‘Wild West of drones’: Anxiety heightens as officials seek to reassure public there’s no threat

Residents of the Northeast are increasingly on edge while elected officials are looking for Washington to do more to solve the riddle of the mysterious flying objects seen for weeks in the night sky.

As pressure mounts on federal officials to address ongoing concerns about possible drone sightings, East Coast residents, especially in New Jersey, remain on edge, with similar reports emerging in Ohio that prompted a temporary airspace closure over a vital military base. Federal officials have so far downplayed many of the reported sightings, saying they are likely small airplanes or other manned aircraft. But they nonetheless expressed concern Sunday on sightings seen across at least six states – New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ohio – while arrests have been made in connection with drone operation near restricted areas in Massachusetts and California. “I want to assure the American public that we are on it,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” Mayorkas said federal officials are not aware of direct national security concerns tied to the possible drone sightings. “We know of no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the Northeast, and we are vigilant in investigating this matter,” he said. His comments Sunday came a day after telling CNN, “Let me calm those nerves. We have not seen anything unusual. We know of no threat. We know of no nefarious activity.”