TRENTON, NJ — Months after strange lights illuminated New Jersey’s winter skies, residents are still awaiting concrete answers from federal and state authorities about the wave of unexplained drone sightings that gripped the state in late 2024.
Despite an official statement labeling the objects as “research drones,” the lack of specifics has left many questioning who was behind them and what they were studying.
And why did they suddenly stop?
The phenomenon began in November 2024, when reports of large, coordinated drones flooded in from across the state—spanning Bergen County suburbs, coastal towns along the Jersey Shore, and even near sensitive sites like Picatinny Arsenal and President Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf course.
Witnesses described silent, glowing objects moving in patterns that defied typical drone behavior, sparking widespread speculation on social media about their origins, from government surveillance to extraterrestrial activity.
By January 2025, the sightings had drawn enough attention to prompt a response from both state and federal officials. Governor Phil Murphy acknowledged the reports in a press briefing, assuring residents that authorities were investigating. On January 28, the White House weighed in, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announcing that a joint investigation by the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Department of Defense had concluded most of the drones were “FAA-authorized for research and various other reasons.”
The statement emphasized there was “no national security threat,” but offered no further details.
That explanation, however, failed to quell public curiosity.
No information was provided about which entities—whether government agencies, private companies, or academic institutions—were conducting the research, nor what the drones were intended to study. The FAA confirmed that the drones did not match any registered commercial activity, and military officials denied involvement. Sightings tapered off by late December, and the issue quietly slipped from public view.
Local residents remain unsatisfied.
“They said ‘research,’ but that’s not an answer,” said one Toms River resident who filmed a cluster of lights hovering over her neighborhood in December. “Research by who? For what? We deserve more than a brush-off.”
The New Jersey State Police and Governor’s Office declined to comment further, referring questions to federal agencies. The FAA and DHS did not respond to requests for additional information either.
They just went away, and they’re now forgotten.
As of now, the winter drone mystery remains unresolved, joining New Jersey’s long list of peculiarities left hanging in the air—literally and figuratively. With no new sightings reported since early 2025, the skies may be quiet, but the questions linger.