Mystery NJ drone sightings drop after early December surge

The drone activity over New Jersey has taken a holiday.

The number of reported drone sightings dropped off considerably, officials in Ocean County said this week.

Specific numbers were not released, but Ocean County Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy confirmed fewer sightings of the unmanned aircraft being called in.

Drones have been invading the area since mid-November. @MendhamMike/Storyful

Some sightings continue, with social media footage from Somerset, Ocean and Bergen counties capturing more alleged drone activity in the sky above the Garden State.

Concrete answers from federal officials concerning what the drones are, where they are from and their purpose remain elusive.

Officials like Ocean County Sheriff Mike Mastronady (middle) have been asking feds for answers. J.C. Rice
A hobbyist drone flying at dusk in Hawthorne, NJ, on December 13. Christopher Sadowski

Mastronardy, who at one point launched his own drone to try to track the mysterious aircraft, said his office took more reports about drone sightings on Dec. 8 and 9 than any other day since they started in mid-November.

The dropoff follows FAA-imposed restrictions on New York and New Jersey airspace.

Monmouth County was a hotbed for drone sightings. Facebook/Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office

The FBI said it has investigated approximately 5,000 of the various reports it received from the public, with about 100 deemed credible. Federal officials maintain the drones pose no threat to national security or the public at large.