Mysterious Drones Causing Concerns Throughout NJ

Mysterious Drone Sightings Causing Concerns Throughout NJ

Over the past several weeks, residents of northern New Jersey have been witnessing something that has many scratching their heads. Strange drones—often described as large, silent, and operating at odd hours—have been spotted flying in squadron-like formations that defy the typical explanations.

While drones are not exactly uncommon in the Garden State, these sightings have raised the curiosity—and concern—of locals who are now wondering if something more mysterious, and perhaps nefarious, is afoot.

The sightings started gaining attention in late October, with reports emerging from towns all over Morris County. At first, they seemed like isolated incidents: a glowing object moving erratically across the sky, a massive drone flying low over a suburban neighborhood or wooded area, or a fleet of them weaving through the clouds at dusk.

But the frequency of these sightings quickly escalated, and soon ten other counties in the state started reporting sightings. So many in fact, that local authorities began addressing the matter with their residents, and even the FBI started an investigation into the phenomenon.

Locals have described the drones as unusually large, sometimes as big as an SUV, and usually equipped with one or more bright bright flashing lights. Some claim the drones fly in a manner that seems coordinated, as if they’re conducting some sort of surveillance or reconnaissance mission. Some have speculated that the drones might be part of some covert military operation, as they have often been witnessed in the the vicinity of military installations, such as Picatinny Arsenel in Morris County.

Most witnesses say the drones hover silently until they’re spotted, then quickly zip away before there is even enough time to pull out a phone to photograph them.

“They’re flying at odd times, in the middle of the night, and it kind of makes you wonder,” Mark Moran of Weird NJ was quoted as saying in an article in the Daily Record. “Generally, the private drone users do their activity during the day so they can film things and see things. You’re very limited at night. Not only is it difficult to fly a drone when you can’t see it, but also, what are you going to be looking at other than just darkness or random lights?” Moran said he could only speculate, “But there might be something more here than meets the eye.”

“It seems there may be some technology at play that’s beyond the capability of just a private citizen flying a drone,” Moran mused. “Perhaps they have some infrared or low light capability that the standard drones don’t…Stories like this are great, they’re exciting regardless of what the explanation is,” Moran said.

To add to the mystery, no one seems to be claiming responsibility for enigmatic airborne anomalies. The FAA has denied having any information about the drones, leaving many to wonder whether we’re being purposely kept in the dark. Congress even held a special hearing to try to get to the bottom of the mystery, but few questions about the drones were answered.

Are these mysterious drones simply a sign of our common modern technology, or are we witnessing something weirder? Only time will tell, but the mystery is just the latest chapter in the Garden State’s ever-growing catalog of unexplained oddities. This is a developing story and will be updated with new details as they may arise. Until then, keep your eyes on the stranges sky above, and have your camera at the ready.

WEIRD NJ DRONE WATCHING GEAR

Have you seen the mysterious drones that have been buzzing around the New Jersey skies at night? Now you can watch them in style with our official Weird NJ Drone Spotters’ gear! Available in just about any garment, size and color you could want to make your late night drone watching more comfortable. (Artwork by Mark Moran)

The preceding article is an excerpt from Weird NJ magazine, “Your Travel Guide to New Jersey’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets,” which is available on newsstands throughout the state and on the web at www.WeirdNJ.com.  All contents ©Weird NJ and may not be reproduced by any means without permission.

Visit our SHOP for all of your Weird NJ needs: Magazines, Books, Posters, Shirts, Patches, Stickers, Magnets, Air Fresheners. Show the world your Jersey pride some of our Jersey-centric goodies!

Retro Weird Wear Never Goes Out of Style…or Out of Stock!

Now you can have all of your favorite designs from the past on all kinds of cool new Weird Wear: Men’s Wear, Women’s Wear, Kids, Tee Shirts, Sweatshirts, Long Sleeve Tees, Hoodies, Tanks Tops, Tie Dyes, Hats, and accessories like Mugs, Backpacks, Stickers, Buttons and more! All are available in all sizes and a variety of colors.

Represent Jersey!