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A drone pilot from New Jersey claims his device lost power and had to descend from restricted airspace, while the mystery flier he was attempting to examine managed to stay in the air despite a signal intended to disable it. The incident took place near the Picatinny Arsenal, a military facility in the state that has recently been the site of many unexplained drone sightings.
Michael B, a paranormal investigator and podcaster behind the YouTube channel, Terror Talk Productions, was probing a mysterious object he believed was another drone when his device malfunctioned. Speaking to FOX 5 New York, he said, “There was a drone just hanging out. I had full battery life. Not 3 minutes into the flight, I lost control of the drone.”
Michael B added he was flying his drone near Picatinny Arsenal when a warning flashed across his screen, and the battery died suddenly. “Drone started going down. Dead battery,” he said. Despite his drone descending, the unknown device he was investigating remained airborne, raising further questions about the incident.
Although it's common for GPS-enabled drones to be grounded or forced to land if they enter restricted airspace, the exact circumstances surrounding the mysterious drone remain unclear. The area around Picatinny Arsenal has seen a rise in reported drone sightings, prompting an official investigation.
An army spokesperson confirmed that a temporary flight restriction had been enacted over Picatinny Arsenal, effective until December 26, following the recent spate of drone activity. In response to the sightings, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also investigating, and additional flight restrictions have been imposed over nearby areas, including the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster.
The mystery surrounding the drones has sparked public concern. New Jersey State Senator Joe Pennacchio recently called for a federal investigation and even sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, expressing frustration over the lack of answers.
Despite regulations designed to prevent drones from flying into restricted zones, experts suggest that some drones may have been tampered with or hacked to bypass such restrictions. A few days ago, federal authorities filed charges against a Chinese national for using a modified drone to take photos of Vandenberg Space Force Base, raising further concerns about drone security.
Even as the origins of the drones over New Jersey remain a mystery, John Kirby, White House national security communications adviser, said, “Upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully.”
Amid all this, Laura Ballman, a former CIA operations officer, speculated on Fox News Live that the unidentified drones might be part of a secretive technology test aimed at detecting or avoiding detection.