(Bloomberg) -- The US Federal Aviation Administration prohibited drone flights over several parts of New Jersey as public hysteria over sightings continues to persist.
The agency has published 22 temporary flight restrictions over critical infrastructure in the state, according to a statement on Thursday, adding that it was instituting the ban “at the request of federal security partners.”
The announcement comes a day after the FAA warned people that pointing lasers at aircraft is illegal and can result in a hefty fine, after seeing a dramatic increase in pilots reporting such incidents so far this month.
The US Defense Department has said it’s not involved in the mysterious drone activity, as local officials have clamored for an explanation from federal officials. The White House and other US agencies have said the drones don’t pose a threat to national security or public safety and that many of the sightings are the result of people mistaking piloted aircraft for drones.
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