Drones Banned for Weeks in Parts of New Jersey Due to ‘Special Security Reasons'

Mar. 15, 2025

Drones over New Jersey.Photo:Anadolu via Getty

Anadolu via Getty

On Wednesday, Dec. 18, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that temporary flight restrictions (TFR) are in place for more than two dozen areas across New Jersey,NBC Newsreported.

The restrictions are “prohibiting drone flights over critical New Jersey infrastructure,” the FAA said in a statement, according to the outlet. The TFRs will be in effect until Jan. 17, 2025, in areas including Camden, Jersey City, Clifton, Bayonne and North and South Brunswick,according to the complete TFRs list.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The decision to implement drone restrictions follows the Dec. 15 press conference from the FAA, where the organization confirmed that “without a doubt” there have been drones flying throughout New Jersey, according to the outlet.

The FAA’s statement regarding the presence of drones followed a contrasting explanation from the FBI and Department of Homeland Security a day earlier that said many of the drone sightings in New Jersey since last month are actually “manned aircraft being misidentified as drones.”

On Saturday, Dec. 14, a DHS official said authorities “have not identified any basis for believing that there’s any criminal activity involved, that there’s any national security threat, that there’s any particular public safety threat or that there’s a malicious foreign actor involved in these drones,“CNBC,NewsweekandThe Guardian, reported.

Previously, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said he had spoken with various authorities about the drone sightings.

“We are actively monitoring the situation and in close coordination with our federal and law enforcement partners on this matter,” Murphywrote in a statementon Thursday, Dec. 5.

Reports of the unidentified drones had been plaguing central New Jersey since November, with some residents describing the activity as “menacing” and “creepy.”

source: people.com