Small Drone Discovered On Airfield At Nantucket Memorial Airport

An investigation is underway after the discovery of a small drone on the airfield at Nantucket Memorial Airport on Sunday.

All drones - whether they are professional or recreational - are restricted from operating in the vicinity of airports, making Sunday's recovery of a drone on the pavement typically reserved for the operation of aircraft a serious matter that will be investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration.

The recovery of the drone also comes amid growing concern about the sightings of unidentified drones operating at night in several Northeastern states - especially over New Jersey - that have become a national story over the past week. 

The drone at Nantucket Memorial Airport was discovered at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 15th, by airport operations staff. It was described as a small, multi-rotor drone that weighs under .55 pounds and "is readily available online." If used recreationally, it may not require FAA registration, airport manager Noah Karberg said. 

"Flights were not impacted, and there were no reported threats to aircraft," he added. "Drone operators should avoid flying near airports and must receive an airspace authorization prior to operation."

Drone sightings have been reported to authorities in New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts in recent weeks, as residents and even elected officials have spotted them flying overhead and urged lawmakers for answers.

On Monday, federal authorities - including the FBI and FAA - issued a joint statement on the situation that read, in part:

"We have sent advanced detection technology to the region. And we have sent trained visual observers. Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones," the agencies stated. "We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast."