(Credit: Mark Roberts)
Readers across the region reported drone activity near certain infrastructure.
Heightened drone activity Thursday night in towns in Montgomery and Bucks counties have left residents with more questions than concerns, especially in a time when the government has advised the public there is no immediate threat.
Shortly after sundown Thursday, residents in Lansdale, Sellersville and Chalfont reported sightings of drones and in the area and other unmanned aircraft near critical infrastructure.
At 6:30 p.m., Facebook users reported drones over Roy Lomas in Towamencin Township and two over Lowe’s in Hatfield.
By 8 p.m., readers reported drones over Gwynedd Square Elementary School, at least four over Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansdale, two or three in the North Wales Borough area, over the water tower in Montgomery Township, and numerous ones over the Willow Grove Naval Air Station. Another reader reported at least five or six over the Harleysville and Souderton area, moving south along the Northeast Extension.
A few hobby drone users reported that while their drones maxed out at 400 feet in the air, the reported drones – most with red and green or red and blue flashing lights – were two to four times higher in the sky and traveling at excessive speeds.
On Thursday, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) called on the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and Federal Aviation Administration to urgently investigate and disclose information about the increasing reports of unexplained drone activity in the Philadelphia region, including Bucks County, and neighboring New Jersey.
In a letter, Fitzpatrick, who chairs the National Intelligence Enterprise Subcommittee on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, demanded answers to questions, including has the FAA been able to access the remote identifications of the drones not acting in compliance? And if so, what can be determined about these Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)?
Fitzpatrick also demanded to know if the federal agencies are collaborating with state and local partners to ensure appropriate accountability measures are in place for violators of UAS regulations.
In his letter, Fitzpatrick states:
Through my role as Chairman of the National Intelligence Enterprise Subcommittee on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) I have requested a classified briefing from relevant intelligence agencies. Beyond this imperative briefing, I am requesting answers to the following questions:
1. Has the FAA been able to access the remote identifications of the drones not acting in compliance? If so, what can be determined about these UAS?
2. Are the DHS, the FAA, and the FBI collaborating with state and local partners to ensure the appropriate accountability measures are in place for violators of current UAS regulations?
3. Are there any measures authorities who oversee areas of critical infrastructure in this region should be implementing to protect themselves from a potential threat to their privacy and security
4. Has the FAA been able to record the flight tracks of these UAS and identify what classes of airspace they are operating in and any subsequent airspace incursions?
Thank you for your attention to this matter, as well as your continued service in protecting our nation.
The FBI has said that it is investigating the reports, and asked residents to share videos, photos and other information about the drones.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, where the sightings began about a week ago, Gov. Phil Murphy and law enforcement officials said the drones don’t appear to be a threat to public safety.
The FBI is among several agencies investigating, and it has asked residents to share videos, photos and other information they may have about the drones.
