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Dozens of people have reported seeing drones over New Jersey since 18 November
US aviation authorities have announced a temporary ban on the use of drones in nearly two dozen cities of New Jersey until mid January.
But mystery continues to swirl after nearly a month of drone sightings over New Jersey and other US states, alarming some residents.
Authorities have been unable to provide definitive answers about these sightings, saying only that the flying objects are not believed to pose a danger to the public or national security.
On Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed the sightings included drones, as well as manned aircraft commonly mistaken for drones.
He added that he knows of “no foreign involvement” to do with the unmanned aerial vehicles.
Some lawmakers have criticised the government’s handling of the drone reports and the lack of public information.
The drone reports have prompted a wide-range of baseless conspiracy theories, including that they are searching for nuclear weapons, radioactive “dirty bombs” or are form part of an impending invasion by aliens.
Here’s what we know.
Where have drones been spotted?
Dozens of drone sightings have been reported over New Jersey since 18 November, but others have been reported around the US north-east.
Some of the flights were spotted near Picatinny Arsenal – a sensitive military research facility – as well as near President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in the town of Bedminster, New Jersey.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has since issued temporary restrictions prohibiting drone flights over 22 cities including Bedminster and Picatinny until 17 January.
Sightings have also been reported in several other states:
In New York City, several drones were reported flying over the Bronx on 12 DecemberStewart Airfield in New York state had to shut down for about an hour on 13 December because of drone activity, Governor Kathy Hochul saidIn Connecticut, police confirmed “suspicious drone activity”. A drone detection system is now in use near the towns of Groton and New LondonIn Maryland, former Republican Governor Larry Hogan said he saw what appeared to be “dozens” of drones over his home in DavidsonvilleIn Massachusetts, two men were arrested on 14 December after a “hazardous drone operation” near Logan International Airport’s airspace in Boston, police saidMultiple sightings have been reported in eastern Pennsylvania, including over PhiladelphiaIn October, the Wall Street Journal reported that mysterious drones were seen for 17 days near US military facilities in VirginiaIn Ohio, a US Air Force base was briefly closed on 13 December
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