A wave of mysterious drone sightings continues to baffle residents and officials in New Jersey, with one incident involving a local drone enthusiast experiencing a sudden power loss while attempting to investigate one of the unidentified flying objects. Michael B, a podcaster and paranormal investigator, reported that his drone malfunctioned and descended rapidly within restricted airspace near Picatinny Arsenal, an Army facility at the center of numerous recent drone reports. Interestingly, the larger object he was pursuing remained airborne, unaffected by the signal that disabled his device.
These unidentified aerial vehicles appear to operate well above the FAA's 400-foot altitude limit. Michael B's experience adds to the growing concern surrounding these unexplained flights. While his drone displayed a warning and experienced a complete battery failure, the mysterious drone he was tracking continued its flight unimpeded.
The incident raises questions about the technology employed by these unidentified drones, particularly their ability to bypass geofencing restrictions that typically affect commercially available drones. The Army has responded to the numerous sightings by implementing a temporary flight restriction over Picatinny Arsenal until December 26th. The FAA is actively investigating the reports and has also enforced temporary flight restrictions around the Arsenal and the nearby Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. They have emphasized the potential penalties for unsafe drone operation, including substantial fines and the revocation of pilot certificates.
New Jersey state Senator Joe Pennacchio has appealed to President-elect Trump to prioritize a federal investigation into the matter, highlighting the lack of answers from federal agencies despite weeks of ongoing sightings. The Senator's letter stresses the concern for public safety in the absence of a clear understanding of the drones' origin and purpose.
The mystery surrounding these drones is compounded by the possibility that not all of the observed objects are unmanned. The visible navigation lights on some suggest that they may be piloted aircraft operating legally. While the White House has acknowledged that some sightings are likely conventional aircraft, others remain unexplained. Former CIA officer Laura Ballman has speculated that the unidentified drones could be part of a classified program testing detection or evasion technology.
