The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been evaluating drone detection systems in New Jersey following a “drone fiasco” in 2024, which saw a rise in drone activity in the state, US Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy announced.
“Do you remember the drone fiasco in New Jersey last year?” Duffy said in a post on X published on April 16, 2025. “Do you remember when President Biden’s administration refused to tell the American people who was flying the drones? It was wrong.”
Duffy noted that the public felt “greatly concerned about the absence of information” following sightings of unidentified drones in New Jersey and other East Coast states in November 2024.
“President Trump and I believe in radical transparency,” Duffy added. “In this administration, we are committed to the truth and that means telling the American people what our agencies are up to.”
The FAA announced it will test drone detection in Cape May, New Jersey, from April 14 to 25, 2025. The purpose of this testing is to ensure that the agency can effectively identify drones in the state’s airspace and prevent any interference with aircraft navigation systems.
Testing will occur on the water close to the Cape May Ferry Terminal during the day on weekdays. Duffy mentioned that the affected communities have been informed, and local authorities will be involved in all of the tests.
“This is about protecting our national security and American safety,” Duffy said, adding that the FAA will operate more than 100 commercial off-the-shelf drones.
The FAA said it has been testing drone detection technologies at airports over the last few years and is expanding testing to off-airport locations. The FAA conducted the first of these off-airport tests in Alaska and will conduct additional testing in New Mexico, North Dakota and Mississippi later in 2025.
In December 2024, the FAA imposed a temporary ban on drone flights over certain infrastructure locations in New Jersey and New York. The ban was enforced from December 18, 2024, to January 17, 2025, restricting most drones from operating over 20 cities in New York and New Jersey.
