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Pilots of planes that have been mistakenly identified as drones, in the middle of a increase in mysterious sightings in recent days, they have been hit in the eyes with lasers, the FBI revealed on Monday.
“The Newark FBI and New Jersey State Police want to warn the public about an increase in drone pilots being hit in the eye with lasers because people on the ground think they’re seeing an unmanned aircraft system (UAS ),” the FBI field office in Newark said in a statement published on social platform X.
“There is also a concern that people may fire weapons at what they think is a UAS, but it could be a manned aircraft,” they added.
Drone sightings have multiple stepped on northeastern states, especially New Jersey, during the past month. Federal government officials he said Monday that recent drone sightings have included a mix of “legal” drones, other aircraft and stars.
“We recognize the concern among many communities,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Defense (DOD) said in a joint statement.
“We continue to support state and local authorities with advanced detection technology and support for law enforcement. We urge Congress to enact legislation against (unmanned aircraft systems) when it reconvenes that would expand and expand existing anti-drone authorities to identify and mitigate any threats that may arise,” they added.
The recent attention surrounding drone sightings has given rise to some officials like President-elect Trump urge the US military to knock down unknown objects.
However, experts have recommended against such actionsas there is the possibility that they are legitimate aircraft, helicopters or non-harmful, and drone debris falling from the sky could threaten people and property below.
The FBI’s Newark field office said in its statement Monday that “there could be dangerous and possibly fatal consequences if manned aircraft are mistakenly targeted as UAS.”
“There are many different websites and mobile apps that the public can access through various government agencies and private companies that show the flight paths of manned aircraft, Earth-orbiting satellites, and stars and planets visible on a given afternoon that can help determine whether people are seeing UAS or something else,” officials wrote.
The news comes as the White House, the Pentagon and President Biden have deleted the sightings, claiming that they do not raise a threat to national security and there is no evidence that this foreign adversaries are involved
