Since mid-November, people have been reporting spotting mysterious drones in the skies of New Jersey and other states in the US, raising questions about the strange phenomenon.
The mysterious drone sightings have prompted residents and officials to demand an explanation, as some of these flying objects appeared near military installations and critical infrastructure.
Mysterious Flying Objects
On November 18, 2024, drones were spotted for the first time in northern New Jersey at the late hours of night, according to NBC News. A senior official told the news outlet that authorities have received reports of sightings everyday except Thanksgiving, but there have been no reports of sightings during the day.
After northern New Jersey, drone sighting reports have spread throughout the state, in addition to other states including New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida. The former Maryland Governor, Larry Hogan, shared a post on X saying that he personally saw the phenomenon.
Last night, beginning at around 9:45 pm, I personally witnessed (and videoed) what appeared to be dozens of large drones in the sky above my residence in Davidsonville, Maryland (25 miles from our nation’s capital). I observed the activity for approximately 45 minutes.
Like… pic.twitter.com/Ipx8ctLmhs
— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) December 13, 2024
According to officials, the mysterious drones appear to be commercial-grade, some of which reach up to 6 feet in diameter.
Increased Activity
In response to the strange phenomenon, the New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy, on Thursday sent a letter to the US President, Joe Biden, asking for directing more resources to understand the reasons behind this increased activity of drones, also known as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), according to CBS News.
The letter said: “The continued reporting of UAS activity has raised more questions than answers and prompted an outcropping of conspiracy theories across social media and other platforms. I respectfully urge you to continue to direct the federal agencies involved to work together until they uncover answers as to what is behind the UAS sightings.”
Not a Security Threat
Commenting on the drone sightings in New Jersey, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a joint statement on Friday that they “have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.”
The statement added that both agencies are working with New Jersey State Police and its federal partners to investigate the case. However, they have “not corroborated any of the reported visual sightings with electronic detection.”
According to the statement, “upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft, operating lawfully. There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted air space.”
Moreover, the Pentagon said that the military does not own these drones, and rejected claims that it is coming from “an Iranian mothership” off the East Coast, as Rep. Jeff Van Drew claimed. “Our initial assessment is that this is not the work of a foreign adversary or a foreign entity,” the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
No Explanation
Officials have been unable to give a clear explanation for the origin of the flying objects or their mission. Moreover, the US Secret Service confirmed to NBC News that it “does not currently have any unmanned aerial systems operating in or around New Jersey or New York.”
In their joint statement, the FBI and the DHS said: “Historically, we have experienced cases of mistaken identity, where reported drones are, in fact, manned aircraft or facilities.”
They added that they take seriously the potential threat of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), “which is why law enforcement and other agencies continue to support New Jersey and investigate the reports.”
Past Occurrence
This is not the first time that people report spotting mysterious drones. In December 2023, Langley Air Force Base in Virginia reported multiple drone sightings throughout the month. Back then, the base issued a statement saying that the drones varied in number, size and configuration.
Earlier in 2024, the head of US Northern Command (NORTHCOM), General Gregory Guillot, said in a testimony before the Congress: “Drones are certainly an increasing threat. We see them on average reported that, that are detected in the NORTHCOM [area of responsibility] is anywhere from two to five a week over installations, military installations.”
