By Stephen Appezzato
MONMOUTH COUNTY – While Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drone flight restrictions are in effect across the area, reports of mysterious objects in the Monmouth County night sky have largely died down.
After weeks of confusion and concern over alleged drone sightings, the FAA took additional steps in late December to address the situation by expanding its list of Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) in New Jersey. These new restrictions, announced Dec. 30, target several locations in Monmouth County, including Belford, Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Sandy Hook.
This latest round of TFRs was issued for “special security reasons” and restricts unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, from operating around certain coordinates.
With the expansion, the number of restricted zones in New Jersey grew to 57.
These restrictions prohibit drone operations below 400 feet within one nautical mile of designated locations unless explicitly authorized by the FAA. The new TFRs are set to remain in effect until Jan. 19.
A closer look at the updated list of restricted zones reveals that many of the new TFR areas are concentrated around important infrastructure sites, like Fort Hancock, site of a U.S. Coast Guard station, and the Atlantic Highlands, Highlands and Belford Seastreak ferry terminals, among other areas in New Jersey. These build on similar restrictions placed earlier in December, which included areas around the Swimming River Reservoir, Jumping Brook Reservoir and the Ocean County Utilities Authority.
In a statement to The Two River Times U.S. Rep. Chris Smith said the flight restrictions “constitute a bare minimum response from the federal government” and should be extended “as long as unidentified drones are flying in our skies.”
When reports of drone sightings in New Jersey began in November, the FAA placed temporary flight restrictions around the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster and Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County. However, as reports of drone sightings continued, the FAA expanded the list of restricted zones to cover a larger portion of the state.
At the height of the phenomenon, thousands of reports were filed with the FBI and local law enforcement agencies. Law enforcement and public officials across New Jersey were quick to demand answers from the federal government, but at the time, federal authorities assured the public the sightings did not pose a national security threat. Many of the sightings were later attributed to misidentified aircraft, such as planes and helicopters.
Despite these assurances, the concern surrounding the drone sightings lingered for several weeks, highlighting that “huge gaps exist in our ability to counter unlawful drones,” Smith said.
As of January, the number of reported incidents have decreased. According to the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, drone-related reports to its communications division “decreased significantly” in recent weeks. However, Sheriff Shaun Golden continues to advocate for stronger legislation and better tools to combat the challenges posed by drones.
In a statement to The Two River Times, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office emphasized the need for state and local law enforcement to have the ability to tackle drone-related issues. “They must have the tools and authority needed to address today’s pressing challenges,” the statement read. “The sheriff believes that without robust federal support, local and state police are being left to contend with significant hurdles that could otherwise be mitigated through collaborative action,” it continued.
Golden also commended Smith, who has been vocal in his push for federal legislation that would grant state police more resources and powers to detect and, if necessary, disable drones.
At the height of the drone-sighting phenomenon in December, public and law enforcement officials like Golden, Smith and Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy held a press conference. At the event, Smith revealed that he was working on legislation aimed at expanding the powers of state police to better detect and disable drones.
“Knowing how drone warfare has radically changed warfighting in Ukraine and Russia, the Middle East and elsewhere, this is not the time to trivialize or dismiss the potential threat posed by unidentified drones,” Smith later said. “We need to ensure that law enforcement has the authorities, training, and capabilities to take quick action if needed to keep local residents safe, especially as drones continue to advance technologically and have the potential to be increasingly lethal.”
Smith’s proposed bill was introduced Dec. 20 and has since been referred to committees for further consideration.
While drone sightings in New Jersey appear to have tapered off in recent weeks, the FAA’s expanded TFRs remain in effect until Jan. 19.
The article originally appeared in the January 9 – 15, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
