If you’ve noticed more drones buzzing around recently, you’re not alone. A series of unexplained drone sightings in the United States sparked headlines starting in November. While authorities assure us that these drones aren’t a national security threat, the sudden uptick has left people curious—and a bit worried—about what’s going on in the skies.
In fact, even President Trump was asked about the mystery when Fox News’ Peter Doocy questioned him about the drones. Trump replied, “I’d like to find out what it is and tell the people.” But he quickly passed the question off to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, asking her to investigate. “Maybe they’re testing things,” Trump speculated, pointing to the mysterious drones flying over his New Jersey club.
The FBI Gets Involved
As the sightings grew, the FBI jumped into action, asking the public for tips and even issuing flight restrictions in New Jersey to prevent further drone activity. For a while, the whole situation seemed a bit ominous, with people on edge about what might be flying above their heads. But as the FBI sifted through thousands of reports, they found very little to go on, with fewer than 100 leads deemed worthy of investigation.
Experts like Dr. Will Austin, a national drone authority, believe that many of the sightings were simply cases of people misidentifying what they saw. Some of the reports were caused by aircraft, not drones, and others were likely due to confusion with other objects in the sky, like satellites or celestial bodies.
Drones or Something Else?
Tom Adams, a retired FBI special agent, explained that many of these mistaken sightings were caused by a lack of familiarity with drones. “Drones are still new to a lot of people,” he said, noting that many weren’t aware of the rules or regulations around drone flying. With so many objects in the sky that look similar, it’s easy for someone to mistake an aircraft or even a satellite for a drone—especially at night when it’s harder to judge distance.
Experts also pointed out the tricky nature of spotting things in the sky at night. When you see something up there, it’s difficult to get a sense of how far away it is, which can make identifying objects even harder. This is what experts call the parallax effect, which makes it especially challenging to distinguish between drones and other aerial phenomena when the sky is dark.
The Drones Are Back—And There’s More to Come
As the government continues to investigate the mystery, some experts are predicting an even bigger surge in drone sightings. Why? Because a major drone manufacturer, DJI, has changed its firmware. Until recently, DJI drones had a feature that kept them from flying in restricted areas like airports. But now, it’s up to individual drone pilots to follow the rules and avoid flying where they shouldn’t. This change could lead to more incidents, especially in areas where drones are not supposed to fly.
While DJI insists that it still promotes safe flying, the change is raising concerns among experts like Dr. Austin, who worries that this could result in a lot of “drone incursions”—where drones fly into restricted or dangerous areas. But there’s no need to panic just yet. The FAA and other aviation authorities are keeping a close eye on things, and they’re making sure drone pilots are aware of where they can and can’t fly.
So, What’s the Bottom Line?
The drone surge is likely a mix of misidentifications, public curiosity, and technological changes. While it’s easy to jump to conclusions—especially with all the talk of UFOs and mysterious aerial phenomena—the truth is that most of the drones people are seeing are probably harmless. But with new regulations and changes to drone technology, we may continue to see an increase in sightings. The key here is education—helping the public better understand what’s in the sky and how to tell the difference between a drone and other objects. So next time you look up, take a moment to think about what might really be flying above you.
