A swarm of strange, car-sized drones that have been flying over New Jersey for weeks have finally arrived in densely populated Essex County, home to Newark Liberty International Airport and a major U.S. shipping port.
“I had a flight attendant who lives in Belleville call me and say, 'Oh my god, I see four people on Route 21,' which is a direct pattern for Newark,” said Central City Mayor Michael Melham. . To Friday's Post, a town the size of Essex County.
“Large swarms showed up all over Belleville last night,” Melham said.
“Everywhere I looked, there were drones in every direction.
“I did see them up close. … They almost looked like small airplanes,” he said.
“They're totally flying over critical infrastructure, and it's worrying not knowing their origin. … They seem to be doing a checkerboard. They're apparently on patrol.”
The deadly high-tech groups were first reported sporadically in rural areas of the state around mid-November, with some reportedly as large as SUVs.
Here's what we know about the mysterious drone flying over the East Coast.
Since then, it has become a nightly occurrence in some towns, while others in Essex, which includes the state's most populous city, Newark, and other densely populated counties, including the main international airport and the busy Port of Newark. It is spread over many counties including
New Jersey Congressman Jeff Van Drew, whose district office is in Northfield, Atlantic County, was told earlier this week by a “very reliable” source with “the best security access” that drones are “extremely dangerous.” He claimed to have heard this, increasing his concerns. Perhaps it could be sent offshore by an Iranian “mother ship.”
The drone is said to be at least 6 feet in diameter, have a range of about 15 miles, and a battery life that will keep it airborne for up to seven hours, a feat unmatched by any known commercial aircraft.
Biden administration officials deny that the drones are government property, but insist they pose no threat and are simply “legally operated manned aircraft.”
Officials have not said who is piloting the aircraft or why it is allowed to terrorize civilians or fly over critical government infrastructure.
“If I had to guess, I would say our government recognized some kind of threat and deployed assets that were previously unknown.” [the drones] To… [be] Our eyes and ears are watching over our critical infrastructure,” Melham said.
“If it fell from the sky, we might be able to get information that way, unless some men in black suits came to gather information.”
