Why I Think the New Jersey Drones Are a Foreign Adversary

A foreign adversary is flying drones over sensitive US airspace, harassing US citizens, and doing so at will, with no repercussions.

Licensed by the author from Envato Elements

Alright, friends, buckle up, because this story is equal parts Hardy Boys mystery, technology, and “Wait, what the heck is going on?”

Over the past few weeks, New Jersey has found itself under siege — not by aliens (probably) or even Dunkin’ Donuts, but by giant drones. And when I say “giant,” I’m talking SUV-sized flying contraptions.

But, it’s the year 2024, almost 2025, and nobody knows who’s flying these things.

C’mon… [he says incredulously]

Let me tell you why I think it’s a foreign adversary and what they could be gaining from this drone stunt…

It all kicks off around mid-November 2024. Reports start pouring in from New Jersey residents: big, blinking drones hanging out in the sky like they own the place. These aren’t your neighbor’s Christmas gift buzzing around the backyard — these are large, professional-grade machines, hovering for hours and following flight patterns that seem to indicate the operators know what they’re doing.

This sounds eerily like encounters the US Navy had in 2019 with drones swarming some of their ships.

Our story really starts on July 15, 2019, about 70 nautical miles off the coast of San Clemente Island.

That’s when several Navy ships, including the USS Paul Hamilton and the USS Bunker Hill, encountered swarms of drones over an extended period.

We’re talking multiple hours of mystery quadcopters buzzing around some of the most advanced warships in the world.

At the time, deck logs and Automatic Identification System (AIS) ship location data pointed to the presence of a civilian bulk carrier — the MV Bass Strait, flagged out of Hong Kong. Coincidence?

The Navy didn’t think so. Newly released documents suggest they suspected the cargo ship of conducting surveillance on US vessels using these drones.

The USS Bunker Hill, a Ticonderoga-class cruiser, reported as many as 11 drones swarming nearby during the incident. The ship’s crew tried to contact the Bass Strait, but no dice.

But here’s the kicker: The drones didn’t stop their antics even after the cargo ship left the area, keeping up their aerial circus for nearly four and a half hours.

It’s entirely possible to fly a drone without a controller nearby — the USAF has been flying drones like the Mq-9 reaper from Creech AFB in Nevada for decades, via satcom.

So if these drones were swarming Navy warships without an apparent operator, they must have been controlled via satellite.

This suggests that our foreign adversary is technologically advanced.

The SNOOPIE Team Steps In

Yes, that’s a real thing, and no, it’s not a bunch of beagle-loving sailors.

The Ship Nautical Or Otherwise Photographic Interpretation and Exploitation team (say that three times fast) is a group of sailors trained to photograph and document unknown contacts. Basically, if something weird is flying around the ship, SNOOPIE is on it.

According to an email from July 15, 2019, these teams snapped images and even captured a video of the drones. Among the highlights are some photographs of the MV Bass Strait, but when reporters from The War Zone reached out to the ship’s operator, Hong Kong-based Pacific Basin, for comment, the company gave them the silent treatment. Not suspicious at all.

Also, radar systems like Bunker Hill’s AN/SPY-1 tracked the drones at altitudes as high as 21,000 feet!

Back to New Jersey. The same thing is now happening, not to Navy ships in the middle of the ocean, but over sensitive military bases on the US East Coast.

So, what could an advanced foreign military have to gain by spooking New Jersey locals?

First, the most straightforward motive would be classic espionage. These drones could be gathering critical intelligence on military installations, defense systems, or industrial sites.

Three come to mind immediately:

Signal Intelligence (SIGINT): Intercepting communications or radar emissions.

Imagery Intelligence (IMINT): High-resolution imaging to map and analyze military bases or critical infrastructure.

Electronic Warfare (EW): Testing US electronic countermeasures and assessing the ability to jam or detect drones.

Also, they could be testing US Air Defense and response times.

How quickly can the US detect and respond to aerial incursions?

Perhaps identifying strengths and weaknesses in US counter-drone technologies, such as radar systems, interceptors, or anti-drone lasers. Or flight path testing — that is, understanding how far drones can penetrate US airspace undetected.

What about psyops or psychological operations?

Large, mysterious drones are unnerving civilians and authorities alike. This could be an attempt to sow public uncertainty and undermine public confidence in US security and technological dominance.

This could create misdirection by diverting attention from other covert activities (cyberattacks, hacking attempts, or naval operations).

Another motive might be a technology demonstration showcasing their capabilities and testing or showing off a drone platform to potential buyers or allies, especially in gray zone warfare scenarios.

I don’t want to be alarmist, but they could be preparing for future conflict. How might these drones help?

They could be mapping vulnerabilities and logistics for hypothetical strikes against US installations, collecting detailed geographic and operational data for use in future hostilities, and measuring resilience, i.e. assessing how much disruption or fear drones can cause without actual hostilities.

Next, they could be testing US political will.

Flying drones over sensitive areas could gauge the political appetite for escalation as a deterrence gauge — Assessing whether the US would risk shooting down drones and escalating tensions.

It could also be a tactic to prod the US to invest resources into counter-UAS systems, potentially diverting attention from other strategic areas (like Taiwan).

What about Economic Espionage?

Not all targets may be military. Drones over industrial or technological hubs in New Jersey could focus on corporate espionage.

Stealing proprietary data and assessing supply chains, such as the surveillance of key industries (like pharmaceuticals, tech, or aerospace).

What I’m getting at here is that a hostile nation has a lot to potentially gain from these drone shenanigans.

What possible drone models could these be?

Witnesses describe these drones as large, with some comparing them to the size of SUVs. This suggests they could be heavy-lift drones designed for industrial or military applications.

There are a few of these larger drones in the wild, like the DJI Matrice 600 Pro. Known for its high payload capacity and versatility, this drone supports various cameras and sensors, making it a go-to for cinematographers and industrial use.

DJI Matrice 600 Pro

There’s also the Griff Aviation Griff 300. This heavy-lift drone boasts a payload capacity of up to 300 kg (661 lbs) and a flight time of 45 minutes, suitable for cargo transport and search and rescue operations.

Griff Aviation Griff 300

I’ve written in the past about Ukraine's use of heavy-lift drones to combat Russian aggression.

Ukraine has been deploying a variety of heavy-lift drones to enhance its operational capabilities, particularly in logistics and combat scenarios, like the Malloy Aeronautics T150 and T400.

Donated to Ukraine by the UK, the T150 and T400 models. The T150 can carry payloads up to 150lbs and 400lbs respectively.

There’s also the Ukrainian-made Escadrone’s Mammoth FPV Drone, the Sypaq Corvo Precision Payload Delivery System (PPDS) from Australia, and the Baba Yaga.

These heavy-lift drones have significantly enhanced Ukraine’s operational flexibility, showing the world the utility of these larger car-sized drones.

Meanwhile, local lawmakers demanded federal transparency, which — let’s be honest — is adorable.

The White House and Pentagon both claim that the drones are not operated by a foreign adversary. But they also say they don’t know who’s flying them.

So, why haven’t authorities shot them down?

Despite the drones’ presence in sensitive areas, authorities have refrained from shooting them down for several reasons.

First, there are legal restrictions. The military’s ability to engage drones domestically is limited by laws designed to protect civil liberties and prevent unintended consequences.

Like the Posse Comitatus Act. [Note: Brush up on this law since we’ll be hearing it quite a bit when Trump gets inaugurated.]

There’s also the risk of collateral damage. Engaging drones, especially in populated areas, poses significant risks to people and property on the ground.

Then there are the identification challenges. Many reported sightings have been identified as conventional manned aircraft operating lawfully, complicating the decision to use force.

Can you imagine, Specialist Joe Snuffy just got out of the Army and he’s using his GI bill to go to flight school. He’s doing his first solo in a small Cessna and suddenly he gets a NASAMS interceptor punch right through the cabin.

Licensed by the author from Envato Elements

So, where do things stand now?

As of today, the drones are still out there, the FBI is still investigating, and New Jersey residents are still scratching their heads. Officials are saying there’s no immediate threat to public safety, which is a relief, but also… not super helpful.

Like, “Sure, you’re not in danger, but we have no idea what’s flying over your house.”

For now, it’s all just a big question mark. Are these drones mapping something? Testing something? Are they delivering pizza but got lost on the way? Who knows. What we do know is that these things have managed to outsmart the best tech we’ve thrown at them, and honestly, that’s both impressive and a little terrifying.

Efforts by law enforcement or Homeland Security to zap them out of the sky or sever their connection to their operators have failed, which tells me they’re communicating with each other and have a relay drone, perhaps more than one, daisy-chaining the information… somewhere.

Whether it’s a rogue tech company, a foreign nation, or just some guy with too much money and free time, one thing’s for sure: New Jersey has earned itself a spot in the Drone X-Files.

Okay friends, keep looking up — because you never know when you’ll spot something in the sky that makes you go, “What the…?”

And as always, stay frosty, stay safe, and glory to Ukraine and the heroes, Slava Ukraine.

Слава Україні!