Drone activity near Trump Bedminster, Army arsenal spurs NJ flight restriction: FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed Tuesday it issued two flight restrictions following questionable drone activity in the area of President-elect Trump’s New Jersey golf club.
On Nov. 18, the FAA first received reports of drone activity within Morris County, the border of which lies about two miles north of Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in Somerset County.
Upon request from “federal security partners,” the agency issued two TFRs, or temporary flight restrictions, and several reports of drone sightings continued into this week in Central Jersey.
One restriction covers an area near Solberg-Hunterdon County Airport that consists of airspace above Trump Bedminster. Flights are also banned over Picatinny Arsenal, a major U.S. Army hub in Dover, N.J., geared toward research and development via its CCDCAC armaments center.
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The ban remains in place over Trump Bedminster for the rest of this week and over Picatinny Arsenal until Dec. 26.
“Safely integrating drones into the National Airspace System is a key priority for the FAA,” the agency said in a statement Tuesday.
“We look into all reports of unauthorized drone operations and investigate when appropriate,” the agency said, adding drone pilots who endanger aircraft or people can have their certification revoked and/or face $75,000 in fines.
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Local media reported law enforcement has also been probing continued drone activity in the area.
Sightings have also occurred a few miles north of Bedminster in Mendham and Parsippany, where I-80 meets I-287.
A Parsippany woman told the Morristown Record she saw as many as five drones overhead Sunday night.
Morris County Sheriff James Gannon told New Jersey Patch there is “no advisable immediate danger to the public at this time” and asked the public to send law enforcement clear photographs of the drones.
An FBI spokeswoman told the outlet the bureau’s Newark field office and New Jersey State Police are investigating.
Fox News Digital reached out to Team Trump as well as the U.S. Army’s garrison at Picatinny for comment.
The drone sightings in New Jersey come as unidentified drones have been seen over British-American joint bases in the United Kingdom.
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“Swarms of small drones” have been seen over Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, RAF Fairford and RAF Feltwell in England. Some of those bases house F-15 and F-35 fighter jets.
The British military sent dozens of personnel to protect the bases, and a Pentagon spokesman said Nov. 26 none of the incursions affected the base’s buildings, personnel or assets.
Nineties punk rock band Green Day also paused a September show in Detroit after a drone was spotted overhead. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong rushed backstage as he closed out “Longview.”
The show resumed about 10 minutes later, and Detroit Police said a man was detained.
Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin, Liz Friden and Bradford Betz contributed to this report.