By Julian Castillo
Dec 19, 2024, 16:44 PM EST
In recent weeks, the Drone sightings in New Jersey and other regions of the US East Coast have increased sharply. These incidents have raised alarms among citizens and authorities, especially due to the proximity of these devices to critical infrastructure and residential areas.
Authorities have expressed concern about the potential risk they represent both in terms of security and privacy.
FBI warning: lasers and guns are not the solution
The FBI, through its office in Newark, has issued a clear and emphatic warning: citizens should not use lasers or fire firearms at drones.. These actions not only pose a significant danger, but may also violate federal laws, resulting in serious legal consequences.
In addition, the FBI has warned that many aerial objects mistaken for drones could be manned aircraft, low-orbit satellites or even celestial bodies such as stars or planets.
Recent incidents that reinforce the warning
The need for this warning has been emphasized because There has been an increase in laser incidents affecting manned aircraft in the region. Numerous pilots have reported being hit by lasers in mid-flight, which not only endangers their lives, but also those of the passengers on board. Authorities believe these incidents are mostly caused by people mistaking manned aircraft for drones.
Pointing a laser at an aircraft, whether manned or unmanned, is a federal crime which can result in sentences of up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.
Likewise, firing firearms at drones is also illegal and represents a significant risk to community safety. The FBI has emphasized that shooting at any type of aircraft, including an unmanned one, is an extremely dangerous action and severely punished by law.
Measures taken by the authorities
Given this situation, federal and local authorities have intensified their efforts to control drone sightings. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has implemented a temporary ban on drone flights over critical areas of New Jersey. This measure, which will be in effect until mid-January, affects 22 communities, including Camden, Elizabeth and Jersey City.
The FBI, working with the New Jersey State Police and other agencies, has deployed advanced tracking tools to identify drone operators acting illegally or with malicious intent. However, despite these efforts, the origin and purpose of many of the sightings remains a mystery.
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