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With more than 40 million Americans expected to travel by air during the upcoming holidays, mysterious drone sightings Reports in the US in recent weeks are raising anxiety levels about whether drone activity could affect people’s ability to reach their desired destinations.
Drone sightings in New York closed the tracks at Stewart International Airport for about an hour last week. The airport said the closures did not affect any flight traffic. However, it prompted New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) to say that the drone sightings they have “gone too far”.
Sightings have also been reported around several military installations across the country, raising concerns among lawmakers and local residents.
This week, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration issued a joint statement on drones after complaints about the government’s lack of transparency.
Federal agencies said thousands legal drones they are operated by hobbyists, law enforcement and commercial operators every day. The agencies say there are more than 1 million legally registered drones in the US. The statement concluded that other explanations for the sightings included people. misidentify objects such as helicopters and stars.
As of this week, the FBI said it has received more than 5,000 tips about drone sightings in recent weeks. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said this week that there is no threat to public safety about drones
However, as more Americans prepare to take to the skies for vacation travel, the FAA is warning drone operators to adhere to federal airspace guidelines, which prevent drones from flying below 400 feet at all times. The FAA defines controlled airspace such as that found around some airports and at certain altitudes where air traffic controllers actively communicate, direct and separate all air traffic.
NBC News reports by 2023, 42 million drone fights were reported, all flying below 400 feet and below the 45,000 daily airplane flights.
In addition to the New York airport closure, drone sightings have been reported at airports in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey, according to on Fox News. Brett Velicovich, CEO of Expert Drones, said the sightings leave airport officials with little choice in how to respond.
Two Massachusetts men were recently arrested and charged in what Boston police characterized as a “dangerous drone operation” near Logan Airport airspace, police said. The men face trespassing charges after they were told the drones were flying “dangerously close” to the airport.
He said drone sightings are affecting the economy by causing flight delays.
“Airports can’t do anything but close traffic even if there’s just one sighting,” Velicovich told the network. “For safety precautions (airports) have to do that, and that’s the problem is (drone operators) can’t be easily tracked and can quickly shut down traffic and cause massive disruption.”
