” “There’s a lot of us who are pretty frustrated right now.”
“‘We don’t know’ is not a good enough answer.”
On Saturday, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) said he believes that the source of drone activity was the U.S. government, and urged for transparency with the public over the mysterious aerial activity, which has also been reported at U.S. military facilities overseas, including the U.S. Air Force base at Ramstein, Germany.
“I would think that if it was a foreign government, with our military capabilities, we would be taking significant action. It does seem to me that this would be activity from our own government. I’m not sure if it’s related to counterterrorism efforts or what exactly is the purpose, but they should be honest and just tell the public.
“When people are nervous, when people are concerned, it leads to all sorts of theories, all sorts of misinformation being spread, and that is exactly what you’re seeing take place.”
“I am grateful for the support, but we need more. Congress must pass a law that will give us the power to deal directly with the drones,” she said on X.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also asked the Biden administration for more resources to investigate the drones.
“We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security, or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said during a Dec. 12 press briefing.
“Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” the president-elect wrote on social media on Dec. 13.
