New Jersey Drone Mystery: Let’s Talk About Those “Mystery Drones”

Look, I’ve got to weigh in on this whole New Jersey drone situation. As a Philadelphia resident who flies drones every single day – both for fun and for work – I’ve been absolutely bombarded with calls, texts, emails, and DMs about these mysterious lights in the Jersey skies. Even my own family keeps reaching out, wondering what’s going on.

For those who don’t know me, I’m Billy Kyle, and I’ve spent the last eight years as an aerial photographer and videographer. Whether I’m documenting construction projects, capturing real estate visuals, or just grabbing some epic city views for my social media, I’ve seen pretty much everything when it comes to drones and public reactions to them.

Understanding Drone Lighting Requirements

Let’s break this down with some real-world perspective. The drone I use daily – a DJI Mavic 3 Pro – is pretty typical of what most pilots fly, whether they’re hobbyists or professionals. Here’s what we’re actually looking at when it comes to drone lighting:

• Two front navigation LEDs
• Two rear orientation lights
• A downward-facing auxiliary landing light
• An FAA-mandated anti-collision strobe visible from three statute miles

TRUST me, I know these lights inside and out – they’re literally my everyday work tools. And here’s the thing: they’re designed to be seen, not hidden.

The Nighttime Factor

Here’s what really gets me about these sightings – they’re all happening at night. As someone who’s had their fair share of Police calls and concerned citizen confrontations (seriously, I’ve lost count), I can tell you this timing is super important. Most of these “mysterious drone lights” are just commercial aircraft heading to nearby airports.

Think about it – if someone was really up to no good with a drone, why would they light it up like a Christmas tree? It just doesn’t make any sense. If you’re trying to be sneaky, you don’t advertise your presence with FAA-compliant lighting.

About Those Congressional Claims

Now, I’ve got to address Congressman Van Drew’s Fox News interview – and honestly, it’s pretty wild. He’s talking about Iranian motherships off the East Coast launching drone surveillance missions. But here’s what really got me: he actually called for these aircraft to be shot down. As someone who works in this industry every day, that’s not just wrong – it’s dangerous and potentially illegal.

Let’s Get Real About This

Here’s a pro tip from someone who deals with this stuff every day: download FlightRadar24 on your phone. Next time you see these “mysterious lights,” pull up the app and check what’s actually flying around up there. Nine times out of ten, you’re looking at a commercial flight just trying to get people home.

Look, I get it – I’m probably not the coolest person on the block because I fly drones for a living. Some people might think it’s weird, and that’s fine – I really don’t care what people think of me. But what I do care about is keeping our skies safe and maintaining the trust we’ve built in the Drone Industry.

Could there be some weird, unidentified drones out there? Sure, anything’s possible. But until we see some actual evidence, I’m going with the logical explanation: these are just regular aircraft doing their thing. And if there really were covert drones up there? Trust me – you wouldn’t be seeing their lights in the first place.

That’s my take on all this. Feel free to share your thoughts, but let’s keep it grounded in reality. Peace out!