Have you spotted any strange flying objects lately? For about a month now, weird drones have been buzzing around New Jersey and neighboring states after dark. These aren’t your typical hobby drones – they’re much bigger and louder than what you’d use to film your RV adventures or campsite setups.
People have captured these aerial visitors on video hovering over homes, apartment buildings, and even following a Coast Guard rescue boat. At one point, New Jersey police reported about 50 drones seemingly arriving from the ocean onto land. Pretty wild stuff when you’re trying to enjoy a peaceful evening at your campsite!
These mysterious flyers make noise comparable to lawnmowers – not exactly the serene nature sounds you hope for when parked at your favorite RV spot. Witnesses describe some as approaching the size of a small car, which is significantly larger than the typical drones you might see fellow RV enthusiasts using to capture aerial footage of their travels.
The situation has gotten serious enough that:
- The FBI has launched an investigation
- State governors and legislators have expressed concern
- Congress members are demanding answers
- The public is being asked to report sightings
If you’re planning an RV trip through the Northeast, you might want to keep your eyes on the skies. These drones have been spotted in several states:
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- Maryland
The Federal Aviation Administration has even issued drone flight restrictions over certain areas after reports of these mystery machines hovering overhead. This includes the Trump National Golf Club and Picatinny Arsenal Military Base in New Jersey – places you might drive past on your RV journey.
Interestingly, these sightings aren’t isolated to the US. Similar drone swarms have been reported near UK military bases where US Air Force squadrons operate. It’s like these drones are on their own international road trip!
Officials have confirmed a few important details about these aerial visitors. They’re not US military drones, and they’re not operated by any US tech company. During a hearing on drone threats, government representatives described the sightings as involving both rotor drones and fixed-wing drones, though they claimed the drones don’t yet represent a serious threat.
You might wonder why authorities don’t just shoot them down or jam their signals. While these counter-measures exist (and have been used in places like Ukraine and the Red Sea), they pose significant risks in populated areas. As one expert puts it, “We simply can’t have law enforcement departments firing high-powered projectiles into the air… every time a drone is spotted flying over.”
Tracking these drones presents a major challenge. Unlike your RV, which is easy to spot on highways and campgrounds, drones can zip around quickly and disappear into the night sky. Radar and other sensors can track them, but it’s “still not practical to cover every inch of the country with detection and tracking systems.”
Another complication is determining who’s in charge of handling these situations. There’s uncertainty about whether local police, state agencies, or federal authorities should take the lead when mysterious drones appear.
If you’re an RV enthusiast planning to travel through the affected areas, don’t panic! While these drones are certainly strange, officials haven’t reported any dangerous incidents involving them. Still, it might be worth keeping your smartphone handy to document any unusual aerial activity you spot during your travels.
The mystery continues as investigators try to determine who’s piloting these drones and whether it’s a coordinated effort. Until then, keep enjoying your RV adventures – just with an occasional glance upward!
