# Drones over New Jersey **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 6, 2024, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243 "2024-12-06T04:05:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/1 "2024-12-06T04:05:51Z")
The story around here has been the sighting of multiple large drones over the state. The FBI is involved. The FAA is involved. Probably the Secret Service because of Trump International. So far no explanations. Tonight my local Facebook pages have been filled with new videos. Apparently the aliens have been very busy tonight. Yesterday it came out that a medevac helicopter couldn’t land for a patient because of drone activity. These don’t appear to be little quadcopters that private citizens are likely to have. What the hell is going on? > **[Possible drones in New Jersey spotted over critical infrastructure, police...](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/newyork/news/new-jersey-drones-objects-morris-county-somerset-county/)** > > The mystery in the skies over New Jersey continues, with one law enforcement official saying the objects were seen over critical infrastructure. > **[Mystery drones flying over NJ kept helicopter from taking patient to...](https://nypost.com/2024/12/05/us-news/mystery-drones-flying-over-nj-kept-helicopter-from-taking-patient-to-hospital-college-says/)** > > ““We never found out what the actual drones were.” ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/2 "2024-12-06T04:33:50Z")
Dollars to donuts it’s connected to the CEO assassination yesterday. Perhaps they have a lead that the killer is in the area? > [@UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot in Manhattan \[2024-12-04\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unitedhealthcare-ceo-fatally-shot-in-manhattan-2024-12-04/1011159/): > > [News reports are that this appears to be a targeted attack.](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12/04/nyregion/brian-thompson-uhc-ceo-shot?unlocked_article_code=1.e04.rs3b.p78ebjPr8qvc&smid=url-share) (gift link) CEO Brian Thompson (age 50) was in Manhattan for an investor meeting at the New York Hilton Midtown and was gunned down as he was about to enter the building. The masked gunman shot him multiple times and fled the scene on a bicycle. Police will be holding a press conference around 11:30am Eastern. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/3 "2024-12-06T04:55:52Z")
I’m pretty sure the drones have been seen for a few days, so I doubt any connection to the Manhattan shooting. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/4 "2024-12-06T06:03:35Z")
My strong suspicion is that 99% of these sightings will turn out to have been boring old airplanes seen by people who were desperate to see a drone. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/5 "2024-12-06T06:04:41Z")
Nope, this was going on beforehand. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/6 "2024-12-06T06:05:44Z")
Darn. Shame on me for not reading the whole thing. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/7 "2024-12-06T06:16:38Z")
No no. Weather balloons. Just bad ones. You can’t miniaturize everything. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/8 "2024-12-06T11:29:07Z")
_Rogue_ weather balloons. Filled with swamp gas. The worst kind of rogue. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/9 "2024-12-06T15:53:55Z")
There is certainly an element of hysteria going on. I’m sure some regular planes are being mistaken for drones by witnesses. However there isn’t any denial from any authority about what is going on like I would expect if this was fake. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/10 "2024-12-06T16:14:23Z")
[TheSneezingMonkey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcpIPga6P2c) has a channel on YouTube devoted in part to explaining UAPs and the linked video talks about the current NJ flap. (People are taking video of planes and they think what they’re seeing is drones.) By the way, in his video, he says that people are saying they’re not planes, but plane shaped drones (wouldn’t that make them RC planes?). (Commentary about the general public deleted because this isn’t the Pit.) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/11 "2024-12-06T16:15:57Z")
Drones are sometimes used in mapping. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/12 "2024-12-06T19:45:26Z")
> [@Leo\_Krupe](#): > > By the way, in his video, he says that people are saying they’re not planes, but plane shaped drones (wouldn’t that make them RC planes?). I’ll have to do some research to answer this more fully, but I can tell you that there are drones designed in airplane configuration rather than the quad-copter layout one usually associates with drones. The FAA Part 107 study guide contains information about aerodynamic stalls, which is not a situation that typically applies to quad-copters. So they seem to want drone pilots to understand fixed-wing aerodynamics, at least at the kindergarten level. There are questions about this on the Part 107 knowledge test too (though interestingly, nothing about vortex ring state and other more esoteric features of rotary wing aerodynamics that can affect quad-copters). Off the top of my head, an RC aircraft is distinguished from an sUAS by having no automation. That is, they are only flown through direct pilot inputs. Whereas drones can be pre-programmed and perform some flight maneuvers autonomously. From a regulatory standpoint, there is some sort of carve-out in the regs for RC, but I’ll have to look it up. All that to say, it seems plausible that people are seeing drones, be they airplane or quad designs. But it could be a lot of other things too. ---
**Author:** ![ASanders](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asanders/32/3367_2.png) [@ASanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASanders)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/13 "2024-12-06T20:54:45Z")
I live right in the area where this is happening and I’ve dismissed these stories as overblown as well. But last night I just happened to glance out my living room window and lo and behold there was one of these things flying right over my neighborhood. It was definitely NOT a plane or a helicopter. It didn’t seem menacing, but it was unlike anything I’ve seen before over my house. If I’d seen a group of them in formation I’d certainly be a bit creeped out. I find it unfathomable that the authorities don’t know who is responsible for all this. Is that remotely possible? At some point isn’t there a public-interest case to be made for the perpetrators to be stopped? Or is it truly a free-for-all in the skies? And whoever it is, why aren’t the operators coming forward and saying hey, my bad, don’t worry it’s just us doing…whatever? ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2024, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/14 "2024-12-06T21:00:56Z")
> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > I’ll have to do some research to answer this more fully, but I can tell you that there are drones designed in airplane configuration rather than the quad-copter layout one usually associates with drones. I can definitely confirm this; I have flown many different fixed-wing drones professionally for mapping and modeling large-scale developments (surveyor, both for residential projects and for the fossil fuel industry). ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/15 "2024-12-07T00:42:23Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > > [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > > > I’ll have to do some research to answer this more fully, but I can tell you that there are drones designed in airplane configuration rather than the quad-copter layout one usually associates with drones. > > I can definitely confirm this; I have flown many different fixed-wing drones professionally for mapping and modeling large-scale developments (surveyor, both for residential projects and for the fossil fuel industry). Several years ago there was a lot of drone talk in the state. Turned out it was a mapping project. The difference was the answer came pretty quickly. So far all the way up to the governor there is no answer besides “Don’t panic.” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/16 "2024-12-07T03:16:21Z")
> [@ASanders](#): > > I live right in the area where this is happening and I’ve dismissed these stories as overblown as well. But last night I just happened to glance out my living room window and lo and behold there was one of these things flying right over my neighborhood. It was definitely NOT a plane or a helicopter. It didn’t seem menacing, but it was unlike anything I’ve seen before over my house. If I’d seen a group of them in formation I’d certainly be a bit creeped out. > > I find it unfathomable that the authorities don’t know who is responsible for all this. Is that remotely possible? At some point isn’t there a public-interest case to be made for the perpetrators to be stopped? Or is it truly a free-for-all in the skies? And whoever it is, why aren’t the operators coming forward and saying hey, my bad, don’t worry it’s just us doing…whatever? Today just after dark I saw something that fits the description. I have aviation experience (my profile pic is my cite) and I’ve never seen anything like it. It did not have the lighting that is required on private or commercial aircraft. It was at most 200 feet up and big. I have no idea what it was. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/17 "2024-12-07T06:11:14Z")
> [@Leo\_Krupe](#): > > By the way, in his video, he says that people are saying they’re not planes, but plane shaped drones (wouldn’t that make them RC planes?). (Commentary about the general public deleted because this isn’t the Pit.) Wow, maybe I’m educated by living in the landing/take off pattern of some kind of airport for most of my life, but I can’t imagine mistaking a large aircraft for a drone. Oh well, people often get themselves worked up when something is in the news. At least it’s not Bigfoot reports. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/18 "2024-12-07T07:08:18Z")
I remember when “a satanic portal has opened up over the White House” and it was nothing more than a lens artifact, a street light reflected in a raindrop. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/19 "2024-12-07T07:56:00Z")
NJ. com: > **[More mystery drones spotted over N.J. Here’s what we know.](https://www.nj.com/news/2024/12/more-mystery-drones-spotted-over-nj-heres-what-we-know.html)** > > Residents in at least six New Jersey counties have reported seeing large numbers of drones hovering at night, including some that appear to be the size of cars. Patch: > **[Drones In 10 Counties; Helicopter, Jet Rumors But No Answers In NJ](https://patch.com/new-jersey/across-nj/drones-10-counties-helicopter-jet-rumors-no-answers-nj)** > > Drone sightings have spread to South Jersey and the Shore, and so have rumors that police and the military are chasing the aircraft down. [NJ.com](http://NJ.com) quotes drone professor Pramod Abichandani, director of the Advanced Air Mobility Lab at New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark. > “To me,” he said, “the simplest explanation is the correct explanation.” > He believes the drones probably belong to commercial or U.S. military operators. Whatever entity owns the drones would likely have significant money and staff to fly so many drones for many hours for many days, he said. > That’s especially true when flying drones in groups, known as swarms, which is technically challenging. The lighting and swarming of the drones give them the sort of profile that suggests the perps are not casing houses or agents of foreign governments, according to the professor. ---
**Author:** ![ASanders](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asanders/32/3367_2.png) [@ASanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASanders)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243/20 "2024-12-07T15:06:05Z")
Then why aren’t the operators of the drones making a statement that will quash the speculation and theorizing? If they aren’t intending to cause mischief, they’d better do something soon because they are causing it anyway. They can’t possible be unaware of the near-mass-hysteria they are causing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drones-over-new-jersey/1011243.md?page=2)