FAA issues temporary ban on drone flights in New Jersey

The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily banned drone flights over extensive portions of New Jersey for a month after frequent sightings sparked anxiety in the state.

The ban, which was enacted Wednesday and runs until Jan. 17, covers 22 New Jersey communities, including the populous cities of Jersey City, Elizabeth, Edison, Hamilton and Clifton. Federal authorities have previously said the drones, also referred to as unmanned aircraft systems, are not a public safety threat. Officials and local residents, however, have been unsettled by their presence.

“At the request of federal security partners, the FAA published 22 Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) prohibiting drone flights over critical New Jersey infrastructure,” the FAA said in a statement to the Washington Post.

The temporary flight restrictions will not apply to drones with governmental purposes or commercial uses with a “valid statement of work” and special permissions, the agency said.

The FAA investigates all reported violations of temporary flight restrictions, according to its website. Those who are found in violation of the restrictions “can face sanctions ranging from warnings or fines to certificate suspensions or revocations” depending on the circumstances.

On Tuesday, the FAA, Department of Homeland Security, FBI and Department of Justice said in a joint statement that government investigators have received more than 5,000 reports of drone sightings but that only 100 leads were generated.

Authorities assessed that the sightings could include commercial drones operating lawfully, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as planes, helicopters and stars.

“We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast,” the statement said.