The surge of drone sightings in New Jersey and across the U.S. has prompted an array of conspiracy theories and false claims online.A joint statement on Dec. 17 from the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense said the sightings include legal commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones, as well as manned planes and helicopters. Two days later, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said drones would be banned over certain “critical infrastructure” in the state. The FAA announced similar restrictions in New Jersey.While President Joe Biden said there doesn’t appear to be anything “nefarious” about the sightings, social media users have continued to spread misinformation about the aircraft’s origin and mission.
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Here’s a roundup of checks about drone sightings from the USA TODAY Fact Check Team:
Our rating: False
The video does not show a drone crash. The footage is from a Dec. 12 plane crash near the border of New York and Connecticut, according to media reports.
Full fact check: Video shows plane wreck near Connecticut, not New Jersey drone crash
Our rating: False
No drones were used in the search for the substance, according to a spokesperson for the New Jersey agency in charge of overseeing its recovery. The first drone sightings predate the misplacement of the substance by two weeks.
Full fact check:Drones were not used to find radioactive material lost in New Jersey
Our rating: False
The Pentagon said nothing of the sort. While a spokesperson ruled out a foreign “adversary” or the U.S. military as operators of the crafts, she suggested other possible explanations for the sightings in the same news conference.
Full fact check: Pentagon spokesperson did not ‘confirm’ drones were from space
Our rating: False
The image has circulated online since at least February 2023 and shows a replica spacecraft from the “Star Wars” movies.
Full fact check: No, that’s not a crashed drone. It’s a TIE fighter replica
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