What are the lights in the U.S. sky and what do they mean for safety?

Lights in the sky and mass hysteria have always been associated with UFOs, aliens, and so on. However, what has been happening in the United States in recent days, especially on the East Coast, has not only raised the alarm of the population but of the government itself. After these unmanned aerial systems (UAS) flew over a base near a military installation in New Jersey on November 19th, their sightings have increased in nearby states ranging from Maryland to Massachusetts. But what are these lights and what do they represent?

The great doubt about the lights in the sky

What can be known so far is that these lights were actually drones. Videos posted on social media have shown these UAS crashing or even being shot down by people who do not understand what is going on. According to the FAA, the Federal Aviation Administration, there are more than one million legally registered drones in the United States, and thousands of them fly in the sky every day. But if they’re so common, why is there such a problem?

In New Jersey, authorities have confirmed unidentified drone activity near sensitive facilities such as Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle. However, statements such as Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' attribution of the sightings to “mistaken identity,” where people who think they see drones actually see small aircraft, have been criticized by politicians such as New Jersey Republican Rep. Chris Smith and President-elect Donald Trump, who have called for greater transparency. Local lawmakers point out that downplaying these events only fuels panic and unfounded theories.

President Biden, for his part, insisted Tuesday that the drones pose no danger to the public. “Nothing nefarious apparently, but they’re checking it all out. We’re following this closely. But so far, no sense of danger.” the President explained. Meanwhile, there’s a House hearing related to these sightings.

The difficulty of detecting drones

Although the FAA controls all operations in U.S. airspace, drones are difficult to track with traditional radar systems. Although they can detect drones, they can be mistaken for other types of objects or even living creatures, such as birds. Meanwhile, initiatives such as the FAA’s Remote ID require drones to transmit identification information; many UAS do not comply, limiting tracking capabilities.

In light of this, is it a security problem facing the United States? Or is it simply a lack of technology to effectively counter and detect these UAS? Or even the fact that it is illegal under federal law to shoot at a drone. As for whether this is a security issue, we spoke to David Gonzalez, a security researcher at ESET’s Latam Lab, who cleared up any doubts about how this could be solved.

In Gonzalez’s words, “All technology can be used for both good and evil”. Regarding the issue of these drones, he mentions that this “seems to be more of an indication of identifying what the infrastructure of these government agencies is. However, there is a lot of work to be done to make this a reality.”

On the other hand, he mentioned that “one of the strengths that governments should implement is to always keep their citizens informed. Do not give limited information so as not to create panic. But if they are conducting some kind of test, you have to be calm. You have to keep the public informed.”

Follow MeriStation USA on X (formerly known as Twitter). Your video game and entertainment website for all the news, updates, and breaking news from the world of video games, movies, series, manga, and anime. Previews, reviews, interviews, trailers, gameplay, podcasts and more! Follow us now!