The FBI uses a fleet of planes registered under fictitious companies in order to conduct warrantless surveillance during federal, state and local investigations. The surveillance is conducted without a court order, but with oversight from within the Department of Justice, according to a senior law enforcement official.

Aerial surveillance by the FBI is nothing new, but a review by The Associated Press published this week reported that the scale of the fleet is larger than previously known and the planes are registered in a way to mask that they are owned by the FBI.

The agency flew above more than 30 cities in 11 states over a 30-day period, according to the AP review, and their report also said planes was masked by the existence of at least 13 fictitious companies."At least 115 planes, including 90 Cessna aircraft, were mentioned in a federal budget document from 2009," the AP reported.