Mysterious sightings of alleged drones over New Jersey, New York and other eastern states have sparked outcry from officials and residents even as the federal government has attempted to reassure the public and emphasize that it has no evidence that there is any threat to public safety. But the lack of definitive information about the phenomena, coupled with the lack of public trust in institutions and the viral spread of claims on social media, has created a furor.
In a joint statement released Monday, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense said that after closely examining the technical data and citizen tips, officials had concluded that "the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones."
