Were the New Jersey Mystery Lights Really Drones?

Introduction

The 2024 New Jersey sighting wave did not produce evidence that thousands of mysterious drones were roaming the state. It exposed something more useful for understanding UFO and UAP reports: a large gap between seeing something that looks like a drone and positively identifying it as one. By 16 December, the FBI had received more than 5,000 tips about reported drone sightings, yet those reports had generated only about 100 investigative leads. Federal agencies said their examination found a mixture of lawful drones, aeroplanes, helicopters and even stars mistakenly reported as drones.[FBI]fbi.govDHS, FBI, FAA, and DoD Joint Statement on Ongoing Response to Reported Drone Sightings — FBIDecember 16, 2024…Published: December 16, 2024

That distinction matters. Some genuine drone activity did occur, including confirmed sightings around military installations. But the New Jersey episode demonstrated how rapidly a category such as “drone” can become an umbrella explanation for poorly resolved lights in a busy night sky. It is therefore an unusually clear modern case of the identification problem that has long complicated UFO reports: the number of observations can grow much faster than the number of objects that can actually be classified.

What investigators said about the reported drones

Reports had been circulating for several weeks when the FBI’s Newark field office publicly requested information on 3 December 2024. Its wording was deliberately cautious. Witnesses had reported a cluster of objects that “look to be drones” and a possible fixed-wing aircraft around the Raritan River; the FBI, New Jersey State Police and the state’s homeland-security office asked the public for photographs, videos and other information.[FBI]fbi.govnewark seeks information on drone sightingsFBI Newark Seeks Information on Drone Sightings — FBIDecember 3, 2024…Published: December 3, 2024

The scale of reporting then increased dramatically. On 12 December, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said they were deploying personnel and detection technology specifically to determine whether the reported flights were actually drones, manned aircraft or inaccurate sightings. Crucially, the agencies said that their detection methods had not corroborated the reported visual sightings electronically, while examination of available imagery indicated that many reports depicted lawful manned aircraft.[FBI]fbi.govjoint dhs fbi statement on reports of drones in new jerseyJoint DHS/FBI Statement on Reports of Drones in New Jersey — FBIDecember 12, 2024…Published: December 12, 2024

Four days later, the official picture had become clearer but not perfectly uniform. The FBI, DHS, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense said more than 5,000 tips had produced approximately 100 leads. After examining technical data and public reports, they assessed the sightings as a combination of lawful commercial, recreational and law-enforcement drones, fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and stars mistakenly reported as drones. They said they had identified nothing anomalous and saw no national-security or public-safety threat in the civilian airspace involved.[FBI]fbi.govDHS, FBI, FAA, and DoD Joint Statement on Ongoing Response to Reported Drone Sightings — FBIDecember 16, 2024…Published: December 16, 2024

That conclusion should not be simplified into “there were no drones”. The Department of Defense separately confirmed sightings of drones at Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle, while noting that drone incursions around military installations were not a new phenomenon. The later multi-agency statement likewise acknowledged a limited number of visual sightings over military facilities, including restricted airspace.[U.S. Department of War]defense.govOpen source on defense.gov.(https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4002374/joint-staff-addresses-drones-over-new-jersey-military-installations/)

The significant finding was therefore not that every witness was wrong. It was that “reported drone”, “probable drone” and “confirmed drone” were very different evidential categories. The New Jersey wave contained examples across that entire spectrum.

Why aircraft, drones and misidentifications became entangled

New Jersey was particularly well suited to producing ambiguity because observers were trying to identify small or distant illuminated objects at night. Once the reports attracted intense public attention, residents were also actively watching the sky for drones. In that setting, ordinary air traffic could enter the same visual category as genuine unmanned aircraft.

The problem was visible even among people who went looking specifically for the reported objects. On 13 December, Senator Andy Kim joined local police in Hunterdon County after real-time reports of drone activity. His office initially described the objects he observed as “unexplained and unidentified drones”.[Senator Andy Kim]kim.senate.govOpen source on senate.gov. Subsequent examination using flight information led Kim to say that most of the lights encountered during the patrol could be associated with aeroplanes.[New York Post]nypost.comNew York Post NJ SenAndy Kim goes on drone hunt with police and reveals what he saw after 'deeper analysis'December 15, 2024 — New Jersey Senator Andy Kim pa…Published: December 15, 2024

That is a small but revealing example of the identification gap. An object can look sufficiently drone-like to an observer on the ground to justify investigation, yet change category once its direction, time and position are compared with independent aviation data.

A light does not provide its own distance

Night observations remove many of the cues people normally use to estimate an object’s dimensions and range. If all that is visible is a bright point or arrangement of lights, an observer may not know whether the source is a relatively small nearby drone or a much larger aeroplane considerably farther away.

This makes descriptions such as “car-sized”, “very low” or “moving unusually slowly” less decisive than they sound. Size estimates depend on assumed distance, while apparent speed depends on both distance and angular movement across the observer’s view. A distant aircraft approaching roughly towards an observer can also remain in almost the same part of the sky for surprisingly long periods, creating an impression of hovering.

Drone and aviation specialists interviewed during the episode repeatedly pointed to this difficulty. Retired FBI counter-drone specialist Tom Adams told the Guardian that manned aircraft, planets, satellites and the International Space Station were all commonly mistaken for drones at night. Experts also highlighted aircraft holding and approach patterns as potential sources of apparently clustered lights.[The Guardian]theguardian.comOpen source on theguardian.com.

The lesson is not that an aeroplane can explain every New Jersey report. It is that a witness’s inability to recognise an aeroplane is not, by itself, evidence that the object cannot be one.

Phone footage often preserved the ambiguity

Video did not automatically solve the problem. A phone recording of a distant point of light may establish that a light was present but provide little reliable information about its airframe, altitude or distance. Zooming can enlarge the unresolved light without revealing the object carrying it.

This distinction is central to evaluating UFO-style evidence. A photograph can be authentic while the interpretation attached to it is mistaken. Federal investigators said that when they reviewed available New Jersey imagery, many purported drones appeared to be lawful manned aircraft.[FBI]fbi.govjoint dhs fbi statement on reports of drones in new jerseyJoint DHS/FBI Statement on Reports of Drones in New Jersey — FBIDecember 12, 2024…Published: December 12, 2024

The reporting environment also contained an unusually instructive form of self-correction. Online communities devoted to the New Jersey sightings began asking contributors for the exact date, time and location of videos and whether they had checked flight-tracking data. Those details allow an apparently mysterious light to be compared with known aircraft movements rather than judged from appearance alone.[Reddit]reddit.comOpen source on reddit.com.

Why Remote ID did not make every drone instantly identifiable

By December 2024, the United States already had a system intended to make many drones electronically identifiable. The FAA’s Remote Identification, or Remote ID, rule requires drones that must be registered to comply with Remote ID requirements, with limited exceptions such as qualifying operations within FAA-Recognised Identification Areas. Standard Remote ID drones broadcast identification and position information as well as information about their control station. The FAA describes the system as effectively a digital licence plate that can help authorities locate an operator when a drone is flying unsafely or somewhere it should not be.[Federal Aviation Administration]faa.govOpen source on faa.gov.

But Remote ID does not turn every unexplained light into an immediately labelled target on a public map. It is a local broadcast technology, not a universal long-range air-surveillance network. Nor does a failure to receive Remote ID establish that an observed light is a covert drone: the observer may be looking at an aeroplane, the receiving equipment may not be suitably positioned, or an actual drone may fall into an exception or be operating unlawfully.

That helps explain the apparent paradox at the centre of New Jersey. The public could generate thousands of visual reports while investigators still had comparatively few strong leads. Reporting is easy; attribution requires additional data.

Federal agencies responded by sending advanced detection technology and trained visual observers to the region. New Jersey later received additional drone-detection equipment, and Governor Phil Murphy said early results provided little or no evidence of malicious activity.[U.S. Department of War]defense.govOpen source on defense.gov.(https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4006538/dhs-fbi-faa-dod-joint-statement-on-ongoing-response-to-reported-drone-sightings/)

The episode also revealed that identification and enforcement are separate problems. On 19 December, at the request of federal security partners, the FAA established 22 temporary flight restrictions prohibiting drone operations over critical infrastructure sites in New Jersey.[Federal Aviation Administration]faa.govOpen source on faa.gov. Restrictions can make particular flights unlawful, but they still require authorities to determine whether an object entering the area is actually a drone before deciding what response is justified.

More sightings did not mean more confirmed drones

The most important numerical comparison from the episode is simple: more than 5,000 tips produced roughly 100 leads.[FBI]fbi.govDHS, FBI, FAA, and DoD Joint Statement on Ongoing Response to Reported Drone Sightings — FBIDecember 16, 2024…Published: December 16, 2024 That does not mean only 100 reports were genuine, nor does it provide an exact count of drones. A lead is an investigative category rather than a confirmed aircraft. But the disparity shows why raw sighting totals should not be treated as object counts.

Several processes can inflate reports without requiring a corresponding increase in unusual objects.

One aircraft can generate several reports. People at different locations can see the same aeroplane or drone and independently report it.

A known category can shape subsequent interpretation. Once residents are told that “mystery drones” are overhead, ambiguous lights are more likely to be examined as potential drones rather than ignored as routine air traffic.

Real drones can coexist with false identifications. The existence of confirmed drones does not validate every other report. In fact, genuine drone sightings can make unrelated aircraft more likely to be classified the same way.

Publicity changes observing behaviour. Thousands of people who would normally pay little attention to aviation lights may begin deliberately scanning the sky, photographing distant objects and sharing them online.

This is why the New Jersey case cannot be reduced to either “thousands of drones” or “mass misidentification”. The evidence supports a mixed population: some genuine drones, substantial ordinary air traffic, other familiar objects and many observations that lacked enough information for confident classification. The multi-agency assessment explicitly described that mixture.[U.S. Department of War]defense.govOpen source on defense.gov.(https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4006538/dhs-fbi-faa-dod-joint-statement-on-ongoing-response-to-reported-drone-sightings/)

The military sightings were real but did not validate the whole wave

The confirmed activity around military facilities deserves special attention because it illustrates another common reasoning error in UFO cases.

Officials acknowledged genuine drone sightings at Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle.[U.S. Department of War]defense.govOpen source on defense.gov.(https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4002374/joint-staff-addresses-drones-over-new-jersey-military-installations/) It would therefore be incorrect to argue that the entire episode consisted simply of people mistaking aeroplanes and stars for drones.

The opposite inference is equally weak: confirmation of drones at particular military installations does not establish that unidentified lights reported tens of kilometres away, on different dates and under different circumstances, belonged to the same aircraft or operation.

Each report needs its own evidential chain. Location, time, direction, flight characteristics, sensor detections and independent records matter more than superficial resemblance to another sighting. Without those links, grouping geographically dispersed observations into a single “fleet” or “swarm” risks turning many independent events into one imagined event.

That distinction is particularly important for UFO research. A wave can contain a genuinely unusual or security-relevant incident without making every report generated during the wave equally unusual. Conversely, demonstrating that numerous photographs show aeroplanes does not automatically explain every remaining case.

The response itself showed how difficult identification had become

The authorities’ actions can appear contradictory when viewed without this distinction. Federal agencies repeatedly said they had found no evidence of a national-security threat, yet they deployed additional detection equipment, investigated hundreds of reports and supported restrictions around sensitive infrastructure.[Federal Aviation Administration]faa.govFederal Aviation AdministrationDHS, FBI, FAA & DoD Joint Statement on Ongoing Response to Reported Drone Sightings | Federal Aviation Adm…

Those actions are compatible. A weakly identified object near sensitive infrastructure deserves investigation even when the available evidence does not demonstrate hostile intent. Uncertainty itself can be operationally important.

The episode also exposed a communications problem. Early official statements necessarily used cautious language because investigators had not classified many reports. To worried residents, however, “we cannot identify this” could sound like confirmation of mysterious aircraft. Later statements explaining that many reports were aeroplanes could then appear inconsistent with earlier concern.

The progression is better understood as evidence being sorted. The FBI initially solicited information about possible drones; investigators subsequently compared reports with imagery and electronic detection; the eventual federal assessment described a heterogeneous collection of drones, manned aircraft, helicopters and stars.[FBI]fbi.govnewark seeks information on drone sightingsFBI Newark Seeks Information on Drone Sightings — FBIDecember 3, 2024…Published: December 3, 2024

In other words, “unidentified” was a temporary state of the evidence, not a type of aircraft.

What the episode teaches about UFO witness reports

The case suggests several practical lessons.

First, multiple witnesses are not automatically multiple independent objects. A highly visible aircraft can be reported by many people. Witness numbers therefore measure reporting activity unless investigators establish that the observations concern different targets.

Second, confidence is not the same as identification. People familiar with their local skies may sincerely regard an object as unlike anything they normally see. That judgement is useful testimony, but an identification becomes much stronger when it can be matched to flight records, Remote ID, radar or another independent sensor.

Third, a lack of a quick identification does not establish anomalous technology. Even in one of the most intensively scrutinised US sighting waves of recent years, investigators had to sift thousands of observations containing ordinary aircraft, genuine drones and astronomical objects.

Fourth, independent range information is exceptionally valuable. Researchers studying UAP scientifically have emphasised combining multiple sensor types, including cameras, radar-derived range and kinematics, radio measurements and acoustic sensors. Such measurements can determine quantities that a single witness video often cannot: actual distance, trajectory, velocity and physical characteristics.[arXiv]arxiv.orgOpen source on arxiv.org.

This is the deeper connection between the New Jersey drones and UFO reports. Small drones really can perform movements that look unusual compared with conventional aircraft, and some drones really were present during the 2024 episode. But the wave showed that the word drone can itself become a premature identification.

The strongest conclusion from New Jersey is therefore narrower than either the most dramatic claims or the most dismissive explanations. There was real drone activity, but reported drones greatly outnumbered objects investigators could confidently establish as drones. Once thousands of people were looking for mysterious aircraft in a night sky containing aeroplanes, helicopters, drones and celestial objects, those categories became remarkably easy to confuse. That identification gap — rather than any single mysterious aircraft — is what makes the New Jersey episode especially instructive for understanding how UFO and UAP reports are created.

Amazon book picks

Further Reading

Books and field guides related to Were the New Jersey Mystery Lights Really Drones?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.

Book

The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry

By Joseph Allen Hynek

Cited by the New York Review of Books as "the best brief for visitation," this classic study presents an analysis of UFO reports and conc...

See on Amazon

Book

The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects

By Edward J. Ruppelt

Edward J. Ruppelt's "The Report on Unidentified Flying Objects" serves as a pivotal text in the study of UFO phenomena, blending personal...

See on Amazon

Book

UFOs Explained

By Philip J. Klass

Analyzing several UFO cases, the author exposes the myth of extraterrestrial visitors to earth.

See on Amazon

Book

UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Re...

By Leslie Kean

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Impeccably researched, this riveting journalistic investigation separates fact from fiction, and documents th...

See on Amazon

Browse more on Amazon:The UFO Experience: A Scientific InquiryThe Report on Unidentified Flying ObjectsUFOs Explained

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

eBay marketplace picks

Marketplace Samples

Live-tested eBay searches with available results related to this page.

Shop location

UsingUSA USA USAUKCanadaAustraliaIreland

Selected fromUFO poster oneBay.co.uk.

Current eBay listing

UFO Over Desert Highway Sci-Fi Abduction Poster Print Framed Canvas Wall Art

GBP 14.99 | Free shippingNewSeller: paradiseposters (99.6% positive)Ships from: GB

View listing on eBay

Current eBay listing

VINTAGE UFO FLYING SAUCERS COMIC ADVERTISING A2 POSTER PRINT

GBP 10.76 | Free shippingNewSeller: andys-prints-uk (99.7% positive)Ships from: GB

View listing on eBay

Current eBay listing

I Want To Believe UFO Poster Giclée Fine Art Heavyweight Print

GBP 21.95 | Free shippingNewSeller: mintprint77 (100.0% positive)Ships from: GB

View listing on eBay

Current eBay listing

Conspiracy Theory Poster Wall Print Gift UFO Aliens Flat Earth Moon Landing

GBP 18.97 | Free shippingNewSeller: forgevalleyprint (98.6% positive)Ships from: GB

View listing on eBay

Browse more oneBay.co.uk

Example items shown for inspiration; availability and pricing can change. Branchoria may earn a commission if you purchase through outbound eBay links.

Endnotes

1. Source: fbi.gov
Link:https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/dhs-fbi-faa-and-dod-joint-statement-on-ongoing-response-to-reported-drone-sightings

Published: December 16, 2024

2. Source: defense.gov
Link:https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4006538/dhs-fbi-faa-dod-joint-statement-on-ongoing-response-to-reported-drone-sightings/

3. Source: fbi.gov
Title: newark seeks information on drone sightings
Link:https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/newark/news/fbi-newark-seeks-information-on-drone-sightings

Published: December 3, 2024

4. Source: fbi.gov
Title: joint dhs fbi statement on reports of drones in new jersey
Link:https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/joint-dhs-fbi-statement-on-reports-of-drones-in-new-jersey

Published: December 12, 2024

5. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/dhs-fbi-faa-dod-joint-statement-ongoing-response-reported-drone-sightings

6. Source: defense.gov
Link:https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4002374/joint-staff-addresses-drones-over-new-jersey-military-installations/

7. Source: reddit.com
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/NJDrones/comments/1hknzhq

8. Source: reddit.com
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/NJDrones/comments/1hd9he0

9. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/remote_id

10. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-ends-discretionary-enforcement-policy-drone-remote-identification

11. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/statements/general-statements

12. Source: arxiv.org
Link:https://arxiv.org/abs/2305.18566

13. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/statements/accident_incidents

14. Source: tripwire.cisa.dhs.gov
Link:https://tripwire.cisa.dhs.gov/node

15. Source: tripwire.cisa.dhs.gov
Title: whats new
Link:https://tripwire.cisa.dhs.gov/library/whats-new

16. Source: faa.gov
Title: Drone Sightings Near Airports | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/resources/public_records/uas_sightings_report

17. Source: tfr.faa.gov
Link:https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail

18. Source: fbi.gov
Link:https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/newark/news/new-jersey-law-enforcement-agencies-warn-about-safety-during-world-cup-matches-and-celebrations-with-public-service-announcements

19. Source: tfr.faa.gov
Link:https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_7801-1-FDC-F

20. Source: tfr.faa.gov
Link:https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail

21. Source: tfr.faa.gov
Link:https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_2320-1-FDC-F

22. Source: tfr.faa.gov
Link:https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail

23. Source: faa.gov
Title: FA A Di SCVR Tool | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/public_safety_gov/discvr_tool

24. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/restricting-drones-near-critical-infrastructure-sites

25. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/trumps-transportation-secretary-sean-p-duffy-unveils-new-rule-protect-critical?_cldee=36vgtyMuH46AzsGCXAruYegXXUscj6ZOyNh72PhdiTpuSCt82T6vrmMdNVgcMrAP8Kvcc2gcEZv3vmPsM-PkmQ&esid=cbfa9d28-ad50-f111-bec7-7c1e52688641&recipientid=contact-21a3408fffa1ea11a838005056ba77c7-1ced9205e9004711ae9b57c3cc0df5d1

26. Source: fbi.gov
Title: statement of special agent in charge douglas olson to senate appropriations
Link:https://www.fbi.gov/news/speeches-and-testimony/statement-of-special-agent-in-charge-douglas-olson-to-senate-appropriations

27. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/foia/electronic_reading_room/uas

28. Source: fbi.gov
Link:https://www.fbi.gov/news/speeches-and-testimony/statement-of-christopher-hardee-and-micheal-torphy-to-the-senate-judiciary-committee

29. Source: faa.gov
Title: Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/temporary_flight_restrictions

30. Source: faa.gov
Title: What To Know About Drones | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/what-know-about-drones

31. Source: faa.gov
Title: FA A Archived Press Releases | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/news_archive

32. Source: faa.gov
Title: Getting Started | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started

33. Source: dhs.gov
Title: News | Homeland Security
Link:https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/newsroom?field_taxonomy_topics_tid=170&items_per_page=25&month_filter%5Bvalue%5D%5Bmonth%5D=&month_filter%5Bvalue%5D%5Byear%5D=&page=11&year_filter%5Bvalue%5D%5Byear%5D=

34. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/resources/foreign_operators

35. Source: faa.gov
Title: How do I report a drone sighting? | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/contact_us/report_uas_sighting

36. Source: fbi.gov
Link:https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/newark/news/fbi-newark-warns-public-against-pointing-lasers-at-manned-aircraft-or-shooting-down-suspected-uas

37. Source: military.com
Link:https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/12/16/pentagon-officials-aviation-experts-say-many-alleged-drone-sightings-are-being-misidentified.html

38. Source: news.sky.com
Title: share 13273254
Link:https://news.sky.com/video/share-13273254

39. Source: news.sky.com
Title: unidentified drones spotted above new jersey by senator andy kim 13273254
Link:https://news.sky.com/video/unidentified-drones-spotted-above-new-jersey-by-senator-andy-kim-13273254

40. Source: news.sky.com
Link:https://news.sky.com/story/amp/new-jersey-senator-andy-kim-shares-videos-of-mysterious-drones-after-weeks-of-conspiracy-theories-about-sightings-13273306

41. Source: time.com
Title: What to Know About the ‘Drone’ Sightings in New Jersey
Link:https://time.com/7202191/new-jersey-drone-sightings/

42. Source: faa.gov
Title: ‘Tis the Season for Drone Safety | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/tis-season-drone-safety

43. Source: fbi.gov
Title: joint odni fbi and cisa statement 110424
Link:https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/joint-odni-fbi-and-cisa-statement-110424

44. Source: dhs.gov
Link:https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/news/2024/10/24/feature-article-st-continues-counter-unmanned-aerial-system-technologies-testing

45. Source: fbi.gov
Title: joint odni fbi and cisa statement 091824
Link:https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/joint-odni-fbi-and-cisa-statement-091824

46. Source: faa.gov
Title: FA A-Recognized Identification Areas (FRIAs) | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/remote_id/fria

47. Source: fbi.gov
Link:https://www.fbi.gov/news/speeches-and-testimony/deputy-director-abbates-opening-statement-to-the-joint-hearing-of-the-senate-judiciary-and-homeland-security-and-governmental-affairs-committees

48. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/gettingstarted/notice-identification-foreign-registered-drones

49. Source: faa.gov
Title: Remote ID for Industry and Standards Bodies | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/remote_id/industry

50. Source: faa.gov
Title: How to Register Your Drone | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/register_drone

51. Source: uasdoc.faa.gov
Link:https://uasdoc.faa.gov/listDocs/RID000000754

52. Source: uasdoc.faa.gov
Link:https://uasdoc.faa.gov/listDocs/RID000000714

53. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-extends-remote-id-enforcement-date-six-months

54. Source: faa.gov
Title: Remote Identification (RID) Compliance | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/aircraft_certification/aircraft_registry/RID

55. Source: faa.gov
Title: Operating Restrictions | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/where_can_i_fly/airspace_restrictions/tfr

56. Source: faa.gov
Title: Critical Infrastructure and Public Venues | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/uas/critical_infrastructure

57. Source: dhs.gov
Title: Content Archive | Homeland Security
Link:https://www.dhs.gov/archive/content?combine=&created=&field_taxonomy_topics_target_id=All&field_taxonomy_topics_tid=All&items_per_page=10&month_filter%5Bvalue%5D=&page=163&year_filter%5Bvalue%5D=

58. Source: faa.gov
Title: New Drone Rules Take Effect Today | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/new-drone-rules-take-effect-today

59. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-announces-effective-dates-final-drone-rules

60. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-issues-restrictions-uas-operations-dod-facilities

61. Source: faa.gov
Title: Remote I D Executive
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/remoteid-executive-summary

62. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/us-department-transportation-issues-two-much-anticipated-drone-rules-advance-safety-and

63. Source: fbi.gov
Link:https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/joint-statement-by-the-federal-bureau-of-investigation-fbi-the-cybersecurity-and-infrastructure-security-agency-cisa-and-the-office-of-the-director-of-national-intelligence-odni

64. Source: faa.gov
Title: Drones: Here for Good | Federal Aviation Administration
Link:https://www.faa.gov/speeches/drones-here-good

65. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/us-department-transportation-announces-technology-partners-remote-id-development

66. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/us-department-transportation-issues-proposed-rule-remote-id-drones

67. Source: dhs.gov
Title: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) | Homeland Security
Link:https://www.dhs.gov/keywords/department-homeland-security-dhs?combine=&items_per_page=10&page=11&sort_bef_combine=created_DESC&sort_by=created&sort_order=DESC&type=All

68. Source: dhs.gov
Title: Snapshot: Working with NASA to Secure Drone Traffic | Homeland Security
Link:https://www.dhs.gov/archive/group/13025/news/2019/02/12/snapshot-working-nasa-secure-drone-traffic

69. Source: fbi.gov
Title: countering malicious drones
Link:https://www.fbi.gov/news/speeches-and-testimony/countering-malicious-drones

70. Source: faa.gov
Title: Newsroom | Federal Aviation Administration FAA NEWSROOM NEWS
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom

71. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/press_releases?page=6

72. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/press_releases?page=2

73. Source: faa.gov
Link:https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap11_section_4.html

74. Source: dhs.gov
Link:https://www.dhs.gov/publications-library/collections/foia-library?page=0

75. Source: cdp.dhs.gov
Title: cdp updates public information course
Link:https://cdp.dhs.gov/news-media/article/cdp-updates-public-information-course

76. Source: tripwire.cisa.dhs.gov
Link:https://tripwire.cisa.dhs.gov/

77. Source: cdp.dhs.gov
Title: cdp training can help bring terrorists to justice
Link:https://cdp.dhs.gov/news-media/article/cdp-training-can-help-bring-terrorists-to-justice

78. Source: tsaenrollmentbyidemia.tsa.dhs.gov
Link:https://tsaenrollmentbyidemia.tsa.dhs.gov/help

79. Source: kim.senate.gov
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/press_release/senator-kim-joins-nighttime-police-patrol-in-hunterdon-county-to-observe-drones-demands-answers-from-federal-authorities/

80. Source: nypost.com
Title: New York Post NJ Sen
Link:https://nypost.com/2024/12/14/us-news/nj-sen-andy-kim-goes-on-drone-hunt-with-police-with-rash-of-sightings-across-state/

Published: December 15, 2024

81. Source: theguardian.com
Link:https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/dec/21/drones-new-jersey-experts

82. Source: kim.senate.gov
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/press_release/ahead-of-beijing-summit-senator-kim-urges-president-trump-to-permit-taiwan-arms-sales/

83. Source: kim.senate.gov
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/press_release/senators-kim-warren-blumenthal-sound-alarm-on-potential-for-donald-trump-jr-linked-companies-to-profit-off-department-of-defense-contract-awards-loans/

84. Source: kim.senate.gov
Title: new jersey veterans highlight importance of service at senator kim led town hall
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/press_release/new-jersey-veterans-highlight-importance-of-service-at-senator-kim-led-town-hall/

85. Source: globalsecurity.org
Title: New Jersey Drones
Link:https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/cvq-2024.htm

86. Source: kim.senate.gov
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/press_release/kim-duckworth-lead-senate-delegation-to-south-korea-japan-to-strengthen-national-security-economic-ties-expand-shipbuilding-and-quantum-partnerships/

87. Source: kim.senate.gov
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/senator-kim-gets-commitments-from-trumps-nominee-to-head-faa-on-prioritizing-newark-airport-and-drone-regulations/

88. Source: kim.senate.gov
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/press_release/senators-kim-van-hollen-lead-colleagues-in-letter-pushing-state-department-to-honor-usaid-officers-public-service/

89. Source: kim.senate.gov
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/press_release/senator-kim-statement-on-prioritizing-enduring-peace-and-security-for-israeli-and-palestinian-people/

90. Source: kim.senate.gov
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/press_release/senator-kim-highlights-importance-of-making-regional-transportation-more-affordable-with-fewer-delays-at-nomination-hearing-for-secretary-of-transportation/

91. Source: kim.senate.gov
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/senator-kim-introduces-first-bill-as-u-s-senator-joins-with-senator-daines-to-improve-access-to-va-benefits/

92. Source: metabunk.org
Title: Senator Andy Kim’s Videos of lights in the sky in New Jersey | Metabunk
Link:https://www.metabunk.org/threads/senator-andy-kims-videos-of-lights-in-the-sky-in-new-jersey.13832/

93. Source: theguardian.com
Title: What are the flying objects spotted in New Jersey? | New Jersey | The Guardian
Link:https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/13/new-jersey-drones

94. Source: gillibrand.senate.gov
Link:https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/news/press/release/gillibrand-schumer-booker-kim-send-letter-to-fbi-dhs-and-faa-requesting-briefing-on-drone-activity-in-new-york-and-new-jersey/

95. Source: kim.senate.gov
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/senators-kim-schumer-gillibrand-and-booker-request-immediate-briefing-on-investigations-into-nj-and-ny-drone-sightings/

96. Source: kim.senate.gov
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/senator-kim-attends-first-committee-hearing-as-u-s-senator-focused-on-customer-service-governance-and-combatting-scams/

97. Source: kim.senate.gov
Title: andy kim sworn in to u s senate
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/press_release/andy-kim-sworn-in-to-u-s-senate/

98. Source: kim.senate.gov
Title: working to advance public safety and innovation in new jersey
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/working-to-advance-public-safety-and-innovation-in-new-jersey/

99. Source: kim.senate.gov
Title: working to take care of new jersey 2027
Link:https://www.kim.senate.gov/working-to-take-care-of-new-jersey-2027/

100. Source: nj.gov
Title: New Jersey State Police
Link:https://nj.gov/njsp/miss/ui_essex_u020001536.html

Additional References

101. Source: youtube.com
Title: Mysterious wave of New Jersey drone sightings prompts concern
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqSR61LK-z4

102. Source: youtube.com
Title: Mass Hysteria: Mick West Debunks “Mysterious” [Drone Reports]({{ ‘drone-reports/’ | relative_url }}) | FP LIVE
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfuTNgS1prk

103. Source: youtube.com
Title: White House reveals mystery behind drone sightings over New Jersey
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkIV9e2ebDo

104. Source: youtube.com
Title: FBI’s new urgent warning about drone sightings in New Jersey
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr4g1dT5RCk

105. Source: congress.gov
Link:https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IN12476

106. Source: nj.gov
Link:https://www.nj.gov/infobank/eo/056murphy/approved/eo_archive.shtml

107. Source: whitehouse.gov
Link:https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/06/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-restores-american-airspace-sovereignty/?query-11-page=2

108. Source: whitehouse.gov
Link:https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2025/05/icymi-trump-administrations-plan-to-modernize-air-traffic-control-system/?query-11-page=55

109. Source: whitehouse.gov
Link:https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-resources/guidance/memoranda/

110. Source: nj.gov
Link:https://www.nj.gov/lps/njsp/