In the memo obtained by WIRED, DHS shows little confidence in its ability to detect dangerous drones. The document, which the authorities were instructed not to make public, says that “strategies and technology to evade counter-UAS capabilities are circulated and sold online without regulation.” In reality, police’s ability to track errant drones is hindered by a variety of emerging technologies, the memo said, including “autonomous flight, 5G command and control, jamming protection technology, swarming technology, and software that geofences.” disables sanctions.”
The mystery in New Jersey and similar incidents in Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland, among other states, highlight ongoing efforts by state and federal legislators to expand government access to UAS technology. Speaking to reporters via Zoom on Saturday, a DHS official said the agency is urging Congress to “enhance and expand existing counter-drone authorities,” and to ensure that “state and local authorities have such Adequate resources should be provided to respond to threats.”
Currently, only a handful of federal agencies—including DHS and the Departments of Energy, Justice and Defense—are legally allowed to bring down drones within US airspace.
Ryan Shapiro, executive director of the Estate of the People, says the August memo makes clear that DHS is constantly working to acquire new technologies and legal authority for law enforcement. But any impact on Americans’ civil liberties, he says, should not be justified simply by pointing to “an impure, misguided threat.”
While terms like “violent extremism” conjure up images of neo-Nazis and domestic terrorists hoping to incite more American civil war, Shapiro says the government also deceptively applies such labels to undermine animal rights groups. are At the behest of corporations. Activists have relied heavily on drones for the past decade, he says, to help Collect evidence of cruelty on factory farms— where secret recording is criminalized under so-called “eg-gag” laws.
During Saturday’s briefing, FBI officials said authorities had received about 5,000 drone tips regarding East Coast sightings, ultimately generating about 100 viable leads. Most of the reports appear consistent, they said, with misidentified flights landing and taking off from major airports in the region.
While the FBI worked to address concerns raised by recent sightings, it also urged Americans not to completely dismiss the idea that rogue drones pose a serious threat. “It is well known to us that criminals who violate the law actually use it [drones] To support their actions,” an official said, adding that the recent spate of sightings, by contrast, appears largely lenient.
In a statement to Wired, a DHS spokesperson said the agency is “advising federal, state and local partners to be aware of potential threats and encourages the public to report any suspicious activity to local authorities.” “
