Former DJI exec reveals the truth behind New Jersey drone mystery

In recent weeks, there has been an uptick in mysterious drone sightings over New Jersey, particularly around sensitive military areas like Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle. These sightings have stirred up a great deal of concern, with local law enforcement and elected officials demanding answers. Various theories have emerged, including speculation about the drones being used for nefarious purposes or originating from foreign actors. However, the situation is complex, and many of the reports may be based on misidentifications.

Brendan Schulman, the former vice president of Policy at DJI and current VP of Policy at Boston Dynamics, has weighed in on the issue. With his deep background in drones and robotics, Schulman’s insights carry significant weight, particularly when it comes to controversial issues like the recent surge in drone sightings over New Jersey.

Schulman argues that the NJ drone sightings could likely be explained by a combination of factors, including routine commercial air traffic, misidentified drones, and even hoax videos. “Some people are indeed seeing drones,” Schulman says, but he believes many of these sightings are of commercial aircraft, often observed at night by individuals unfamiliar with the navigation lights and other features of air traffic.

Schulman also highlights that this phenomenon mirrors similar incidents in the past, such as the drone sightings at Gatwick Airport in 2018 and in Colorado in 2020. While these events caused significant disruption at the time, they ultimately turned out to be much less sinister than initially suspected. In the case of New Jersey, the fact that it’s one of the busiest airspaces in the US and that many of the reports involve misidentified aircraft only adds to the confusion.

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Local authorities have expressed concerns over the potential dangers posed by these mysterious drones, especially given their proximity to military sites. However, as Schulman points out, drones are frequently misidentified, and many of the reported sightings could simply be overblown by the media and the public. Indeed, many videos circulating on social media have been shown to be either hoaxes or edited footage, further complicating the situation.

Additionally, government officials have voiced frustrations over the lack of concrete evidence. The Department of Defense, for example, stated that it had not been able to identify the operators of the drones or trace their points of origin. This has led to calls for better tracking technologies and more transparency from federal agencies.

Schulman suggests that some of the recent uptick in sightings could also be attributed to drone operators who are now being deployed to investigate the sightings themselves, thereby creating a “feedback loop” of increasing activity. This, coupled with growing media attention, may be inflating the scale of the issue.

In the larger context, Schulman reminds us that drone sightings in densely populated regions, especially those involving advanced technologies, are not entirely new. The ongoing public fascination with drones, combined with technological advancements and a bit of sensationalism, can often distort the reality of what is happening on the ground. “Any supposed sighting of a drone requires data analysis before anyone reaches a conclusion,” Schulman emphasizes.

The New Jersey drone situation serves as a reminder of the need for careful scrutiny and critical thinking when it comes to emerging technologies. While concerns about security are valid, it’s essential to differentiate between actual threats and misidentified phenomena.

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