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Drones are being spotted across the US in recent weeks.
On Tuesday, multiple suspicious sightings in the eastern US led to the temporary closure of airspace at an Air Force base in Ohio and arrests nearby BostonLogan International Airport, as elected officials stepped up their push for action to identify and stop the mysterious drones.
Drones flying around Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, forced base officials to close the airspace for about four hours late Friday into Saturday, said Robert Purtiman, a base spokesman.
This is the first time drones have been spotted at the base, one of the largest in the world, and no sightings have been reported since Saturday morning, Purtiman said Monday. He would not say how many drones were flying in the area, adding that they were of various sizes and did not affect base facilities.
Summary
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- Mysterious drone sightings have been reported in several US states, including California, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.
- The FBI and DHS are investigating the incidents that caused the airport shutdown and prompted a secret briefing for the House Intelligence Committee.
- Officials have found no evidence of foreign involvement and say there is no credible threat to national security.
- Some officials believe that many of the reported sightings may be misidentified manned aircraft.
- Although some arrests have been made related to drone activity near the airport, the origin and purpose of most drone sightings remain unknown.
- Follow our live blog.
National security officials said drones recently spotted in the eastern part of the country do not appear to be signs of foreign interference or a threat to public safety. But since they can’t say for sure who is responsible for the sudden drone swarms — or how to stop them — leaders of both political parties are demanding better technology and powers to deal with drones.
But are those lights in the sky really airplanes?
Up in the sky, is that a droneplane or helicopter?
Experts who study unmanned aerial vehicle systems – better known as drones – say it can be hard to tell from miles away. But there are clues.
Map of US drone sightings
Lights in the night sky can be easily misinterpreted, says John Slaughter, director of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research and Operations Center at the University of Maryland.
“You can’t just go out there and say, ‘Oh, that’s not a drone,’ or ‘This is one.’ All you can really say is, ‘I saw a light in the sky,'” Slaughter said.
Dozens of mysterious night flights spotted for the first time New Jersey last month and now seen across the US have raised concerns among residents and officials. Part of the concern stems from flying objects that were initially spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a US military research and production facility, and over the president-elect Donald Trump‘s golf course in Bedminster.
Are those flashing lights a plane?
All airplanes and helicopters have a flashing light and usually at least one red anti-collision light, often two. They also have navigation lights, which are steady, red and green like those on ships. Many will also have flashing white strobe lights on the wingtips. And they have bright landing lights.
Drones flying at night must have only one bright anti-collision light that is visible at a distance of 3 miles (5 kilometers). But drone owners can add other lights, so some have more than one. Drones are smaller, so when they have more lights, they are close to each other, but at night it is often impossible to tell how far away they are.
“The light is just a bright spot,” Slaughter said. “And it can be 100 yards (90 meters) away, it can be literally 40 miles (65 kilometers) away and it looks the same.”
What kind of noise does the drone make?
Drones tend to be quieter and make a more booming, high-pitched noise than the jet engines or propellers that power airplanes and helicopters. But larger drones can be louder, and the sound can be difficult to discern from a distance.
Drones weighing more than half a pound (0.2 kilograms) may have an identification number displayed on the outside.
“You certainly wouldn’t see it at night, and you’d have to be close to see it, you know, during the day,” said Paul R. Snyder, director of the Unmanned Aircraft Program at the University of North Dakota’s Aerospace Sciences School.
Is that how the drone moves?
Airplanes and even helicopters tend to move smoothly through the air, but drones with multiple helicopters can stop on a dime, turn 90 degrees and reverse course, Slaughter said.
“That kind of movement can give you an indication that you’re looking at a drone and not an airplane,” he said.
And the vast majority of drones will operate below 400 feet (122 meters), according to federal regulations.