A flurry of mysterious drone sightings across New Jersey may have inspired a similar copycat in the Tri-Cities.
One poster to the r/TriCitiesWA subreddit over the weekend says they spotted an unidentified aerial phenomenon, or UAP — described as a “plane with blinking lights” — about 5 a.m. Sunday.
“But on its path heading south over Kennewick, it just stopped mid air,” the user wrote.
“I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but it didn’t move for a good minute. Then it changed paths heading southeast,” they continued. “Anyone else see this or have I lost my ever living mind?”
A review of aircraft traffic on Flightradar24 shows an Alaskan Horizon flight departing Pasco for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It flew south over Kennewick about that time.
One Reddit user appeared to confirm the poster’s suspicions: “Me too! Saw it as I was going over the bridge from Kennewick to Pasco,” they wrote.
But others weren’t having it. Some say the public anxiety around the drones amounts to a social contagion fanned by speculation and media reports.
“Oh stop it. This is the creepy clown thing all over again,” one user wrote.
The phenomenon also has reached Western Washington, where dozens of Puget Sound residents have reported seeing drones flying around at night in recent days.
What’s up with the New Jersey sightings?
For weeks, dozens of reported drone and plane sightings across the Eastern U.S. have captured the imaginations of many. But no solid answers have been given to the sudden drone-a-mania that’s taken the country by storm.
CNN reported the sightings have placed “intense pressure” on federal agencies and regulators to come up with answers. Many have been spotted flying at night around residential neighborhoods, restricted sites and critical infrastructure.
But nothing nefarious has come to light to explain the strange influx of sightings, and law enforcement officials say they don’t appear to pose a threat to public safety.
The Pentagon last week denied speculation the UAPs originated from a foreign entity or adversary, specifically a claim that they came from a Iranian “mothership” off the coast of the U.S.
A White House national security spokesperson has said the sightings amounted to drones and aircraft used for commercial, law enforcement and hobby means. Some bright stars were even mistakenly reported as drones.
“There are thousands of drones flown around the U.S. on a daily basis,” Pentagon Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told CNN last week. “So, as a result, it’s not that unusual to see drones in the sky, nor is it an indication of malicious activity or any public safety threat. And so the same applies to drones flown near U.S. military installations.”
Some states — including New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania — have taken it into their own hands, requesting drone-detecting equipment that has the power to disable the devices.
State and federal law enforcement agencies have warned people to not shoot at suspected unidentified aerial device. On Monday afternoon, the FBI office in Newark reported an increase in “pilots of manned aircraft being hit in the eyes with lasers,” with people thinking they’re unmanned drones.
“FBI Newark, New Jersey State Police, and dozens of other agencies and law enforcement partners have been out every night for several weeks to legally track down operators acting illegally or with nefarious intent and using every available tool and piece of equipment to find the answers the public is seeking,” the statement read. “However, there could be dangerous and possibly deadly consequences if manned aircraft are targeted mistakenly as unmanned aircraft systems.”
There are about 1 million drones registered in the U.S., and about 8,000 are used on a given day, according to PBS.
Drones and their use are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. Pilots are required to undergo a licensing process for commercial use and aircraft heavier than 0.55 lbs must be registered with the federal government. Even the most casual recreational fliers must test and be cognizant of current rules and regulations.
Flying drones in federal airspace, near airports or military complexes is restricted and may be against the law.
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