Key US Air Force base closes airspace amid drone sightings

Drone activity caused officials to close airspace over one of the United States’ most critical Air Force bases for almost four hours late Friday and early Saturday, according to a base spokesperson and a Notice to Airmen posted on a federal website.

Drone activity caused officials to close airspace over one of the United States’ most critical Air Force bases for almost four hours late Friday and early Saturday, according to a base spokesperson and a Notice to Airmen posted on a federal website. Bob Purtiman, chief of public affairs for the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, said that the airspace remained restricted for approximately four hours from late Friday into early Saturday, while authorities monitored the situation, CNN affiliate WHIO reported. The drones, referred to as “small unmanned aerial systems,” were being monitored by base units, Purtiman told WHIO. “To date, installation leadership has determined none of the incursions impacted base residents, facilities or assets,” he said. This airspace closure was first reported by The War Zone on Sunday. CNN reached out to the Air Force for comment, but did not immediately hear back. The Wright-Patterson activity comes amid a string of mysterious drone sightings, primarily in the Northeast, that have been raising alarms among residents and local officials alike.