A flurry of unexplained drone sightings in parts of the United States began making headlines in November. While authorities say there is no evidence that drones pose a threat to national security or public safety, experts explain the mystery behind the rise in sightings.
FOX News' Peter Doocy asked President Donald Trump about drones on Monday, asking, “Is there anything to worry about about these drones?”
President Trump responded, “I want to find out what it is and tell the people. In fact, I want to do that.'' He then redirected to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. “Can you find out what it was, Susie? Why don't you find out right away?”
“I can't imagine it was the enemy. Otherwise people would have been blown up, everyone. Maybe they were trying something. I don't know why. They didn't say anything. That was it,” Trump said. “They were flying over Bedminster a lot, which is interesting,” he said, referring to his club in New Jersey.
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Photo taken on Sunday, December 8, 2024 in the Bayshore neighborhood of Toms River Township, New Jersey. What appears to be a large drone is seen hovering at high altitude in the area. The drone appeared to be flying well above its 400-foot altitude. Allowed by FAA regulations. (Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press)
Drone sightings in November and December initially sparked public concern and attracted the attention of the FBI.
“FBI Newark, New Jersey State Police, and New Jersey Department of Homeland Security and Preparedness report information related to recent sightings of drones possibly flying in several areas along the Raritan River. “We are asking the public to do the same,” the FBI said in a Dec. 3 statement. he pointed out.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued temporary flight restrictions and banned drone flights in parts of New Jersey after numerous sightings.
“Obviously, people were getting very anxious about what was in the sky above their homes and above their heads, and things were taking a bleak turn,” said the national drone expert and president of Warren County Community College. Dr. Will Austin told FOX. News Digital.
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President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
However, FBI officials later said that of the approximately 5,000 tips received in connection with the reported drone sightings, “fewer than 100 leads were generated and deemed worthy of further investigative activity.” .
In mid-December, a Department of Homeland Security official said, “We believe that many of the reported drone sightings are actually manned aircraft that have been mistaken for drones.” ABC News reported.
An analysis by the White House, in conjunction with the FBI and state and local authorities, concluded that “legitimate, legitimate, commercial hobbyist, and even law enforcement aircraft activity” was responsible for the sightings. said the former White House national security communications adviser. John Kirby previously told Fox News..
“Many people have kind of learned in recent months that there are a lot of things in the airspace that can be mistaken for drones,” said Tom Adams, a former FBI special agent and federal public safety director. drone shieldThe company, a global provider of anti-drone defense solutions, told Fox News Digital.
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Photo taken on Sunday, December 8, 2024 in the Bayshore neighborhood of Toms River Township, New Jersey. What appears to be a large drone is seen hovering at high altitude in the area. The drone appeared to be flying well above its 400-foot altitude. Allowed by FAA regulations. (Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press)
As reports of drone sightings spread rapidly across social media and mainstream news outlets, Adams said he witnessed some “confirmation bias” occurring in connection with the large number of sightings.
“Some of my friends and relatives are obsessed with the UAP phenomenon,…an unknown aerial phenomenon…They thought it was a drone because it fit their story. or an alien,” he said.
Adams believes one of the main reasons for so many false sightings could be as simple as a lack of knowledge.
“I think some people were looking up to see for the first time what was in the airspace,” he says. “Drones are still new to many people, and the rules and regulations surrounding drone use in the United States are also foreign to many people, because they don't have to learn or experience it. It’s from.”
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Adams explained that it's easy to mistake another aircraft in the sky for a drone, especially at night.
“Many drones have white, red, and green lights.…Aircraft at night have white, red, and green lights.…Whether it’s a celestial body or a low-orbit satellite, “The other ones have white lights, too,'' he said. “When you look up at an airplane in the sky during the day, you can also see other features that help you understand depth and distance away from you. … People don't have that kind of depth perception. Not at night.
Austin attributes the misidentification of drones in dark skies to the “parallax effect,” adding: “Identifying aircraft at night is very difficult, especially if you're not trained. The reason people struggle is because… This is because it is difficult to actually identify the aircraft.” There is nothing in the night sky to provide visibility. ”
Adams and Austin said they believe more public education about drones is needed and could help reduce the number of false sightings.
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Photo taken on Sunday, December 8, 2024 in the Bayshore neighborhood of Toms River Township, New Jersey. What appears to be a large drone is seen hovering at high altitude in the area. The drone appeared to be flying well above its 400-foot altitude. Allowed by FAA regulations. (Doug Hood/Asbury Park Press)
Trump said the government continues to investigate the first flurry of drone sightings, but Austin said firmware changes at major drone manufacturers could prevent the public from seeing another flurry of large-scale sightings. I think we are about to witness it.
Austin said “important progress has been made” that China-based DJI, which makes many U.S.-registered drones, changed its firmware this month to remove a built-in geofencing feature that was hampering flights. He added that he did. Restricted area.
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“If you were flying a DJI drone…and you came to the airport…the manufacturer had put up some kind of invisible barrier around the perimeter of the airport, and your drone would stop flying. That all ended on January 13th. Now it's up to the individual user or each pilot to take control,” Austin explained.
“I predict there will be a lot of drone intrusions…that My biggest fear right now. ”
One expert predicted more drones would be reported in the air. (Jens Büttner/Photo Alliance via Getty Images)
DJI told Fox News Digital: “We remain committed to promoting safe and responsible flight practices. Recent GEO updates align with principles promoted by aviation regulators around the world, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). “Operators have a responsibility to comply.” rule. ”
DJI says drone operators will now be able to view official FAA airspace data on where they can and cannot fly, and receive in-app alerts if they are flying near FAA-designated controlled airspace. He added that it would be.
The company also said it voluntarily introduced geofencing in 2013 and noted that the FAA now has remote ID requirements comparable to “license plates” for drones..
The FAA told FOX News Digital that its role is to allow drones to operate safely within the broader national airspace system, and geofencing by drone manufacturers is not required.
The agency notes that it is generally legal to fly a drone in most locations as long as it is flown at an altitude of 400 feet or less, but there are other legal requirements such as obtaining a territorial airspace permit, safety testing, keeping the drone within visual range, and other legal requirements. He pointed out that there are rules such as avoiding all aircraft. You must avoid restricted airspace without endangering any person or property.
FOX News' Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
