New Jersey Drone Sightings May Not Be Drones. By Professor Will Austin.

mavic3usa · Friday at 3:50 PM

eEridani said:
If FOX News shows video of a 737 in flight, taken at night from a distance and complete with audio clearly sounding like a 737 some distance away, then says something about drones, 90% of it's viewer base will think the video is of a drone and will report similar sightings as drones.

Critical thinking isn't in many viewers their toolkit.

I might have agreed with that in 2010 but it's 2024 and most people are familiar with the news layout and format and the editorial process. You have to watch the entire program to draw your conclusion, not just a sound bite or a clip. It's no different on FOX than MSNBC or NewNation or CBS so it's a bit of a stretch to claim otherwise about the audience. I watch ALL the stations and honestly, not only am I not fooled but also I can't see why someone would think what you mentioned comes off as an attempt to trick the audience. The only fake news out there is CNN.

eEridani · Friday at 3:57 PM

Amazing - the subject is always changed when people ask simple questions.

Question: Where is the evidence there are significant increases in drone activity in NJ
-- caveat: news reports of people reporting drones is NOT evidence there are more drones because the vast majority of the reports are not drone sightings, but normal aviation in action.

mavic3usa · Friday at 3:58 PM

Zbip57 said:
And when the authorities can't explain what those people are claiming to see, it doesn't mean the government is hiding stuff from you.

Yes it does. If I drive up into your drive way on a motorcycle and you claim you don't know if I'm arrived on a bike or a car or a truck or a boat when you saw me arrive or you can just walk out your door and take a peek, you're hiding something. One or two or three instance....fine but thousands? What happened earlier this month, even Stevie Wonder knew something was not right.

It's funny how when drones are buzzing around the Air Force bases and the training ranges and other military installations: we have a drone problem and they're all over the place and we need to shut down the airport over a possible drone somewhere in the area. it's funny how when the police helicopter is swarmed with something like laser lights, we have a laser problem. However, if the public sees something, they're dreaming.

You forget who works for whom. This (and similar situations) won't end well for the government. It's called transparency and accountability, have you heard of it?

mavic3usa · Friday at 3:58 PM

eEridani said:
Where is the evidence there are significant increases in drone activity in NJ

The TFRs.

eEridani · Friday at 4:00 PM

Critical thinking isn't in many viewers their toolkit.

My grammar is horrifying in that post! I know I fixed it, changing 'their' to 'viewers', apparently I didn't save the edit. lol.

eEridani · Friday at 4:01 PM

mavic3usa said:
The TFRs.

That is evidence the FAA is shutting down more airspace. It is not evidence there is increased drone activity.

Chip · Friday at 4:06 PM

mavic3usa said:
Many drone bans (TFR) in place across the NJ/NY area. Why?

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) for safety or security reasons, such as:

Natural disasters: Hurricanes, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, floods, and landslides
Hazardous conditions: Chemical spills, toxic gas leaks, or fumes from flammable agents
Security-related events: The United Nations General Assembly, hijacking incidents, or other national security situations
Special events: Major sporting events, aerial demonstrations, or VIP movement
Aircraft incidents: Aircraft accident or incident sites

NOTE: See FAA informational video below. At timestamp 21 seconds see image analogizing TFR with "POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS." I do not think the FAA issues TFRs on a lark or to humor people.

mavic3usa · Friday at 4:13 PM

eEridani said:
That is evidence the FAA is shutting down more airspace. It is not evidence there is increased drone activity.

Chip said:
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) for safety or security reasons, such as:

Natural disasters: Hurricanes, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, floods, and landslides

Hazardous conditions: Chemical spills, toxic gas leaks, or fumes from flammable agents

Security-related events: The United Nations General Assembly, hijacking incidents, or other national security situations

Special events: Major sporting events, aerial demonstrations, or VIP movement

Aircraft incidents: Aircraft accident or incident sites

NOTE: See FAA informational video below. At timestamp 21 seconds see image analogizing TFR with "POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS." I do not think the FAA issues TFRs on a lark or to humor people.

I would just like to know if the FAA gave a reason why they issued these TFR? I haven't heard it. But I do know why TFRs are issued sometimes so I casually threw out my opinion on why I think the FAA may have, in part, issued these particular TFRs among a possible dozen other reasons as well but @eEridani may be able to help us understand for sure why they were issued since it sounds like he knows? Why is the FAA "shutting down more airspace."

eEridani · Friday at 4:16 PM

mavic3usa said:
I would just like to know if the FAA gave a reason why they issued these TFR? I haven't heard it. But I do know why TFRs are issued sometimes so I casually threw out my opinion on why I think the FAA may have, in part, issued these particular TFRs among a possible dozen other reasons as well but @eEridani may be able to help us understand for sure why they were issued since it sounds like he knows? Why is the FAA "shutting down more airspace."

More redirection and avoidance of the simple question I asked. Love it.

eEridani · Friday at 4:23 PM

With regard to why there are now a lot of new month long TFR's restricting drones: The idea is probably to keep law abiding citizens from flying in those areas recreationally so the bad operators can more easily be discerned. Here's links to PUBLICALLY available TFR information that contains the stated reason. Terse, but it's there, and taken into context of the mass hysteria present in NJ shows the FAA is and has taken action to do something. No need to expand this off-topic subject in this thread. If you have questions about TFR's start a new thread. But as a drone pilot, you should already know about them and how to access them.

4/8986 NOTAM Details

4/8842 NOTAM Details

Droning on and on... · Friday at 4:24 PM

Chip said:
NOTE: See FAA informational video below. At timestamp 21 seconds see image analogizing TFR with "POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS." I do not think the FAA issues TFRs on a lark or to humor people.

No, they don't. TFRs are serious business, and interfere with private sector aviation operations. They are not issued simply because of mistaken drone sitings due to hysteria.

So why were these TFRs issued in NJ? All I can find on line is "National Security". That's not reassuring.

What threat was being protected against? Drones? If not, then what?

Chip · Friday at 4:26 PM

mavic3usa said:
I would just like to know if the FAA gave a reason why they issued these TFR? Why is the FAA "shutting down more airspace."

SECURITY. That's all she wrote.

eEridani · Friday at 4:30 PM

Droning on and on... said:
No they don't. TFRs are serious business, and interfere with private sector aviation operations. They are not issued simply because of erroneous sitings due hysteria.

So why were these TFRs issued in NJ? All I can find on line is "National Security". That's not reassuring.

What threat was being protected against? Drones? If not, then what?

If I put up a fence around my home and locks on my doors, I must really be doing something illegal inside! And yeah, I had a neighbor ask me exactly that and complained I made it hard for him to find his errant tennis balls.

Now you can wonder why I find a lot of people really stupid.

Zbip57 · Friday at 4:32 PM

eEridani said:
Where is the evidence there are significant increases in drone activity in NJ?

mavic3usa said:

The TFRs.

Click to expand...

OMG! Not The TFRs!!

Canada just now announced 8 brand new Flight Restricted Zones, starting effective Dec 26th, which will be applicable to only Remotely Piloted Aircraft, not manned aircraft!

That can only mean one thing.

It's the evidence we've all been waiting for, proof that Canada is now being similarly invaded by formations of truck-sized drones rising out of the ocean, exactly as seen in NJ and elsewhere all across the USA.

It's time for all Canadians to "

stand on guard for thee

". Get out there in the cold on these crisp freezing nights, and start reporting every blinking light you can see in the sky!!!

Oh, wait.

Negative. "Stand down and stand by."

That's not the reason after all. No need to panic. Phew.

MS Coast · Friday at 4:35 PM

Here's the incoming US President's thoughts about the lights in the New Jersey skies. And for those forum members concerned about big government, note that he says that the feds are able to snoop around your garage to see what you're up to.

"The government knows what is happening," Trump claimed, although the extent of the government's knowledge is unknown. "Look, our military knows where they took off from. If it's a garage, they can go right into that garage. They know where it came from and where it went. And for some reason, they don't want to comment. And I think they'd be better off saying what it is. our military knows and our president knows. And for some reason, they want to keep people in suspense."

Trump claims government knows where drones originated

President-elect Donald Trump claimed the federal government wants to "keep people in suspense" on the mystery drones.

www.cbsnews.com

Meta4 · Friday at 4:38 PM

Droning on and on... said:
They are not issued simply because of erroneous sightings due hysteria.

It would appear that these are a reaction to the mass hysteria episode.

Droning on and on... said:
So why were these TFRs issued in NJ? All I can find on line is "National Security". That's not reassuring.
What threat was being protected against? Drones? If not, then what?

What is there that so seriously needs protecting from drone overflights?
It wasn't important a week ago.
But now that unexplained "drones" are believed to be around it's a national security priority?

If there really are nefarious drones out there and their operators really see value in flying there, why would you think a TFR would have any effect on them?
There is no consistent logic in this.

Droning on and on... · Friday at 4:48 PM

eEridani said:
If I put up a fence around my home and locks on my doors, I must really be doing something illegal inside! And yeah, I had a neighbor ask me exactly that and complained I made it hard for him to find his errant tennis balls.

Now you can wonder why I find a lot of people really stupid.

Right now, with this example, I'm finding you pretty stupid. Can you figure out why? Hint: You're comparing the hypothetical act described above to a TFR.

Now why would that be stupid? Enormously so? Laughably so?

Please.

Droning on and on... · Friday at 4:53 PM

Zbip57 said:
OMG! Not The TFRs!!

Canada just now announced 8 brand new Flight Restricted Zones, starting effective Dec 26th, which will be applicable to only Remotely Piloted Aircraft, not manned aircraft!

That can only mean one thing.

It's the evidence we've all been waiting for, proof that Canada is now being similarly invaded by formations of truck-sized drones rising out of the ocean, exactly as seen in NJ and elsewhere all across the USA.

It's evidence Canada has some reason to restrict drone flights in that area. Open and shut case, there's no legitimate argument. And that's all it's evidence of.

Since TFRs are disruptive, they're not issued without a good reason. What's the reason?

That hardly seems a question deserving ridicule and sarcasm, conspiracy paranoid, or presumptive.

mavic3usa · Friday at 5:01 PM

eEridani said:
With regard to why there are now a lot of new month long TFR's restricting drones: The idea is probably to keep law abiding citizens from flying in those areas recreationally so the bad operators can more easily be discerned.

Wrong.