The New Jersey Drones of a year ago

[Red Chief]

So as one of the "drone hobbyists" regularly accused of causing aerial mayhem around the world, I took an interest in what was going on over NJ last year.

Surprisingly I was unable to ever find even one frame of a video that proves these were even drones. Witnesses which included local police alleged there were car-sized drones flying at low altitudes all over the state and coming in from the ocean.

The dimensions and flight times didn't align with any hobby drones I know of but I finally found a culprit and a guess at who was operating them.

This hybrid drone uses 4 electric motors for VTOL and a gas powered combustion engine for horizontal flight. It has a flight time of 12 hours and has a roughly 8 foot wingspan.



What they were most likely doing was LiDAR scans in preparation for a future construction project. My guess is it was the Army Corps of Engineers or DOT who got permission from the FAA at night and chose this time of year because of the longer night cycles.

[mlee]

But why the heck wouldn't they say anything? Not like it's a secret

[Junction65]

Interesting.

Haven't researched or confirmed, just speculation/rumor so take it with the usual block of salt...I've read where supposedly Palantir was involved with it.

Originally Posted by mlee

But why the heck wouldn't they say anything? Not like it's a secret

Same.

[Red Chief]

Originally Posted by mlee

But why the heck wouldn't they say anything? Not like it's a secret

I think most of it was they didn't want people shooting at the drones or finding creative ways to interfere with them. That's also why they flew at night.

Leaving politics and leadership out of it, the lack of response from the Air National Guard and USAF was telling. They had to have known what was going on.

But hey, even with new management we've never gotten what I would consider a sufficient explanation. So who knows.

I will just say that Langley AFB had *drone* incursions this time two years ago and that story is WAY more dramatic.than New Jersey. No idea why it never got much coverage.

[bishopts]

Originally Posted by Red Chief

I think most of it was they didn't want people shooting at the drones or finding creative ways to interfere with them. That's also why they flew at night.

Leaving politics and leadership out of it, the lack of response from the Air National Guard and USAF was telling. They had to have known what was going on.

But hey, even with new management we've never gotten what I would consider a sufficient explanation. So who knows.

I will just say that Langley AFB had *drone* incursions this time two years ago and that story is WAY more dramatic.than New Jersey. No idea why it never got much coverage.

could be the mystery and confusion would keep the chatter boxes going so that the bigger moves could be moving behind the curtain. "look at my left hand while i stab you with my right"