Drones for commercial and recreational use have rapidly grown in popularity, despite restrictions on who can operate them and where they can fly.
No-fly zones are enforced around airports, military installations, nuclear power plants, certain landmarks including the Statue of Liberty, and sports stadiums during matches.
Not everyone follows the rules. Sightings at airports have halted flights in some cases.
Reported sightings of which look like drones Flying over New Jersey at night has caused anxiety among some residents in recent weeks, in part because it is unclear who is operating them and why. Some state and local officials have called for stricter regulations on drones.
After receiving reports of drone activity near Morris County, New Jersey last month, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary ban on drone flights over a golf course in BedminsterNew Jersey, which is owned by newly elected President Donald Trump, and more Picatinny Arsenal Military Base. The FAA says the bans are in response to requests from “federal safety partners.”
The FAA is responsible for the regulations that govern their useand Congress has included a number of requirements in law.
With a 2018 law, the Preventing Emerging Threats Act, Congress gave certain agencies in the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice the authority to counter threats from unmanned aircraft to protect the safety of certain facilities.
New drones must be equipped with equipment that allows law enforcement agencies to identify the operator, and Congress gave agencies the power to track and shoot down unmanned aircraft they consider dangerous.
The law specifies where the counter-drone measures can be used, including “national special security events” such as presidential inaugurations and other large gatherings of people.
To obtain a ‘remote pilot’ certificate, you must be at least 16 years old, proficient in the English language, pass an aviation exam and not suffer from a ‘mental condition that would interfere with the safe operation of a small unmanned aircraft system . ”
Yes, but the FAA places restrictions on nighttime operations. Most drones are not allowed to fly at night unless they are equipped with anti-collision lights that are visible for at least 3 miles.
Over the past decade, pilots have reported hundreds of close calls between drones and aircraft, including jets. In some cases, airline pilots had to take evasive action to avoid collisions.
Drones buzz over a runway causing flights to be halted at Gatwick Airport in London during the Christmas rush in 2018 and again in May 2023. Police rejected the idea of shooting down the drones, fearing stray bullets could kill someone.
Advances in drone technology have made it harder for law enforcement to find rogue drone operators – larger drones in particular have more range and power.
Some state and local officials in New Jersey are calling for tighter restrictions because of the recent sightings, and that’s worrying the drone industry.
Scott Shtofman, director of government affairs at the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International, said placing more restrictions on drones could have a “chilling effect” on “a growing economic engine for the United States.”
“We would absolutely oppose anything that blindly pushes for new regulation of what are now legal drone operations,” he said.
AirSight, a company that sells software to combat “drone threats,” says more than 20 states have passed laws against privacy invasion by drones, including Peeping Toms.
Will Austin, president of Warren County Community College in New Jersey, and founder of the drone program, says it’s up to users to address public concerns about the machines. He said operators should explain why they are flying when confronted by people concerned about privacy or safety.
“It’s a brand new technology that isn’t really well understood yet, so it’s going to create fear and anxiety for a lot of people,” Austin said. “We want to be good professional pilots and alleviate that.”
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Associated Press reporter Rebecca Santana in Washington, D.C., contributed.