DHS, FBI, FAA & DoD Joint Statement on Ongoing Response to Reported Drone Sightings

In response to the recent publicity and confusion concern numerous reports of drone sightings in the northeastern United States, the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense issued a  Joint Statement on Ongoing Response to Reported Drone Sightings, as follows:

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

There are more than one million drones lawfully registered with the FAA in the United States and there are thousands of commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones lawfully in the sky on any given day. With the technology landscape evolving, we expect that number to increase over time.

FBI has received tips of more than 5,000 reported drone sightings in the last few weeks with approximately 100 leads generated, and the federal government is supporting state and local officials in investigating these reports. Consistent with each of our unique missions and authorities, we are quickly working to prioritize and follow these leads. We have sent advanced detection technology to the region. And we have sent trained visual observers.

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. 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.

That said, we recognize the concern among many communities. We continue to support state and local authorities with advanced detection technology and support of law enforcement. We urge Congress to enact counter-UAS legislation when it reconvenes that would extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities to identify and mitigate any threat that may emerge. 

Additionally, there have been a limited number of visual sightings of drones over military facilities in New Jersey and elsewhere, including within restricted air space. Such sightings near or over DoD installations are not new. DoD takes unauthorized access over its airspace seriously and coordinates closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement authorities, as appropriate. Local commanders are actively engaged to ensure there are appropriate detection and mitigation measures in place.

For more information, visit https://www.faa.gov/newsroom.

FAA Seeks Comment on Draft Advisory Circular for the Type Certification of Powered-Lift

On Monday, June 10, 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)  in Washington, D.C., issued a statement concerning the certification of  electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The statement  noted that the FAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had achieved a significant milestone on the path to certifying electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The FAA stated that this measure also marked important progress in the agency’s effort to more closely align rulemaking and policy initiatives between the United States and the European Union. The FAA restated its commitment to ensuring the safety of the flying public both at home and abroad.

In furtherance of this milestone, the FAA issued a Draft Advisory Circular for the Type Certification of Powered-Lift (Draft AC) on June 12, 2024. Public comment on the Draft AC addressing the type, production, and airworthiness certification of powered-lift are requested. Comments must be received on or before August 12, 2024. Comments can be uploaded to Regulations.gov in Docket No. FAA-2024-1586. Commenters should include the subject line “Type Certification – Powered-lift” and the docket number FAA 2024-1586 on all comments submitted to the FAA. A comment matrix has been provided by the FAA for use of comment submission at https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_docs/ac.

Powered-lift is defined in 14 CFR § 1.1 as a heavier-than-air aircraft capable of vertical takeoff, vertical landing, and low speed flight that depends principally on engine-driven lift  devices or engine thrust for lift during these flight regimes and on nonrotating airfoil(s)  for lift during horizontal flight. The Draft AC points out that powered-lift have characteristics of both an airplane and a rotorcraft, providing the capability to function as a rotorcraft for takeoff and landing  and as an airplane during cruise flight. This combination of lift capabilities creates the  potential for increased speeds and duration, compared to rotorcraft, during the enroute portion of the flight.

The FAA notes that the Draft  AC provides guidance for the type, production, and airworthiness certification of powered-lift. The FAA states that the Draft AC consequently  establishes a more efficient path in designating the type certification basis for certain powered-lift projects, as the FAA will not need to announce the criteria for each project in the Federal Register for notice and comment for those designs that use the criteria in this AC with no additions or changes.

For the text of the Draft AC see https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_docs/ac.