Northeastern U.S. drone sightings (2024)
| Northeastern U.S. drone sightings (2024) | |
| Date | Mainly November – December 2024 |
|---|---|
| Location | New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and other Northeast states |
| Type | Mass sightings of nighttime lights / drones |
| Official response | FBI, DHS, FAA, DoD joint statements (Dec. 2024); White House statement (Jan. 28, 2025) |
| Officially explainedLikely misidentification | |
Beginning in November 2024, residents of New Jersey and then New York, Pennsylvania and other northeastern states reported large numbers of lights moving at night, widely described as drones, some near military sites such as Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle. The reports drew national media coverage, temporary flight restrictions and calls from members of Congress for answers.[1]
Official response
In December 2024 the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, FAA and Department of Defense said that, after reviewing thousands of tips, many sightings were lawful commercial or hobby drones, crewed aircraft, helicopters and stars, and that they had found no threat to public safety. On January 28, 2025, the White House said the drones had been authorized by the FAA “for research and various other reasons” and were “not the enemy.”[2]
PURSUE records
FBI files and civilian videos of glowing orbs in the Northeast from 2021 to 2026, including an October 2024 video and a July 2025 backyard encounter, were released in PURSUE Release 03. See FBI Northeastern orb sightings.[3]
Assessment
The wave shows how a few reports and heavy media attention can lead people to notice ordinary lights in the sky. Some observers were dissatisfied with the official explanation, and a small number of reports, such as those near military installations, have not been publicly resolved.
See also
References
- ^ ABC7 New York (Jan. 28, 2025), “White House says NJ drones ‘authorized’ by the FAA: ‘This was not the enemy’.”
- ^ FBI, DHS, FAA and DoD joint statements on drone sightings in New Jersey, December 2024.
- ^ U.S. Department of War (2026). PURSUE Release 03, FBI-UAP-D004 to D010 and PR001 to PR004.