When glancing up at the beautiful blue sky, the eye fixates on all sorts of aircraft hovering above, drones included in the tally. However small these objects may be, many United States (U.S.) citizens have noticed a significant increase in the mysterious hovercrafts, sparking well-fueled anxiousness throughout the country as a nice topper to the already anxiety-riddled year.
The first major drone sightings occurred on Nov. 18 in N.J., the observances continuing to spread across the U.S. as more and more of them emerged from the clouds. Thousands have already expressed heavy concern regarding the objects, and these worries soon reached official ears as FBI investigations and even flight delays began to plague the country; though the crafts have not yet placed a true public safety issue upon citizens, government involvement remains prominent as authority figures attempt to uncover just what is behind the mystifying machines. Further expanding on this, multiple arrests targeting those using drones irresponsibly have already taken place in the U.S., protecting citizens along with the installed drone detection systems in affected areas.
“Despite their passive nature, these drones could prove to be a security risk. The government should be taking more measures against them to ease the American citizens’ fears,” Ashlyn Dean, sophomore, said.
Fear towards the nerve-wracking drones has heightened within the people since the issue began, intensifying strongly upon the crafts’ seemingly continuous spread across the country. Currently, sightings have been reported in N.J., Va., Conn., N.Y. and in other states across the east coast, even reaching Calif. over 2,000 miles away. However, a significant pattern has been noted regarding the drones’ specific locations: military bases/offices and even neighborhoods seem to be under stronger watch. Hovering eerily over the Picatinny Arsenal (a military research/manufacturing facility in N.J.), gliding from military base to base and flying swiftly over citizens’ private property, a fierce anger has been ignited in the U.S. as a reaction to the hovercrafts, leaving a message filled with fury to whomever may be behind this.
“[The military] does not know if [the drone activity] is malicious [or] if it is criminal, but it is irresponsible. Here on the military side, [everyone] is just as frustrated with the irresponsible nature of this activity,” an official with the Department of Defense said.
Though many of the recent objects seen in the sky are indeed drones, the rush to claim every type of visible aircraft as one is not an accurate call. Both airplanes and even brightly lit stars have been accused of being drones, influencing strong suspicion for anything on or near cloud level. Taking this into consideration, it is severely important for all citizens to practice correct safety measures when spotting either a drone or something similar. If it is believed that what is in the sky is a drone, one is advised to notify the local police department immediately; whatever may happen, citizens are strongly advised to not shoot the suspected object down. Even with this information, it has become apparent that some are not as scared as others, representing the country’s true dignity during such a strange time.
“[The drones] are not really a big deal, considering that anything they could see would not be the biggest news,” Allan Berry, senior, said.
For more information regarding the recent drone sightings, one can view here. This is a scary time for the U.S.; though the fear and confusion rattling the country’s beating heart is truly intense, every citizen is urged to stay cautious, ensuring a safer nation for one and for all.
