Drones latest: New Jersey military base targeted by contraband-smuggling unmanned aircraft
New Jersey residents should avoid shooting down or shining lasers at suspect unmanned aircraft systems after complaints from pilots, the FBI warns
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Your support makes all the difference.A New Jersey military base says it has been targeted by contraband-smuggling drones and has put countermeasures in places to thwart incursions.
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst said that incidents relate to efforts to drop prohibited items into FCI Fort Dix federal prison, which is housed on the facility. “This year, there have been multiple drone detections, involving attempts to smuggle contraband into the federal correctional institution hosted on our base,” a base spokesperson told The War Zone.
Unmanned aircraft systems have previously smuggled cellphones, drugs and tobacco, and weight loss supplements amongst other items, according to the report.
It comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested on Wednesday that the Biden administration had brushed off concerns about the drones while providing no information as to their purpose. “This is why we need Donald J. Trump back in the White House, to bring a steady hand to the wheel and a strong commander-in-chief. He would have already had the answers,” he said during an episode of Fox and Friends.
GOP Representative Carlos Giménez of Florida told NewsNation he is most concerned that the government “hasn’t the faintest idea what’s going on with these drones” which, he claimed, “pose a threat.
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NJ military base 'target of contraband-smuggling drones’
A New Jersey military base says it has been targeted by contraband-smuggling drones and has put countermeasures in places to thwart incursions.
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst said that incidents relate to efforts to drop prohibited items into FCI Fort Dix federal prison, which is housed on the facility.
“This year, there have been multiple drone detections, involving attempts to smuggle contraband into the federal correctional institution hosted on our base,” a base spokesperson toldThe War Zone.
Unmanned aircraft systems have previously smuggled cellphones, drugs and tobacco, and weight loss supplements amongst other items, according to the report.
‘Super-scary’ drone sightings unsettle New Jersey resident
A New Jersey woman says recent drone sightings have been scary to see nearly every night.
“Every day, I am seeing more and more,” Carla Sousa, 36, told The Washington Post. “All different shapes and sizes. Some are silent, and some sound like helicopters. I saw one that looked like an aircraft.”
“It’s been super-scary,” she added. “My anxiety has been at an all-time high.”
Sen. Time Kaine says he’s ‘very frustrated’ by lack of answers about 2023 drone incursions
Virginia Democratic Sen. Time Kaine says he is “very frustrated” with “so many unanswered questions” that remain about the drones that flew near a Virginia military installation for more than two weeks in December 2023.
“We’re kind of at the year anniversary of these incursions at Langley. And I’m very frustrated with the fact that there’s still so many unanswered questions,” Kaine told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.
New York official calls out federal government on drone response
“We don’t have the right tech, our internal processes are a mess, and I’m not even sure the right departments are in charge,” Rep. Pat Ryan said in a release. “Let’s take the time now to get this right.”
Mystery drones lead to increased holiday sales in Ohio
An Ohio business says it has seen a surge in customers looking for drones before the Chrstimas holiday.
“Drones are popular. We do have a lot of people that are inquiring, especially with it being in the news now,” Randy Kastl, president of the Hobby Shop, told WDTN. “It’s one of those things where they may have forgotten about it, and now it’s kind of brought it back to the forefront.”
Will drones affect holiday travel? This expert says says
Could drones affect travel this holiday season?
“The airports can’t do anything else but shut down traffic even if there is just a reported sighting. Out of precautions for safety [airports] have to, and that’s the issue is [drone operators] can’t be tracked easily and can quickly shut down traffic and cause mass disruptions,” Brett Velicovich, the CEO of Expert Drones, told Fox News Digital via email.
Schumer says tri-state residents aren’t getting ‘good enough answers’ on drones
“The people in New York and New Jersey have a lot of questions, and they’re not getting good enough answers,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday.
“The utter confusion surrounding these drone sightings shows that the feds can’t respond all on their own.”
NFL asks Congress to pay more attention to illegal drones at games
NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier is reportedly petitioning Congress to take more of a vested interest in drones flying over events and crowds of people.
“Over the past several years, an increasing number of drones have flown into restricted airspace during NFL games. With the nation’s attention now focused on drones, we again call on Congress to protect critical infrastructure and mass gathering such as major sporting events,” Lanier said in a press release.
Could drones aid first responders?
A new project from Oklahoma’s Tulsa Fire Department and Oklahoma State University-Tulsa tests a breakthrough application of drones.
“Tulsa Fire successfully responded to and managed a complex first-responder scenario using Airwise technologies remotely without an operator on-site,” the university said Wednesday.
Expert makes it clear: Flying a drone isn’t illegal
“There’s nothing illegal about flying a drone around,” John Michaud, the director of Husson University’s School of Legal Studies, told Maine’s WABI on Wednesday.
“The biggest thing that people have to understand is there is not right of privacy. You are not protected from having an airplane, a drone, or helicopter fly over your property,” he explained. “I think we need to have a better idea of if they are all drones, if they have done something that we can say, ‘No, this is wrong’, and I haven’t seen that yet.”
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