Recently, reports of unidentified drones have increased in New Jersey and New York City, and while the authorities have attempted to explain that most of the drones were mistaken for aircraft, residents’ anxiety shows no signs of abating.
Meanwhile, Andy Kim (Democrat, NJ), a Korean American who has just begun his career as a U.S. Senator representing New Jersey, is increasing his presence by responding nimbly to residents’ anxiety.
Kim, the first Korean American to be elected to the U.S. Senate in the elections held last month, officially began his activities as a U.S. Senator on the 8th, about four weeks before the original start date of his term, January 3rd of next year. Rep. Kim pointed out that the passive explanations of the relevant authorities in a situation where residents likely mistook general aircraft for drones increased residents’ anxiety and urged the federal government to respond responsibly.
On the 14th, Rep. Kim posted on social media, “After going out to investigate reports of drone sightings with the police, I was able to conduct a more in-depth analysis with the help of civilian pilots and others,” and “I concluded that most of the suspicious drone cases I witnessed were almost certainly (manned) aircraft.”
Rep. Kim explained that during the investigation, an aircraft that did not appear on the aircraft tracking app was seen in the night sky, but when he checked more detailed flight data, he discovered that a small aircraft had flown the same route a few days earlier. However, Rep. Kim pointed out that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has more resources and experience in aircraft identification but has not received this type of analysis result. It is interpreted that the recent reports of nighttime drone sightings that have made residents in the eastern regions, including New York and New Jersey, anxious are mostly believed to be mistaken for regular aircraft, and the authorities’ complacent response is allowing the anxiety to spread.
Rep. Kim criticized, “I think this situation reflects the current situation in the United States in some ways,” and “People have a lot of anxiety about the economy, healthcare, and security issues right now, but those in charge of dealing with it often do not treat the public with respect and depth. “He added, “I will continue to pressure the authorities to get answers about the suspected drone objects and help us understand what’s going on,” and “I will also pressure the government to do a better job of responding to the citizens’ demands. “
Since last month, unidentified drones have been appearing in the East Coast areas, including New Jersey and New York, and rumors have been spreading in those areas that hostile forces such as Iran are flying drones in the Atlantic Ocean. On the 13th, a drone flight was reported near Stewart International Airport, about 100km north of New York City, which caused an uproar that halted airport operations for about an hour.
After the incident, New York Governor Cathy Hokel added to the voices calling for the relevant authorities to investigate the truth, saying, “This has gone too far.” President-elect Donald Trump further stirred public anxiety on the 13th by posting on social media, “If the federal government can’t inform the public about the reality of drones, they should be shot down.” Meanwhile, US authorities are explaining that the recent surge in drone sightings is either legal drone flights or “misidentification of aircraft.”
The White House, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released a joint statement the previous day, stating that there is no evidence to suggest a threat to national security or public safety, and that many of the recent surge in drone sightings appear to be mistaken for manned aircraft.
The agencies explain that even if they were actual drones and not aircraft, they were legal flights that did not violate restricted areas. In response to active calls for explanations from politicians including Rep. Kim, high-ranking federal government officials are also appearing in the media to directly convey the government’s position, thereby communicating.
On the 15th, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas appeared on ABC and said, “I want to assure the American people that the federal government has deployed additional resources, personnel, and technology to support New Jersey State Police in responding to drone sightings.”
Secretary Mayorkas said the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision last September to allow drones to fly at night is believed to be one of the reasons for the recent increase in nighttime drone sightings, explaining, “In the U.S., thousands of drones fly every day, including recreational and commercial drones. That’s the reality.”