Many drone sightings in New Jersey contain “manned plane misidentified as drones,” the FBI says

A drone or SUAV, small unmanned aerial vehicle.

Richard Newstead | moment | Getty Images

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security said Saturday that ongoing investigations into reported drone sightings over New Jersey have revealed that “many of the reported drone sightings are actually manned aircraft that have been misidentified as drones.”

The investigations also found no evidence that detected drones were involved in illegal activities or malicious acts, and the United States Coast Guard found no evidence of foreign involvement offshore.

“At this point, we have found no basis to believe that there is criminal activity, that there is a threat to national security, that there is a particular threat to public safety, or that a malicious foreign actor is participating in these drones is involved,” a DHS official said.

The FBI has been investigating hundreds of reports of drones operating at night since mid-November, most of which are larger than those used by amateurs.

FBI officials said Thursday they had seen “no evidence” that the drone sightings “pose a threat to national or public safety.”

There have been sightings at President-elect Donald Trump's golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey, and near a military research facility.