Unraveling the Mystery of Drone Sightings

Drone Spotting: A Unique Perspective

As someone who has witnessed consumer-class drones flying over his home, usually under 250 grams, I often try to identify the specific DJI model. It's not often that we see the larger Phantom Pro drones as they require more qualifications and are not allowed over residential areas. This shows the diverse range of drones in our skies.

Over the years, I've noticed an explosion of drone sightings along the east coast of the US. In the videos I've seen on TikTok, they seem much larger than the ones I'm familiar with. These appear to be enterprise-grade drones used for various purposes like surveillance and package delivery.

Drone Spottings in New York and Beyond

In my hometown of New York and the surrounding cities, drone spotting has become an obsession. During a recent crystal clear night with a bright full Moon and Jupiter nearby, while stargazing with my offspring using our Celestron telescope, we also noticed some low-orbit satellites silently zipping by. Their speed and straight trajectory made them easily distinguishable from drones.

It's interesting to think that we don't often suspect these satellites of being drones. Maybe it's because we know better or maybe we're not looking for them in the night sky like some others.

Reasons Behind the Drone Sightings

There could be a larger drone test conducted by the local or federal government or a company to see how delivery fleets operate at night. Since 2021, the FAA has authorized some drone night flights within certain altitude limits, which might explain the increased visibility of these larger drones.

After the initial flights, some people started mistaking any unidentified light in the sky as a drone. Flying drones of the size many claim to see is not easy, and night flights require even more expertise. Also, for those worried about foreign enemy drones, it's important to remember that most drones are not military and don't travel long distances.

Amateur Drone Flights and Concerns

Amateur drone operators are taking more night flights, hoping to be noticed. While non-pros taking nighttime flights is concerning as they rely on GPS and not sight to navigate, these drones can follow programmed flights and return home without much pilot intervention.

It's clear that faster action is needed. The government should address the "drone invasion" more effectively by sending in special drone-detecting technology. The FAA also needs to be stricter about drone registration and tracking. Anything that takes off in public airspace should be instantly tracked.

Most of the drones people think they're seeing are actually planes, helicopters, or satellites. But until the government responds appropriately, the drone hysteria will continue to grow, potentially leading to dangerous situations.

Don't be like a hammer looking for a nail; be open to the various elements in our sky.