Mysterious drones over New Jersey were FAA-approved

Most of the drones over New Jersey that caused a stir late last year were operated by civilians, and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday. Researchers were using drones, as were hobbyists. Public concern grew worse with increased curiosity, Leavitt said. “This was not the enemy,” Leavitt insisted.

What caused the hype over the drones? New Jersey residents noticed lights, presumably from drones, flighting across the skies of their state late last year. Officials began calling for an investigation even while the Pentagon denied that any foreign adversaries were involved. Eventually, authorities asked residents not to aim high-powered laser pointers at lights in the sky, because an inordinate number of pilots were being hit in the face by the lasers.

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Sift about how the Pentagon says other unidentified flying objects likely aren’t aliens or foreign adversaries.