December 12, 2024
2 min read
Mysterious Drone Sightings Illustrate Just How Many Fill America’s Skies
Mysterious drone sightings over New Jersey and New York State are underscoring the high number of these vehicles in the U.S.
Joel Papalini/Getty Images
For weeks, residents of New Jersey and neighboring states have been baffled by high numbers of mysterious drone sightings, and the reports are an eye-catching reminder of just how many of these small vehicles fly in the U.S. The Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates civilian drones in the country, is no stranger to investigating reports of uncrewed aircraft sightings, tallying more than 400 such incidents between July and September 2024 alone.
Despite this baseline, the New Jersey incidents, which began in mid-November, have gained particular attention, with ongoing investigations by a range of local and national officials. “The FAA continues to support interagency partners to assess the situation and the ongoing reported drone sightings,” a representative of the agency told Scientific American.
But just how many drones are operating in the U.S. to potentially cause such strange sightings? Drone owners are supposed to register craft that weigh more than 0.55 pound with the FAA. For recreational flyers, however, the agency doesn’t require every individual craft to be registered, leading to inconsistencies and uncertainties in tallies of these vehicles in particular.
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According to FAA regulations, recreational drone owners are currently allowed to fly only for personal enjoyment, and such drones must stay within eyesight of the pilot, steer clear of airplanes and remain at or below 400 feet of altitude, among other…
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