The US Department of Defense (DoD) is collaborating with the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Federal Aviation Administration to address and evaluate reports of drones flying over military bases.
Currently, more than one million drones are registered with the FAA in the US, including commercial, hobbyist, and law enforcement drones.
The number of drones is expected to grow as technology advances.
Recently, the FBI received more than 5,000 reports of drone sightings, generating approximately 100 investigative leads.
The federal government is aiding state and local authorities in these investigations.
Pentagon press secretary Air Force major general Pat Ryder said drones operating near or over U.S. military facilities are not a recent occurrence.
The general said: "We take all of those [reports] seriously. Typically, when we detect them, we attempt to classify them and take appropriate measures. Is it possible that some of those are surveillance? Absolutely. Can you make that assumption in every case? Not necessarily so."
The DoD is deploying additional resources to Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey to enhance drone detection and monitoring capabilities.
Analysis of technical data and public tips indicates that the sightings include lawful drones, crewed aircraft, and even ‘stars’ mistaken for drones.
No anomalies have been identified, and current activities are said to not pose a national security or public safety threat in New Jersey or the broader northeastern US.
There have been limited drone sightings over military facilities, including restricted airspace, but such occurrences are claimed to be not unprecedented.
Ryder added: “The thing is, I think we've all recognised the fact that unmanned systems are here to stay.
“They are a part of modern warfare, whether it's here in the homeland or overseas. We want to make sure that we're doing due diligence to protect our forces and protect our equities from a national security standpoint. You will see us continuing to look at that, and it's something we're going to continue to take seriously.”
Earlier in December 2024, the US Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) revealed that it is progressing with the Replicator 1 initiative, deploying autonomous systems in combat scenarios.
The DIU has also launched a second phase focused on developing counter-drone capabilities.
