BOSTON (AP) 鈥� More suspected in the eastern U.S. led to a temporary airspace shutdown at an Air Force base in Ohio and arrests near Boston's Logan International Airport, as elected officials to identify and stop the mysterious unmanned flights.
Drones flying around Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, forced base officials to close the airspace for about four hours late Friday into early Saturday, said Robert Purtiman, a base spokesperson.
It is the first time drones have been spotted at the base, one of the largest in the world, and no sightings have been reported since early Saturday, Purtiman said Monday. He would not say how many drones were flying in the area, adding that they ranged in size and that they did not impact any base facilities.
In Boston, city police arrested two men accused of operating a drone 鈥渄angerously close鈥� to Logan Airport on Saturday night. Authorities said an officer using drone monitoring technology detected the aircraft and the location of the operators. A third man who fled police remains at large. Authorities said the two men face trespassing charges, and could face more charges and fines.
Boston police urged drone operators to adhere to federal safety guidelines.
鈥淓ven small drones pose significant risks, including the potential for catastrophic damage to airplanes and helicopters. Near-collisions can cause pilots to veer off course, putting lives and property at risk,鈥� police said in social media posts.
National security officials have said the drones recently spotted in the eastern part of the country don鈥檛 appear to be signs of foreign interference or a public safety threat. But because they can鈥檛 say with certainty who is responsible for the sudden swarms of drones 鈥� or how they can be stopped 鈥� leaders of both political parties are demanding better technology and powers to deal with the drones.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of us who are pretty frustrated right now,鈥� Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said on 鈥淔ox News Sunday,鈥� as drone sightings were being reported in his state. "'We don鈥檛 know鈥� is not a good enough answer.鈥�
Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer on Sunday called for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to deploy better drone-tracking technology to New York and New Jersey to identify the drones and their operators. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said federal officials had agreed to send a drone detection system to the state.
鈥淣ew Yorkers have tremendous questions about it,鈥� Schumer, the Senate majority leader, told reporters of the drone sightings. 鈥淲e are going to get the answers for them.鈥�
The federal government did little to answer those questions in its own media briefings over the weekend. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no question that people are seeing drones,鈥� U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC鈥檚 George Stephanopoulos on Sunday. 鈥淏ut I want to assure the American public that we are on it. We are working in close coordination with state and local authorities.鈥�
Some of the drones reported above parts of New York and New Jersey have turned out to be 鈥渕anned aircraft that are commonly mistaken for drones,鈥� Mayorkas said. 鈥淲e know of no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the Northeast. And we are vigilant in investigating this matter.鈥�
New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy posted on X Sunday night that he had been out looking for drones with state police in West Trenton, New Jersey. 鈥淭he public deserves clear answers 鈥� we will keep pushing the federal government for more information and resources,鈥� he said, adding that the FBI had briefed him about the sightings in Colts Neck, New Jersey.
Federal aviation authorities have required certain drones to broadcast their remote identification since last year, including the location of their operators. It鈥檚 not clear whether that information has been used to determine who is behind the drones plaguing locations over New York and New Jersey. Mayorkas鈥� office didn鈥檛 respond to questions about whether they鈥檝e been able to identify drones using this capability.
Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month over parts of New Jersey, raising concerns among residents and officials. Part of the worry stems from the flying objects near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump鈥檚 golf course in Bedminster.
鈥淚t didn't concern me at first,鈥� said Trisha Bushey, of Clinton Township, New Jersey, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) south of the Picatinny Arsenal. 鈥淚 just didn鈥檛 think anything of it until it started becoming like every night, the same time, same places.鈥�
Bushey said she thought it was military drills at first, but then officials said the military wasn't involved.
鈥淎nd then once they came out and said that they鈥檙e not and they don鈥檛 know what they are and they鈥檙e not foreign, but they鈥檙e not ours and they don鈥檛 pose a threat, that鈥檚 when it becomes concerning,鈥� she told The Associated Press.
Drones are now being reported all along the northeastern U.S.
Some U.S. political leaders, including Trump, have called for much stronger action against the drones, including shooting them down.
Certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security have the power to 鈥渋ncapacitate鈥� drones, Mayorkas said Sunday. 鈥淏ut we need those authorities expanded,鈥� he said.
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Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut. Associated Press writers John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, Mike Catalini in Trenton, New Jersey, and Joseph B. Frederick in New York City contributed to this report.
Dave Collins And Bianca V谩zquez Toness, The Associated Press
