Ban drone flights and declare state of emergency, N.J. lawmaker says
Posted on 12/11/2024
A state senator called on Gov. Phil Murphy Tuesday to declare a limited state of emergency and ban all drones until the public receives an explanation for mysterious sightings of night-flying drones over the last month.
State Sen. Jon Bramnick, a Republican who is running for governor, said no drones should fly over New Jersey until a reason for the drone sightings is revealed.
“We got thousands of people worried about drones flying around and nobody knows why,” Bramnick, R-Union, told NJ Advance Media. “Stop all droning, especially drones the size of a Suburban.”
The governor’s office declined to comment on Bramnick’s call for banning drones.
It is unclear if New Jersey’s governor would have the authority to ground all drones. According to the FAA, which oversees airspace nationwide, “a state or local law will be preempted if it conflicts with FAA regulations.”
Murphy and other law enforcement officials have said there is no evidence the unexplained drones pose a threat to the state. The FBI is investigating the sightings statewide, and it is unclear if they are related.
The drone reports have led to heightened restrictions on drone flights over Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster and the U.S. Army’s Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, which reported 11 confirmed sightings since Nov. 13.
Drones were also reported over the state’s largest reservoir and disrupted a medevac helicopter landing in Somerset County, local officials said.
Some of the drone sightings have been false reports because people have mistaken commercial and small planes for drones, local officials said. However, some residents have reported seeing groups of drones hovering over their homes, and larger drones the size of SUVs.
“We have a snowstorm and they sign a state of emergency,” Bramnick said, arguing the state should declare a limited emergency in this case.
MORE: What are the rules for flying drones in N.J.? Here’s what experts say.
He suggested an exception to the state of emergency for drone flights that might be required under federal law.
Several other politicians, including a group of local mayors, have called on Murphy and federal officials to release more information about the drone investigation.
“My biggest concern is, people already have a distrust of government. We don’t need anything to exacerbate the pre-existing condition of a lack of trust,” Bramnick said.
New Jersey governors can declare states of emergency if they believe a disaster has occurred or is imminent, when it is “severe enough to require State aid to supplement local resources in preventing or alleviating damages, loss, hardship or suffering,” according to the state Office of Emergency Management.
Stories by Tina Kelley
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State Sen. Jon Bramnick, a Republican who is running for governor, said no drones should fly over New Jersey until a reason for the drone sightings is revealed.
“We got thousands of people worried about drones flying around and nobody knows why,” Bramnick, R-Union, told NJ Advance Media. “Stop all droning, especially drones the size of a Suburban.”
The governor’s office declined to comment on Bramnick’s call for banning drones.
It is unclear if New Jersey’s governor would have the authority to ground all drones. According to the FAA, which oversees airspace nationwide, “a state or local law will be preempted if it conflicts with FAA regulations.”
Murphy and other law enforcement officials have said there is no evidence the unexplained drones pose a threat to the state. The FBI is investigating the sightings statewide, and it is unclear if they are related.
The drone reports have led to heightened restrictions on drone flights over Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster and the U.S. Army’s Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County, which reported 11 confirmed sightings since Nov. 13.
Drones were also reported over the state’s largest reservoir and disrupted a medevac helicopter landing in Somerset County, local officials said.
Some of the drone sightings have been false reports because people have mistaken commercial and small planes for drones, local officials said. However, some residents have reported seeing groups of drones hovering over their homes, and larger drones the size of SUVs.
“We have a snowstorm and they sign a state of emergency,” Bramnick said, arguing the state should declare a limited emergency in this case.
MORE: What are the rules for flying drones in N.J.? Here’s what experts say.
He suggested an exception to the state of emergency for drone flights that might be required under federal law.
Several other politicians, including a group of local mayors, have called on Murphy and federal officials to release more information about the drone investigation.
“My biggest concern is, people already have a distrust of government. We don’t need anything to exacerbate the pre-existing condition of a lack of trust,” Bramnick said.
New Jersey governors can declare states of emergency if they believe a disaster has occurred or is imminent, when it is “severe enough to require State aid to supplement local resources in preventing or alleviating damages, loss, hardship or suffering,” according to the state Office of Emergency Management.
Stories by Tina Kelley
N.J. military base had 11 ‘confirmed’ mystery drone sightings, Army says
N.J. had 49 ‘mystery drone’ sightings in one night, but not all were legit, Murphy says
More mystery drones spotted over N.J. Here’s what we know.
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
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