Drones and the night, again. The story began weeks ago in New Jersey and neighboring states. One, two, ten…. the number of sightings of mysterious drones taking to the skies of the United States. The wave of complaints and citizen concern elevated the case to higher levels, involving agencies such as the FBI and the Pentagonin addition to generating theories ranging from espionage to extraterrestrials. Many remember something obvious: Ockham’s razorfor everything else, there is the Colorado precedent.
Hysteria and misinformation. As we said, these weeks there has been everything, from sporadic initial reports to a daily and constant flow of testimonies that They brought the phenomenon to all kinds of theories. In New Jersey, alarm has led to 21 local mayors to send letter to Governor Phil Murphy demanding clarity about the sightings, while the local media amplified the confusion. The statements of some politicians, as Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasiawho described the drones as figures “up to two meters in diameter” and called for “military intervention”, have fueled collective fear. In parallel, conspiracy theories proliferate on networksspeculating on the purpose and origin of drones.
Despite the uncertainty, the record suggests that these episodes often have more mundane explanations. Between 2019 and 2020 in Colorado, for example, The “drones” turned out to be a mix of Starlink satellitescommercial airplanes, recreational drones and atmospheric effects that caused erroneous perceptions. There were even cases in which drone research itself by authorities generated new sightings, perpetuating the cycle of panic.
The pattern of mass sightings. In this regard, Faine Greenwood recalled to media 404a specialist in civil drone activity, that these events are by no means new. Since ancient times, sightings of unknown flying objects have sparked mass hysteria, and in recent times, Drones have replaced UFOs as the object of speculation.
Greenwood pointed out that confusion and lack of coordination between agencies contribute to chaossince many times the technology used is not correctly identified, not even by commercial pilots or trained personnel. In other words, most initial reports tend to be wrong. In 2014, for example, an FAA report on sightings of “drones” included descriptions of balloons, large birds and planets, demonstrating how difficult it is for observers to correctly identify objects in the sky. The same is probably happening in New Jersey, where some sightings appear to be misinterpreted normal flights.
Official response and controversy. And what do the authorities say? have been taken measures to control the situation. The FAA has implemented no-fly zones in affected areas, synchronizing them with geofencing systems to restrict the flight of legal drones. However, critics point out that these restrictions can harm legal operators without addressing the real problem.
The Pentagon, for its part, has denied that the drones are of US military originalthough his history of secrecy in classified evidencethere is no doubt, it fuels any suspicion a little more. Some experts, as Loretta Alkalaya former FAA official, suggest that they could be confidential tests, given that many sightings occur over bodies of water, minimizing the risk in the event of a fall.
Let’s remember Colorado. In these cases, experts emphasize that it is important to recover similar situations in the past. That’s why these days are remembered so much the case of Colorado. There, after months of speculation and panic, investigations concluded that there was no illegal or suspicious activity.
In addition to satellites and planes, unusual phenomena were detected, such as farmers using drones to distribute irrigation gels, which were misinterpreted as “drone attacks.” Public interest waned when the COVID-19 pandemic diverted media attention, and sightings declined.
Drones are the parents. The event and others like it not only highlight the lack of general education about aerial technology, but also how news and misinformation can inflame collective fear. Drones, like UFOs in decades past, represent a blank canvas for cultural projections, political fears, and institutional distrust. In this regard, Greenwood emphasizes that this cycle will continue to be repeated as long as the disconnection between technology and public perception persists.
The other leg to deal with is numerical. The use of drones in the United States has grown exponentially. In 2024, the FAA estimated the existence of 1.8 million recreational drones and almost a million commercial drones in operation. While regulations require the registration of drones weighing more than 0.240 kilos and the certification of pilots for commercial uses, inconsistencies in the registrations of recreational aircraft complicate the exact tracking of these fleets.
Whatever it turns out to be, the New Jersey case not only underscores the complexity of regulating a rapidly expanding technology, but also the growing need to improve interagency oversight and coordination. As drones become more numerous and sophisticated around the world, regulatory challenges and public concerns about their use will continue to rise, highlighting the importance of robust infrastructure to manage its impact on airspace and national security.
Image | Decaseconds