(NewsNation) — The number of drone sightings around the United States has dropped recently, but fewer people reporting seeing unidentified objects in the sky doesn’t mean there are more answers from federal agencies investigating the sightings.
The FBI previously said they do not believe the drones are the property of the U.S. military or foreign governments. The federal agency told NewsNation that they do not have any new information about where the drones may be coming from. But on a call with reporters, the FBI said that it largely dismisses many of the reported 5,000 sightings as manned aircraft.
However, the agency said that there are still more than 100 sightings that still need to be investigated.
On a local level, law enforcement officials in states like New Jersey also report a decline in sightings. However, the drop in reported sightings does not solve the mystery of who is behind the reported mystery drones. Federal agencies like the FBI and Federal Aviation Administration have said repeatedly that unidentified objects do not pose a threat to national security.
Yet, that leaves local investigators with few answers on objects that they are seeing first-hand.
“We had one that was basically flying right at us that stopped in mid-air and did a 180,” Sgt. Kevin Fennessy of the Ocean County of the N.J. Sheriff’s Office told NewsNation.
Most of the reports the department has received have involved sightings of fixed-wing drones.
Lawmakers, residents and President-elect Donald Trump have complained about a lack of federal transparency on the drone issue. Trump has suggested that the government and the White House know more than it is letting on and that more information should be made available.
