FBI: Pilots of aircraft misidentified as drones hit by lasers

Pilots of aircraft that have been misidentified as drones — amid an uptick of mysterious sightings in recent days — have been hit in the eyes with lasers, the FBI revealed Monday.

“FBI Newark and New Jersey State Police want to warn the public about an increase in pilots of manned aircraft being hit in the eyes with lasers because people on the ground think they see an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS),” the FBI’s field office in Newark said in a statement posted to social platform X.

“There is also a concern with people possibly firing weapons at what they believe to be a UAS but could be a manned aircraft,” they added.

Drone sightings have rattled multiple states in the Northeast, most notably New Jersey, over the past month. Federal government officials said Monday that recent drone sightings have included a combination of “lawful” drones, other aircraft and stars.

“We recognize the concern among many communities,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Defense (DOD) said in a joint statement.

“We continue to support state and local authorities with advanced detection technology and support of law enforcement. We urge Congress to enact counter- [unmanned aircraft systems] legislation when it reconvenes that would extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities to identify and mitigate any threat that may emerge,” they added.

Recent attention surrounding the drone sightings has resulted in some officials like President-elect Trump, to urge the U.S. military to shoot down the unknown objects. 

However, experts have recommended against such actions, as there is a chance they might be legitimate aircraft, helicopters or non-harmful, and debris from drones dropping out of the sky could threaten people and property below.

The FBI’s Newark field office said in their Monday statement that “there could be dangerous and possibly deadly consequences if manned aircraft are targeted mistakenly as UAS.”

“There are many different websites and mobile applications the public can access through various governmental agencies and private companies that show flight paths for manned aircraft, satellites in Earth's orbit, and stars and planets visible on a given evening that can help determine if people are seeing UAS or something else,” officials wrote.

The news comes as the White House, Pentagon and President Biden have brushed off the sightings, claiming they do not pose a national security threat and there is no evidence that foreign adversaries are involved.