Drones Now Banned In More Than A Dozen New Jersey Cities, FAA Says

The Federal Aviation Administration announced flight crackdowns of drones across 22 cities in New Jersey Wednesday citing security concerns, as officials investigate reported drone sightings in the region, lawmakers have unsuccessfully scrambled to push a legislative response, and much of the public remains obsessed with the sightings.

The FAA announced “temporary flight restrictions,” banning drone flying for unapproved aircraft in 22 New Jersey cities until Jan. 17, expanding the FAA’s earlier restrictions over the Picatinny Arsenal and Bedminster.

The restrictions are for “special security reasons,” the FAA said, and an FAA notice says authorities can take measures to intercept and detain those in violation of the restrictions—including the ability to use “deadly force” on drones identified as threats, multiple outlets reported.

On Wednesday, Paul objected to a request to immediately push forward a bill from Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., that would give the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice the ability to surveil, track, control and destroy any drone identified as a threat — a bill that Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tried to expedite by seeking unanimous consent on the Senate floor.