New Jersey’s mysterious drone drama has sparked a long-awaited discussion

• Drone sightings in the United States have captivated many Americans and sparked much speculation.

• These observations also shed light on airspace management strategies in the United States.

• Experts say the focus should be on better regulation and countermeasures rather than hysteria.

A recent spate of mysterious drone sightings across the United States has, to some extent, launched a long-overdue debate about drone technology and airspace management.

These drone sightings have attracted national attention, and the public is now paying more attention to drone activity near U.S. military bases. Federal agencies are talking to the public about drone issues. And there is growing public debate over congressional legislation aimed at strengthening federal authority, with the government saying it is hamstrung in its ability to respond to drone threats.

“There is a fundamental notion that drones represent a whole new type of threat,” Doug Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, told Business Insider, noting that the United States largely lacks “the tactics and procedures to cope.” with that.”

Birkey said many people are “exaggerating” the mystery behind the latest drone sightings. But the resulting buzz sparks discussions about counter-strategies and systems that “should have existed a long time ago.”

Officials from the White House, FBI, DHS, DoD and FAA urged Congress to “pass anti-UAS legislation at its next meeting that would help expand and expand existing anti-drone authorities in order to identify and mitigate any threats that may emerge.” This is a recurring subject in press briefings in recent weeks.

“The good news is that the technology largely exists” to address the challenges presented by drone technology, Birkey said. “We just need to get serious about this and then put procedures in place to be smart about it.”

The latest drone drama

In mid-November, unidentified planes were first seen over New Jersey. They have gained national attention as reported sightings have spread this month to Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York, among other states.

Only when concern and wild speculation about drones reached a fever pitch did agencies begin to mount more organized communications efforts. In the initial absence, others filled the void with conspiracy theories, one of the most prominent being that the drones were launched from an Iranian mothership off the US east coast.

The federal government has rejected many of these claims, saying they are not of foreign origin and do not pose a threat.

The White House, FBI, Homeland Security, Pentagon and FAA said all available evidence indicates the drone sightings are a mix of “legal commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones.” laws, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft.” helicopters and stars mistakenly reported as drones.

While not harmful, U.S. officials said they “recognize the concern of many communities” and the “irresponsible” nature of drone activity near restricted airspace and infrastructure, including military bases and civilian airports.

Things have “kind of gotten hysterical,” said Stacie Pettyjohn, director of the defense program at the Center for a New American Security. She said “the public has become very agitated due to the perceived novelty of drones or the danger associated with them.”

She said that “people who see drones everywhere” “start to confuse normal air traffic with whatever is happening in the sky and assume that something nefarious or strange is happening.”

But even though the government has tried to allay concerns, skepticism remains, leading some to call for more clarity on this issue so that drones can be discussed rationally.

William Austin, a drone expert and president of Warren County Community College, said the federal government needs to be clear with the public in this situation.

He wrote in a recent op-ed that “the public needs clear, authoritative communication that there is no credible evidence that large drones are operating over New Jersey.”

Austin argued in his article that “the drone industry has too much to offer – cutting-edge technology, job creation and life-saving applications – to be derailed by myths.” He said: “We need facts, not speculation. »

Drones are becoming prolific

Growing interest and investment in new drone technologies has catalyzed rapid progress, transforming the technology at an unprecedented pace in recent years.

Increasing competition in the global market is making drones more accessible, affordable and user-friendly, extending their use beyond traditional military and defense applications to sectors such as agriculture, logistics and leisure.

“This is part of the changing technology landscape that extends beyond just the military,” Pettyjohn said. “It’s no longer just up to government to have truly sophisticated capabilities. It’s just part of everyday society.”

Commercial and civilian drones only began to emerge in the early 2000s, leaving the general public largely unaccustomed to encountering them in their daily lives.

The high-profile Chinese spy balloon incident last year, which ended with it being shot down by a U.S. warplane, highlighted aerial surveillance as a potential threat to public safety and national security. Terrorist and insurgent operations, as well as the widespread use of drone warfare in Ukraine, have also increased fears about their possible militarization.

And there are real risks, whether the drone activity is malicious or not. As drone technology develops, activities around military bases and airfields are becoming a “huge problem” for the United States, Mark Cancian, a defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told BI recently. and retired colonel in the United States Marine Corps.

A US military base in Ohio briefly closed its airspace after small drones were spotted in the area, and landing strips at a New York airport were also briefly closed due to the drone activity nearby.

Zeynep Tufekci, a sociologist and New York Times columnist, wrote that, aside from the hysteria and drama of the recent drone situation, “unauthorized drones are a problem, and better regulation and technology are needed.” to deal with it. rather than this dangerous and senseless panic. »

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