Mystery drones could be identified faster using new detection tool, but FAA lacks resources
As drone sightings over New Jersey continue to raise questions, a new tool could bring answers about the source of these flying vehicles — if the government could get it off the ground.
Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began requiring all unmanned aircraft systems to be equipped with Remote ID technology, which makes every equipped drone uniquely identifiable to authorities, like a license plate on a car.
The FAA announced that it would provide a database that could be accessed by local law enforcement, but nearly one year later, local authorities still can't get into it themselves.
"The FAA is working on developing Remote ID data sharing capabilities for law enforcement so they can have access to FAA registration information," the agency said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
DRONES SPOTTED ACROSS NORTHEAST LIKELY COMING FROM ‘INSIDE THE US,’ MILITARY EXPERT SAYS
According to a report published in June by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the FAA has not yet provided a way for law enforcement agencies to use Remote ID technology to respond to a potential threat or investigate suspicious drone activity.
A representative from New Jersey’s Belleville Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that its officers do not have access to the FAA’s Remote ID database as the state is dealing with dozens of reported drone sightings and growing public concern about the government's inability to provide answers.
The East Brunswick Police Department also confirmed to Fox News Digital that it was "unaware of any of the FAA databases available for Remote ID."
The FAA did not respond to questions about whether the Remote ID database is being shared with local authorities for the ongoing investigations in New Jersey.
The GAO’s report reveals that both the FAA and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) do not have a concrete timeline for the rollout of Remote ID access for law enforcement, resulting in potential delays when authorities are trying to access real-time data regarding drone activity.
Remote ID acts as a "digital license plate" by using a broadcast signal — similar to those used by manned aircraft — to relay a drone’s registration details, coordinates and altitude. Remote ID is typically built into the software of mainstream consumer drones or physically attached to the craft.
"As long as it has a GPS and Remote ID built into the software and into the system, it can be tracked just like any other aircraft," James McDanolds, program chair at Sonoran Desert Institute’s School of Uncrewed Technology, told Fox News Digital.
Broadcasting the signal over radio waves, instead of the internet, would allow the signal to be accessed in areas with low internet connectivity.
MANY NEW JERSEY ‘DRONE' SIGHTINGS ARE LAWFULLY OPERATED MANNED AIRCRAFT, WHITE HOUSE SAYS
Currently, local authorities must go through an FAA Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP) agent to request information regarding an incident, which would then be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. But the FAA has acknowledged an inability to effectively handle local law enforcement's requests to the program for Remote ID data and is requesting funding from the federal government to cover the cost of expanding.
The FAA requested $21.8 billion in funding from the federal government for the upcoming year, according to the administration's 2025 President's Budget Submission. Additionally, the FAA has allotted $15.6 million of the budget for drone-related research and growth.
The FAA wants more money to hire more LEAP special agents whose jobs will focus on investigating drone activity.
The GAO’s report expressed concerns regarding the timeliness of these requests, citing the need for real-time data in potential emergency situations.
FAA TEMPORARILY RESTRICT DRONE FLIGHTS IN NEW YORK AMID CONCERNS OVER RECENTLY REPORTED SIGHTINGS
The DHS, FBI, FAA and Department of Defense on Monday issued a joint statement addressing the origins of the drones, citing the use of technology to identify the owners.
"Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones," the statement explains. "We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the Northeast."
The FAA began receiving reports of drone activity in mid-November as unidentified aircraft were spotted throughout the Garden State, including Picatinny Arsenal Military Base and Trump National Golf Course Bedminster, resulting in temporary flight restrictions, known as TFRs, being placed over sensitive areas.
FAA ANNOUNCES TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS ON DRONE FLIGHTS IN NEW JERSEY FOLLOWING INFLUX OF SIGHTINGS
Civilians have reported drones of unusual size or build. Some with diameters of 6 feet have been spotted, according to New Jersey state Rep. Dawn Fantasia, who was briefed on the matter last week. However, the federal government has maintained that the drones are accounted for and continue to be used lawfully.
The FAA’s Part 107 rule states that drones are permitted to fly at night and must remain within 400 feet of ground level. Operating a drone without Remote ID can carry criminal penalties of up to $250,000 and a maximum of three years in jail, with civil penalties of up to $27,500.
Within the last few weeks, the FBI has received tips of more than 5,000 drone sightings, with fewer than 100 warranting additional investigation, according to an FBI official.
"To be clear, [authorities] have uncovered no such malicious activity or intent at this stage," the DHS and FBI said in a joint statement on Thursday. "While there is no known malicious activity occurring in New Jersey, the reported sightings there do, however, highlight the insufficiency of current authorities."
Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.