EWING, N.J. (PIX11) – New Jersey officials, including Middletown Mayor Tony Perry, were left scratching their heads after a meeting with state police in Ewing on Wednesday about the drone sightings.
The FBI, which is investigating at least 180 drone sightings, was not at the meeting, according to Perry. He said that lawmakers aren't any closer to finding out where these drones are coming from.
"Unfortunately, now there are more questions than we have answers," Perry said. "To not be there for this briefing was absolutely ridiculous, in my opinion."
He said that he spotted a drone on Route 35 in Middletown, hovering about 200 feet above, as he drove home from the meeting.
New Jersey State Police have apparently followed some of the drones after they were spotted, according to Perry. The Ocean County Sheriff's Office also used its own drones to try to track the direction of the unknown drones, but they were incredibly fast, Perry said.
State police said the drones have batteries that can last between six to eight hours, according to Perry. There is a belief among lawmakers that the drones are coming from an offshore ship.
"The Coast Guard, I know according to the state police briefing yesterday, is searching the 130-mile coastline of New Jersey," Perry said. "But it is very concerning that you have more than 180 drone sightings across the state of New Jersey over our infrastructure, our electrical grid, our water reservoirs and most importantly, our military installations."
The drones are not from the U.S. military, according to the Pentagon. The agency denied the drones were from an adversary or a foreign country.
PIX11's Kala Rama asked Perry why the drones weren't just shot down and investigated.
"The FAA is responsible for the airspace," Perry responded. "I understand that mentality and the rationale behind why people would want to see these drones be fired upon."
He said that some officials have repeated claims there the drones pose no imminent threat, but he's not convinced.
"Until you tell me where these are coming from and who's responsible for them, they're imminent," Perry said.
The federal government may use enhanced radars to look for drones in the future. Homeland Security may also get involved, according to lawmakers who attended the meeting.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.
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