Enigma Is Receiving a Flood of Eyewitness Reports of Unidentified Aerial Objects Across NJ, PA, NY and CT

Have You Seen a 'Mysterious Drone'?

Join hundreds of Enigma Skywatchers who have shared reports from the ground to our reporting website and iOS app. 

Since mid-November, mysterious objects or 'drones' were seen first across NJ, NY, PA, then expanding to additional regions, alarming both local residents and officials. As of December 18, the FBI and DHS continue to investigate.

Enigma Witnesses Share their Sighting Stories 

Browse an interactive Enigma sightings map here of all published sightings, which continues to be updated:

Sighting Highlights

Browse a thread of selected sightings on our X (formerly Twitter) here

Enigma Insights

We’ve noticed a couple of key trends across the reports we’ve received:

• Size: Many of the “drone like” objects are described as “exceptionally large.”  https://enigmalabs.io/sighting/304518 
• Ability to stay airborne for extended periods: Many reports describe the objects hovering for many hours — https://enigmalabs.io/sighting/305047
• Groups of objects: Many of our reports describe objects moving in swarms of 5+ —  https://enigmalabs.io/sighting/304963  
• Sensitive locations: several of our Enigma witnesses have reported sightings near military bases — https://enigmalabs.io/sighting/304908 
• Point of origin: Though there is no consistent pattern, a few of our witnesses report objects on the coast, and some as coming from the ocean and flying inland  — https://enigmalabs.io/sighting/304774 

Sightings have been received nearly every day since the beginning of this event, though reports have picked up over the last week.

Report craft shapes are most often "light" or "triangle."

Further Stats:

• 63% of approved reports mentioned lights, light patterns
• 54% of approved sightings describe the objects as "hovering"
• 40% of approved reports mentioned drones (While many public sources are referring to these objects as drones, they do remain unidentified.)

Timeline of Events

Monday November 18, 2024

• Initial Sightings: Residents in Morris and Somerset counties begin to report the first instances of large, unidentified drones operating during nighttime hours. 

Tuesday December 2, 2024  

• FAA Restrictions Implemented: In response to drone incursions over sensitive areas, including Picatinny Arsenal and President-elect Trump's Bedminster golf club, the Federal Aviation Administration issues temporary flight restrictions.

Thursday December 4, 2024  

• FBI Initiates Investigation: The FBI's Newark Field Office leads a multi-agency investigation into the drone sightings, seeking public assistance for information. 

Friday December 6, 2024 

• Friday night, half a dozen drones were spotted near Naval Weapons Station Earle
• Sgt. Kevin Fennessy, of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Drone Department said “We’re networking with the New Jersey State Police and Office of Homeland Security. Everyone’s networking together and to plot where sightings are to build a map and everything,” said Fennessy.
• NOTAM: “Bedminster, New Jersey near SOLBERG VOR/DME (SBJ)”, “No UAS operations are authorized in the areas covered by this NOTAM (except as described).”

Saturday December 7, 2024

• Expansion of Sightings: Reports indicate that drone sightings have expanded to at least a dozen New Jersey counties and parts of New York City, including Staten Island and Brooklyn. 

Sunday December 8, 2024  

• Local Officials Demand Action: Nineteen elected officials, including fifteen mayors, call for enhanced federal engagement and greater transparency regarding the drone activities. 
• Letter can be viewed here. Attendees included Assemblyman John DiMaio, Assemblyman Erik Peterson, among others.

Monday December 9, 2024   

• New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy addressed the ongoing investigations into the state's recent drone sightings during a press briefing. 
• 49 drone sightings had been recorded the previous day, primarily in Hunterdon County. 
• Despite the high number of reports, there was no known threat to public safety. He acknowledged the public's frustration and assured that the matter was being taken "deadly seriously." 
• The governor noted that some sightings might involve the same drone being reported multiple times. He confirmed that federal and state authorities were actively investigating the situation and urged residents to report any drone activity to local law enforcement. 

Tuesday December 10, 2024

• The Congressional hearing with FBI was described as “an hour of sharp questions from lawmakers”
• The FBI offered no definitive answers about the ongoing drone sightings in New Jersey and New York.
• Members of Congress questioned how the FBI could have so few answers more than a month after drones were first reported, some seen in the skies over sensitive military sites.
• Attendees included Hearing chairman Representative August Pfluger (R-Texas), Robert Wheeler Jr., the assistant director of the FBI's critical incident response group, Representative Tony Gonzales (R-Texas), among others
• Congressman Josh Gottheimer introduces legislation to fund advanced drone-tracking technologies and impose penalties for interference with emergency services, law enforcement, or military operations. 

Wednesday December 11, 2024

• Jon Bramnick, a Republican state senator in New Jersey, has 1) demanded a ban on all drones until the mystery is solved and called for a “limited state of emergency”
• Foreign Involvement Speculation: Congressman Jeff Van Drew claims that an Iranian "mothership" off the U.S. east coast might be responsible for the drones. The Pentagon refutes this, stating there is no evidence the drones originated from foreign adversaries or the U.S. military. 
• DHS BRIEFING CALL - the governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, held a briefing call with the US homeland security secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, as well as representatives in Congress and state police to discuss the drone reports.
• In that briefing; assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia said the drones “were up to 6ft in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights switched off” and she said, “the devices do not appear to be being flown by hobbyists.” 

Thursday December 12, 2024

•  Drone expert Brett Velicovich expresses skepticism over the government's lack of information, suggesting the drones could be operated by a foreign adversary. 
• John Kirby, White House National Security spokesman, says “many are actually manned aircraft being flown lawfully," and said there were no reported sightings in any restricted airspace. He added that the US Coast Guard had not uncovered any foreign involvement from coastal vessels.
• A review of the large mysterious drones reported flying over parts of New Jersey in recent weeks has shown 
• “We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus.”

Thursday December 19, 2024

• F.A.A. Bans Drone Flights Near ‘Critical Infrastructure’ in New Jersey. The ban runs through Jan. 17 and precludes most drone flights in airspace near 22 communities, including the cities of Camden, Elizabeth and Jersey City

As of December 19, 2024, the origin and purpose of these drones remain unknown. Investigations by federal, state, and local authorities are ongoing, with officials urging the public to report any further sightings. We'll continue to update this as more information becomes available.