Drones over New Jersey?

[John J.]

Five out of ten pictures in this piece are of a helicopter

The attached caption (at app.com, hosting an Asbury Park Press article "'Shoot them down already!': NJ legislators frustrated by State Police drone briefing", Lisa Robyn Kruse, Jenna Calderón, Amanda Oglesby, Dec 11 2024) reads, my emphasis added:

Photos taken in the bayside section of Toms River of what appear to be large drones hovering in the area at high altitudes. The drones were photographed between 8:33 and 8:49 p.m. with a Sony A7 IV equipped with a 600mm lens. The drones seemed to be well above the 400-foot height FAA regulations allow. This object in the sky was thought to be a helicopter, but there was no audible sound associated with it. Toms River, NJ Sunday, December 8, 2024

"Shoot them down already!" said Assemblyman Greg McGuckin, R-Ocean.

(Asbury Park Press article)
Assemblyman Paul Kanitra, R-Ocean said

You had the State Police basically saying their hands are tied in what they're able to do... For example, if they engaged one of these things and felt they needed to shoot one down or take it out in some way, they are telling us that they cannot do that.

Thank goodness for that!

I've e-mailed Mr McGuckin:

Dear Sir, [usual pleasantries]

With reference to the current reports of seemingly anomalous drone sightings in New Jersey,
app.com, hosting an Asbury Park Press article "'Shoot them down already!': NJ legislators frustrated by State Police drone briefing", Lisa Robyn Kruse, Jenna Calderón, Amanda Oglesby, December 11 2024, the "Shoot them down already" quote is attributed to you.

It might not have been brought to your attention that there are no verifiable, clear photos or videos of unusual drones over New Jersey (as far as I know) at this time.

There are multiple examples of photos and videos which are claimed to show drones but which clearly show commercial aircraft, in some cases on known flight paths into New Jersey airports. Several examples of this can be seen, and are explained, on the internet forum "Metabunk", https://www.metabunk.org/threads/drones-over-new-jersey.13770/.

The Asbury Park Press article links their story, containing your quote, to 5 photos of a claimed mystery drone, the clearest of which is this:

[Same photo as above]

This looks very much like a light helicopter displaying standard navigation lights as mandated by the FAA.

As already stated, at least some of the people who have claimed to have photographed drones- invariably the clearest images that have been used to support claims of unusual drone activity- have actually photographed / filmed civil airliners going about their lawful business, most no doubt carrying large numbers of passengers, mainly Americans.

Obviously, you are not proposing a "Shoot them down already" policy towards such aircraft, even if some members of the public mistake them for drones!

However, I am concerned that some over-zealous persons, perhaps alarmed by some of the more sensationalist reporting or internet rumours, might feel that they are justified in taking the law into their own hands, with potentially damaging, even disastrous consequences.

Perhaps app.com / Asbury Park Press should be advised to contextualise your comments? I won't pretend to have followed your political career, but I'm sure you wouldn't deserve being associated with any negative incident resulting from someone else's poor judgement or irrational actions.

Wishing you a (somewhat early) Merry Christmas, and all best wishes for 2025,

Not really expecting a reply, but can but try.

 

[Jack Mallory]

This company flew an electric air taxi to New York City in November of this year. Is it possible people have seen one of these in test flights?

This certainly would've gotten my attention if it suddenly appeared overhead. And this was back in Nov. 2023.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDfCFeXqGBs

 

[Gaspa]

Same model at night


Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7bzpbtblUs


View attachment 74428

I think this pretty much settles it.

 

[Jack Mallory]

Nicely debunked:

Source: https://x.com/MiddleOfMayhem/status/1867249386625122628

 

[Kyle Ferriter]

Nicely debunked:

Source: https://x.com/MiddleOfMayhem/status/1867249386625122628

Great work by Greenstreet. This video was actually one of the maybe 4 I've seen that did have some feature that made it seem unusual at least at first. In this case the sort of double lights on the sides. Other videos on youtube of PC-12s confirms this is how the light placement looks. There's a light on the wing tips and instead of a white light on the rear of the wing tip as is usual, there's another light laterally in towards the fuselage, sort of in the middle of each wing. The only other unusual factor is the color but that could be a camera artifact. To me the lights look a bit blue-green tinted in the video. Could be the white lights on the wings are so close to the green/red ones that it gets a bit blended together. Or maybe just that camera is having trouble with accurately representing colors. Or maybe the green/red wing tip lights are harder to make out from below than from the side.

 

[MyMatesBrainwashed]

Oof! Doubling down.

Rep. Jeff Van Drew accused the Pentagon on Thursday of hiding the truth about mysterious drones spotted near military sites in New Jersey.

Defense officials balked on Wednesday at the New Jersey Republican's unsubstantiated claims that car-size drones flying around the state were coming from an Iranian "mothership." The back and forth underscores how drones, once the play toy of amateur photographers, are fast becoming a national security concern.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/12/new-jersey-drones-pentagon-00193985

Main reason for posting article is for this beauty...

They are dealing with the American public like we're stupid.

I wonder why?

 

[Mick West]

new threads please
This thread is getting a bit unwieldy with multiple new cases. If there's a specific sighting you want to discuss, then please start a new thread here in Skydentify.

 

[john.phil]

It's a PC-12

The Pilatus PC-12 has an unusual landing lights configuration, it's an instant UFO report:


Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSMhVKnxO4w



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KEQ18o-Oyc



Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KvnghDRLmc

 

[Ann K]

oh come on, that can't be a real name...can it?

I think "Dawn Fantasia" falls into the category of what a person would choose to be her "stripper name".

 

[Ann K]

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is also quoted as saying "the minute you get your eyes on them, they go dark."

Like a rotating Starlink satellite does, perhaps?

 

[JMartJr]

Like a rotating Starlink satellite does, perhaps?

Now that you mention it, it is interesting that nobody seems to be videoing Starlink flares as part of this flap. Perhaps they are not in the flare zone these nights?

 

[roger1440]

Three large drones seen in Hackensack NJ on 12/11/24, my town. Two videos are available on the Hackensack Happenings Facebook Group. I live less than a half mile from where the videos were taken. In the video an apartment building can be seen. After searching Google I found the exact location where the videos were taken from. The address of the apartment building is 257 Essex St. Hackensack, New Jersey, 07601. The address of Teterboro Airport is 111 Industrial Ave, Teterboro, NJ 07608. Less than two miles behind the apartment building in the video is Teterboro Airport. If I was gambling man I would bet this drone was actually a plane. But what do I know? I'm just some guy who spends too much time on the Internet and sees planes going to and from Teterboro, Newark, Kennedy and LaGuardia all day and night every day of the year. I have to admit I might be wrong. If these aircrafts are extraterrestrial I'm ready for them. I have a spare room and a butterfly net. There is no New Jersey statues that forbids me from keeping an extraterrestrial being. Keep in mind keeping an extraterrestrial being would come under state law not federal law.

 

[roger1440]

Three large drones seen in Hackensack NJ on 12/11/24, my town. Two videos are available on the Hackensack Happenings Facebook Group. I live less than a half mile from where the videos were taken. In the video an apartment building can be seen. After searching Google I found the exact location where the videos were taken from. The address of the apartment building is 257 Essex St. Hackensack, New Jersey, 07601. The address of Teterboro Airport is 111 Industrial Ave, Teterboro, NJ 07608. Less than two miles behind the apartment building in the video is Teterboro Airport. If I was gambling man I would bet this drone was actually a plane. But what do I know? I'm just some guy who spends too much time on the Internet and sees planes going to and from Teterboro, Newark, Kennedy and LaGuardia all day and night every day of the year. I have to admit I might be wrong. If these aircrafts are extraterrestrial I'm ready for them. I have a spare room and a butterfly net. There is no New Jersey statues that forbids me from keeping an extraterrestrial being. Keep in mind keeping an extraterrestrial being would come under state law not federal law.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2936147843133245/permalink/8837106649703972/?rdid=cTdudTeWB7w3hLsP&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2Fp%2F12K5CNC9S6Q%2F

 

[jdog]

New from NJ.com: Drones reported over 2nd N.J. military facility, Navy says

Naval Weapons Station Earle, a military base in Colts Neck in Monmouth County, has had two reports of drones in its airspace, facility spokesman William Addison said Thursday.

Naval Weapons Station Earle is at least the second New Jersey military base to report drone sightings after Picatinny Arsenal in Morris County said it had at least 11 confirmed drone sightings in recent weeks.

Which is another data point, if a vague one, since no dates or other details are provided. (Followed reports from local news that six -- or 12 -- drones were seen over the base on Dec. 6.) Report doesn't seem to have enough details to merit its own thread.

"While no direct threats to the installation have been identified, we can confirm at least two instances of an unidentified drone entering the airspace above Naval Weapons Station Earle," [a base spokesman] said. "The base remains prepared to respond to any potential risks, leveraging robust security measures and advanced detection capabilities."

Detected? Spotted? Showing lights? Unclear.

 

[NorCal Dave]

Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2936147843133245/permalink/8837106649703972/?rdid=cTdudTeWB7w3hLsP&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2Fp%2F12K5CNC9S6Q%2F

Are you part of that Facebook page where you could post about the airport? Three drones flying low and going in the same direction sounds like planes heading into an airport.

I generally try to stay away from stuff like this on Facebook, it just becomes a shouting match. However, several months back, on my local area Rants and Raves page, a lady posted a strange looking UFO, that wasn't easily identified. I shared it here and it was determined to be a venting and reentering section from a Space X launch. I then shared that explanation on the Facebook page. It got some "likes" and some "thank you"s
and at least a few people were ok with the solution. It helps a bit.

 

[roger1440]

Are you part of that Facebook page where you could post about the airport? Three drones flying low and going in the same direction sounds like planes heading into an airport.

I generally try to stay away from stuff like this on Facebook, it just becomes a shouting match. However, several months back, on my local area Rants and Raves page, a lady posted a strange looking UFO, that wasn't easily identified. I shared it here and it was determined to be a venting and reentering section from a Space X launch. I then shared that explanation on the Facebook page. It got some "likes" and some "thank you"s
and at least a few people were ok with the solution. It helps a bit.

Yes, I'm a member of that Facebook Group. I live about one mile from Teterboro Airport. As of yet I don't know how to tell her, "You are an idiot" politely. Any way I word it would mean the same. But that does not mean I gave up. The problem I have is that I know very little about drones and airplanes. They don't interest me. What interests me is hysteria. People fear the unknown.

 

[NorCal Dave]

As of yet I don't know how to tell her, "You are an idiot" politely.

Yeah, you don't want to do that! I try to be: "Oh wow that's a cool video, thanks for posting it. I found it really interesting and asked around a bit and it appears it might be Space X. Maybe?"

If you can see a few of the aircraft heading into Teterboro, it would give you an opportunity for something like: "I saw these drones too, very unusual. But I did some looking around and what I saw, which was close to what you saw, was right in the approach to Teterboro. Weird huh? I think maybe I saw airplanes, but they kinda looked like drones."

I'm not saying be disingenuous, but you can sorta play dumb a bit while suggesting the solution in a conversational way. Not saying anyone is going to agree with you, but it beats calling them all idiots. Even if they are all obsessed with planes being Iranian drones.

 

[jackfrostvc]

Has there been any confirmed drones sighted in this NJ event?

 

[flarkey]

We've gone full circle (again) - NJ drones are now being spotted by chemtrailers...


Source: https://x.com/graffanati19/status/1867354749659390461?t=jw6v0disopg08h24gl17hw&s=19

 

[captancourgette]

We've gone full circle (again) - NJ drones are now being spotted by chemtrailers...

Source: https://x.com/graffanati19/status/1867354749659390461?t=jw6v0disopg08h24gl17hw&s=19

Not gonna lie, That guys reaction cracked me up. I shouldn't laugh though.
I'm reminded of encounters I've had with people if I've pointed out the moon to them, on more than one occasion I've had an adult say to me, wow I didn't know you could see the moon during the day, I thought it only came out at night.
Mindboggling do some people just not notice anything around them, how do they go through life being so un-curious

 

[FatPhil]

Mindboggling do some people just not notice anything around them, how do they go through life being so un-curious

Their curiousity is being diverted towards other things, such as soap operas and so-called reality tv. /Panem et circenses/ works.

 

[Trailblazer]

We've gone full circle (again) - NJ drones are now being spotted by chemtrailers...


Source: https://x.com/graffanati19/status/1867354749659390461?t=jw6v0disopg08h24gl17hw&s=19

Certainly good evidence that these things are not anywhere near as low down as people think they are.

 

[jarlrmai]

There's news of a small plane down in NY

https://abc7ny.com/post/684-purchas...-small-plane-crash-state-police-say/15648378/

I really hope this was not related to drone paranoia.

 

[Trailblazer]

The Pilatus PC-12 has an unusual landing lights configuration, it's an instant UFO report:

Here's another, just last night.



A PC-12 landing at Essex County airport.

 

[jarlrmai]

Source: https://imgur.com/a/december-12th-5-35pm-fairfield-nj-QDSG5nv


https://maps.app.goo.gl/p3uBouV2pMN4Qw2Z9

 

[Gaspa]

Now that you mention it, it is interesting that nobody seems to be videoing Starlink flares as part of this flap. Perhaps they are not in the flare zone these nights?

At this time of year, flares are more common in the Southern hemisphere, if I understand correctly.

 

[FatPhil]

At this time of year, flares are more common in the Southern hemisphere, if I understand correctly.

If that's the case, the lower number of reports would in part be because such a small proportion of the human population lives south of the equator (about 11%).
However, is it really the case? The north pole is tilted away from the sun presently, so the centre of the annulus where flares should be visible will be above the equator. So more of the annulus is in the north than the south. That implies the opposite conclusion, if it's valid and relevant. A more simplistic argument that also implies the same thing: you see them at night, and we have more night this time of year.

 

[Trailblazer]

Source: https://imgur.com/a/december-12th-5-35pm-fairfield-nj-QDSG5nv


https://maps.app.goo.gl/p3uBouV2pMN4Qw2Z9

View attachment 74463

Nice find.

You can see where the car pulls over as this tree and the traffic signal are visible as the car begins to move again.

Dropping the KML file into Google Earth in Street View shows the match.

It's not quite accurate as the KML file from FlightAware ends just before the plane actually reaches the runway, as the aerial view confirms. In reality the track will have continued behind those trees.

 

[jarlrmai]

This KML covers the flight to landing and to taxi.

 

[Trailblazer]

This KML covers the flight to landing and to taxi.

Overlaying tracks in Street View on Google Earth seems very glitchy. I can't get it to work at all on the web version. It works to a degree on the desktop app (Google Earth Pro), which is what the above screenshot is from, though that has much lower quality 3D rendering when you leave Street View.

 

[Jack Mallory]

Not to be outdone...

Nice of them to promote such a horribly-written headline. Starts off with completely false conjecture, then offers an entirely different topic altogether. Just in the headline alone.

Mysterious aircraft are flying over New Jersey. Here's what big drones are made for
https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/13/tech/new-jersey-sightings-what-are-big-drones-for/index.html

Just more ridiculously irresponsible and unprofessional journalism on display. "Tech reporter."

Also, the comments alone are worth the price of admission. Good lord.

 

[flarkey]

At this time of year, flares are more common in the Southern hemisphere, if I understand correctly.

not necessarily. In the summer hemisphere (currently southern) the flares tend to be more visible towards the pole, but in the winter hemisphere they tend to be in the east pre-dawn and in the west post sunset.

 

[roger1440]

Drone spotted over someone's house in Bergen County NJ.

 

[JMartJr]

Drone spotted over someone's house in Bergen County NJ.

Hey! An actual drone! Looks like your typical consumer quadcopter and not even slightly suspicious and mysterious, but still, makes a nice change from all the airliners.

(Just noticed what I assume is a weird pareidolia of a crouching wrestler-type-guy in the body of the drone... )

 

[john.phil]

Drone spotted over someone's house in Bergen County NJ.

Just noticed what I assume is a weird pareidolia of a crouching wrestler-type-guy in the body of the drone... )

Not pareidolia, I wish I could unsee that...

 

[Jack Mallory]

(Just noticed what I assume is a weird pareidolia of a crouching wrestler-type-guy in the body of the drone... )

Indeed. Once seen, can not unsee. It makes it look like a fake AF animation.

 

[JMartJr]

Not pareidolia

Are you sure? I suppose it is possible that some prankster put a WWE action figure on a drone to be silly, but pareidolia seems more likely to me.

(How long until some UFO site promotes that as a crew member of the alien UAP? Sadly, I am not joking about that, I suspect we'll see it happen.)

 

[roger1440]

Not pareidolia, I wish I could unsee that...
View attachment 74527

WOW, I didn't see that.

 

[john.phil]

pareidolia seems more likely to me.

Have a second look below:

 

[Ann K]

Oh goody, the pres-elect has weighed in (with spelling optional) with his words of wisdom.

President-elect Donald Trump suggested that the US government has not been forthcoming about mysterious drone sightings that have alarmed residents of New Jersey and should offer more information about the incidents.

"Can this really be happening without our government's knowledge," Trump said in a post to his Truth Social network on Friday. "I don think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shot them down!!!"

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-provide-answers-on-mystery-new-jersey-drones