FBI Investigates Groups of Large Drones Flying over N.J.

By Julia Marnin

Source Merced Sun-Star (Merced, Calif.)

Several people reported seeing clusters of large drones appearing in New Jersey skies at night in recent weeks, according to local and federal authorities.

The FBI is investigating the sightings along the Raritan River and is calling on the public for help in gathering information, according to the agency’s Dec. 3 news release shared to X, formerly known as Twitter, by Pix11 reporter Katie Corrado. The roughly 75-mile-long Raritan River is located in central and northern New Jersey.

“Witnesses have spotted the cluster of what look to be drones and a possible fixed wing aircraft,” the FBI’s Newark field office said in the statement.

Multiple drones have been reported in Morris County, about a 35-mile drive west from New York City.

A county resident, Mike Walsh, told NJ.com he heard the drones outside Nov. 18, then began seeing them almost everyday — including ones he said appeared as large as a car.

Walsh lives on the border of three Morris County towns: Randolph, Chester and Mendham, according to NJ.com.

“The recent drone activity observed by many in our communities is being actively investigated,” Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon said in a statement shared to Facebook the evening of Dec. 2.

“There is no advisable immediate danger to the public at this time,” Gannon said in the post.

FBI Newark spokeswoman Amy J. Thoreson told NJ.com the FBI is trying to determine whether the reported drones are a threat to the public.

In Morris County, the police departments of Morristown and Morris Township issued alerts over the weekend to warn residents to stay away from the drones if one happens to crash or land, The Daily Record reported.

A video shared to X on Nov. 18 by user @JerzyBets, whose profile says he’s from New Jersey, appears to show a possible drone in the night sky. The footage shows what looks like an aircraft flying and flashing colorful lights.

Unidentified drones have flooded the skies in NJ. This is a video I took of one pic.twitter.com/agMrZlN1jg

— Jerzy (@JerzyBets) November 19, 2024

McClatchy News hasn’t independently verified the video, which was included in The Daily Record’s report.

Another Morris County resident told NBC News on Dec. 3 she’s had trouble sleeping at night due to the drones flying overhead.

“We’re all completely unnerved,” Julie Shavalier said while speaking with the outlet. “I didn’t sleep last night.”

“When I would get up and look out my window at 2 a.m., 4 a.m., they were still hovering,” Shavalier said. “I got up at 5:30 a.m. this morning and they were still there as the sun was starting to rise. They went back in the same direction they came from, and I expect they’ll be back as soon as the sun goes down tonight.”

The FBI is asking residents to report any information about the potential drones by calling 1-800-CALL- FBI or sending an online tip here.

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