Department of Defense doubles down, says drones are not US military assets

Gen. Pat Ryder answers questions on the uptick in drone sightings during a Pentagon press briefing. The Department of Defense (DoD) doubled down on Tuesday, saying the increasing number of possible drones being reported in places like New Jersey and New York are not U.S. military assets, adding that the vast majority of the unmanned aircraft are likely used by hobbyists for recreational purposes. Gen. Pat Ryder fielded numerous questions from reporters about the drones during a press briefing on Tuesday, but he remained clear that the drones are not DoD assets, nor are they part of any experimental programs. He said there are over a million drones registered in the U.S., and on any given day, there could be about 8,500 drones in flight. The vast majority of the drones, Ryder noted, are likely used by hobbyists or are for recreational purposes.