Drones over Jersey Unmasked!

Over the past few weeks, a coordinated swarm of drones has been spotted flying over New Jersey and several other strategic locations across the United States. These swarms, first reported over critical infrastructure sites in Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska in late 2019, have now appeared near military installations in Arizona, California, and Texas, with the most recent sightings in the skies above New Jersey. Their sudden presence and deliberate flight patterns have raised serious questions about their origin and purpose.

Initially, speculation ran wild. Were these foreign reconnaissance missions? Corporate surveillance tests? Or even private hobbyists pushing the limits of FAA regulations? But as details emerged, a clearer—though no less concerning—picture has come into focus.

Where Did They Come From?

CUAS companies are fighting to get their TTPs adopted in combat, yet drones of unknown origin are flying unchallenged over four states, multiple bases, and active runways. Reports now confirm the same thing happening at Ramstein Air Base in Germany for weeks. So, where are the multimillion-dollar CUAS programs?

While many pointed fingers at private contractors or foreign entities, recent intelligence indicates a direct connection to U.S. military operations. It turns out these drone swarms are part of an advanced testing program designed to simulate hostile aerial incursions and stress-test domestic air defense systems.

Even more alarming is the role of the Iranian “mothership” in all this. The IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) recently revealed their development of maritime drone motherships—ships that can deploy large numbers of drones for surveillance or offensive missions. While the New Jersey swarm isn’t directly tied to Iranian operations, it’s clear the U.S. military is preparing for the growing threat posed by these capabilities. Testing drone swarms over key sites isn’t just a drill—it’s a necessity in today’s rapidly shifting threat landscape.

What We Know About the Drones

The drones are classified as medium-sized quadcopters, outfitted with advanced ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) capabilities. These are not your run-of-the-mill commercial drones. Their specifications align more closely with military-grade platforms, capable of long-range operations, autonomous navigation, and real-time data transmission. Reports suggest they are part of a larger fleet that can execute swarm behaviors—working together to accomplish complex objectives.

The drones observed in these swarms appear to be Group 2 to Group 3 UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems)—a category of drones that fall between small, hand-launched systems and larger, Predator-class UAVs. Specifically, the drones align with the profile of PteroDynamics autonomous VTOL aircraft, RQ-11 Raven-type platforms or Coyote Block 3 Swarming Drones, among other, often used in military applications for ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) and electronic warfare.

Key Specifications:

1. Size & Weight: These drones are generally medium-sized, with wingspans ranging from 4 to 10 feet and weights of up to 50 pounds.
2. Endurance: Capable of operating for several hours, often between 2-6 hours, depending on the payload and environmental conditions.
3. Navigation: Equipped with GPS/INS systems, enabling autonomous swarm behaviors, grid mapping, and precise flight paths.
4. Sensors: Advanced optics and infrared capabilities allow real-time surveillance, along with LIDAR or multispectral imaging for mapping and targeting.
5. Communication: Use of encrypted mesh networking allows the drones to communicate and coordinate, making them effective in swarm operations.
6. Payloads: Capable of carrying small electronic warfare systems or other sensor packages, depending on the mission.

Why These Drones?

The use of systems like the Coyote Block 3 or Switchblade 600 indicates these tests are aimed at evaluating swarm technology in real-world scenarios. These drones are designed to work together, mimicking the kind of threat posed by adversarial drone swarms, such as those developed by China or deployed from Iranian "motherships." They can overwhelm traditional air defense systems, making them a critical focus for testing countermeasures.

These drones aren’t equipped with traditional weapons in domestic operations but are heavily used for stress-testing airspace defenses, simulating threats, and gathering data on swarm behaviors. Their technical features also make them viable for disrupting communications or targeting key vulnerabilities in hostile scenarios.

The acknowledgment from the military strongly suggests these swarms are U.S.-developed and deployed as part of DARPA's ongoing work with Offensive Swarm-Enabled Tactics (OFFSET), a program explicitly focused on testing autonomous drone swarms in complex, contested environments.

While their deployment over New Jersey and other locations is part of domestic training, it’s clear these platforms are built to counter external threats, like those posed by the Iranian mothership concept or Chinese multi-drone systems.

Military Acknowledges Responsibility

After weeks of silence, the military has now taken responsibility for these drone operations. According to a Department of Defense statement, the swarms are part of a classified training program aimed at "enhancing readiness and response capabilities against emerging aerial threats." While the acknowledgment answers the "who," it doesn’t fully address the "why."

This isn’t the first time the military has used drone swarms in domestic airspace, but the lack of transparency, coupled with their appearance over civilian-populated areas, leaves a lot of room for concern. Is this about preparing for foreign adversaries, or is the military testing our collective reaction to swarm technology?

The Bigger Picture

Let’s connect the dots. China’s rapid advancements in drone technology, Iran’s naval swarm experiments, and Russia’s increasing reliance on UAVs in combat all point to one undeniable truth: the global drone arms race is accelerating. The U.S. isn’t just responding to these threats; it’s setting the stage for future conflicts where drones will dominate the battlefield—and perhaps, the skies above our homes.

While the Pentagon’s acknowledgment brings some clarity, the broader implications remain chilling. Drone swarms are not a glimpse of the future; they are the present reality. Whether they’re tools for defense, surveillance, or outright warfare, they’re here to stay.

As for New Jersey, let’s hope the skies are a little quieter tonight—but don’t count on it. If these tests tell us anything, it’s that we’re only at the beginning of the drone revolution.

What does this mean for you?

Who owns the airspace above your property? It’s one of the biggest questions in this aerial age. If you do own it, does that make drones trespassers when they fly through? To get to the truth, we need to cut through the mess of federal law, property rights, and evolving drone regulations. As a disclaimer I am not a lawyer, I simply have extensive experience in aviation and airspace regulation. Let’s break it down and figure out what airspace ownership really means in a world of drones.

The FAA sees drones as aircraft. This means disabling a drone is a bad idea especially with a firearm. Now, I know you might be concerned about your privacy, and rightly so, however, those drones are most likely too high to reach with a shotgun and firing a weapon into the sky can put people in serious danger, so just don't do it!

It is classified as interfering with an aircraft, a federal crime per the FAA which has responded by imposing temporary flight restrictions, grounding drone flights over Bedminster and Picatinny. In a statement, the FAA made it clear: reckless or unsafe drone operations can cost you big, with fines up to $75,000 and a revoked Part 107 pilot certificate. Fly dangerously, and you’re out.

What’s Your Perspective?

The appearance of drone swarms over key locations, and the military's recent admission, raises important questions about the balance between security and transparency. Are these exercises a smart response to an evolving global threat, or do they represent a step too far in testing near civilian areas without public knowledge? Does the military own these drones or are they coming from China and Iran?

I want to know what you think. Are drone swarms the future of defense we should embrace, or do they signal a deeper issue with accountability in emerging military technologies? Share your perspective, I’m listening.