Officials looking into 'drone activity' reported in New Jersey; FAA says no evidence found
Community members and officials are trying to figure out why drones were reported hovering over a New Jersey county Monday night.
The Morris County Prosecutor's Office announced Tuesday afternoon that authorities were looking into the reported drones, which have led to rumors spreading on social media.
According to the announcement, patrolmen from law enforcement saw the drones Monday night. The prosecutor’s office said there is “no known threat to public safety” and that anyone with information can call the police department directly, not via 911.
The office said multiple agencies within the county are aware of the drone situation, including the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, the Morris County Office of Emergency Management, Morris County municipal police departments and federal and state law enforcement partners.
The agencies “will continue to coordinate, monitor, and investigate the drone activity,” the office wrote.
And while these agencies have reported sightings of the drones, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said otherwise.
“The FAA looked into the reports and did not find evidence of drone activity in the area,” the FAA said. “The agency shared the information about the reports with federal security partners.”
A Morris County spokesperson would not comment Wednesday when USA TODAY asked for more information about the drones and neither would New Jersey State Police.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Newark said it is working with federal, state and local partners.
Witness reports drones had lots of battery power
People who saw the drones in New Jersey took to the comments once local agencies shared their statements.
“These weren't little $2,000 DJI drones for sure,” wrote one Facebook user . “They were pretty large and loud. I don't think they were battery powered either since they were in the air for over an hour. Little battery drones only last 15 mins max before having to land to change battery packs.”
Another social media user said there were at least three drones circling the Mendham , Chester and Randolph areas around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday night.
“Some were flying so low I thought they would hit the trees,” the user wrote.
According to the state of New Jersey’s website , drones are allowed in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use but users must abide by FAA regulations and flight restrictions that local governments set.
Drone operators must be FAA certified, the website reads. There are some no-fly zones, including airports and highly populated areas.
The FAA has a service called B4UFLY that allows drone users to easily identify zones that are OK for flying and those that are off limits.
This story has been updated with new information.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com .
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NJ officials look into reported drone activity; FAA says no evidence
