The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a monthlong ban on drone flights over a large swath of New Jersey, the first broad prohibition of its kind since the authorities began investigating a spate of sightings last month that set off fear and speculation.
The ban began late on Wednesday and will continue through Jan. 17, according to an F.A.A. alert.
The notification cited “special security reasons” for prohibiting flights in airspace near 22 New Jersey communities, including three of the state’s largest cities, Camden, Elizabeth and Jersey City.
Only drone pilots authorized to operate for national defense, law enforcement or disaster response purposes are permitted to send the unmanned crafts aloft. Operators of drones used for commercial purposes may apply for a waiver after providing a “valid statement of work,” the F.A.A. said.
The F.A.A. said in a statement that it had temporarily restricted drone flights over “critical New Jersey infrastructure” at the request of what it described as “federal security partners.”
The F.A.A. referred all additional questions to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“We continue to assess there is no public safety threat relating to the reported drone sightings,” Dana Gallagher, a Homeland Security spokeswoman, said in a statement. “In coordination with the F.A.A. and our critical infrastructure partners who requested temporary flight restrictions over their facilities, out of an abundance of caution, the F.A.A. has issued temporary flight restrictions over some critical infrastructure facilities in New Jersey.”
Pilots who fail to adhere to the no-fly rules may face swift consequences, including having drones intercepted and being questioned or detained by federal officials, F.A.A. policies state.
Many drones used for commercial purposes are registered with the federal government and can be traced using software. It was unclear, however, how hobbyists flying drones in forbidden airspace might be discovered.
The F.B.I. began investigating reports of drone sightings in New Jersey a month ago. Soon after, the authorities banned drones from operating near the Bedminster golf course run by President-elect Donald J. Trump and the Picatinny Arsenal, a large U.S. Army center.
Widespread news coverage followed. So, too, did thousands of additional reports of sightings over New Jersey, New York and several other states in the Northeast. Federal officials have issued repeated assurances that there is no security threat, and have said that most sightings appear to be of either airplanes or helicopters.
That has done little to assuage the public and some elected officials, including those who have speculated that the electronic devices are being used for nefarious reasons.
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