
An innocent prank, or perhaps something much more sinister? On the long drive home from Charlottesville back to New Jersey, my dad asked if I had heard anything about drones.
“What drones?” I asked. Little did I know, there had been a phenomenon that was the talk of the town back home, very much unbeknownst to me during finals season here at UVA. As we drove past rolling hills and quiet towns, my dad let me in on the latest Jersey news: drones flying all over the state. It started with rumors, and then my family and neighbors witnessed several hovering around my own neighborhood at one point. After hearing all of this, listening in utter shock that I had somehow missed out on these happenings, I decided to research the issue a bit.
News channels have recently reported “mysterious drone sightings” in New Jersey, much to the bewilderment of its residents. These drones have been described as “loud, low-flying aircraft” near suburban neighborhoods. While these devices have not posed any clear or direct threat, officials do not know the origins or reasoning behind this activity. The most assistance that could be offered was a published hotline to report anything out of the ordinary.
However, the issue is that there have been numerous false reports of seeing the drones. There have been thousands of drone sightings, although only a small percentage of such have been cited as accurate, adding to the general confusion. Exaggerated claims and fabricated observations are not helpful for finding what is actually true among the sea of lies. What was clear was the fact that people were starting to become panicked and worried, and with that came speculation.
With all of the mystery surrounding these enigmatic sightings, several conspiracy theories had arisen as people attempted to make some sense of the confusion. One of the most prominent theories is that the government is the culprit, to which “federal officials have denied any involvement,” shutting that claim down. A theory popularized by podcaster and comedian Joe Rogan was that the drones were linked to lost “radioactive material.” Among these theories also are outright lies: there have been doctored images that do not align with what officials have shared posted online. Users who may have been looking for internet clout or a few quick likes have claimed random images as the drones, which have since been debunked. One such instance was a video of a plane crash that was mislabeled as a drone crash, and garnered several thousand likes. There is little confirmed information about the drones, and in the absence of that, the public wants something to believe. This leads to the spread of misinformation and unnecessary anxiety.
With tensions and suspicions running high, New Jersey announced “no-fly zones” so that individuals would not operate their own personal drones. Many citizens have demanded action to appease their worries, and so certain municipalities in the state were labeled to be designated areas where no drones could be flown.
In a list published by NJ.com, one of the towns included in the drone ban was Bedminster, where President Donald Trump’s famous golf club is located. Bedminster’s association with the president drew attention to his remarks on the strange issue. President Trump said, “I’m going to give you a report on drones about one day into the administration, because I think it’s ridiculous that they’re not telling you about what’s going on with the drones.” Whether this is a nod to a promise for transparency or a public acknowledgment of the mystery is up for interpretation. Although the inauguration is undoubtedly taking up much of the president’s time, it appears that the drone problem is on his agenda.
While authorities work to provide answers for the public, the best course of action that citizens can do is not get caught up in any hysteria and to take anything seen online with a grain of salt. Although most of the conspiracies have subsided, the mystery of the New Jersey drones still remains at large.
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