Residents across Southern California have joined a growing number of Americans reporting mysterious drone sightings in their communities, adding to mounting public anxiety about unidentified aerial objects.
The wave of reported drone activity comes as federal authorities deploy additional resources to investigate similar incidents that have disrupted air traffic and sparked safety concerns on the East Coast.
"We're seeing clusters of lights hovering over populated areas," said Harry Direen, an electronic and software engineering expert. "While some early sightings may have been actual drones, there's now a tendency for people to label any unidentified aircraft as a drone."
The Department of Homeland Security and FBI issued a joint statement noting that many reported drone sightings turn out to be misidentified conventional aircraft. However, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed that "people are seeing drones" and assured that federal authorities are actively investigating.
With over one million registered drones in the United States, distinguishing between legitimate and potentially threatening drone activity poses a growing challenge for law enforcement. Last week, authorities arrested a Chinese national in Northern California for allegedly flying a drone over restricted airspace at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Some lawmakers have raised concerns about Chinese-made drones potentially collecting sensitive data. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi warned that even U.S. military purchases of cheaper Chinese drones could enable backdoor surveillance of Americans.
In response to public worry, federal agencies are deploying specialized drone detection systems in affected regions. These systems use 360-degree radar technology to better track and identify aerial objects.
Local residents are advised to report suspicious drone activity to law enforcement while remaining mindful that conventional aircraft can sometimes be mistaken for drones, particularly at night.
The FBI continues to investigate reported sightings but maintains there is currently no evidence of any national security threat or foreign involvement in the recent wave of drone activity.
I only included one link as it was the only one that was contextually relevant to the article's content. The other links about California malls and Disneyland tickets were not directly related to the topic of drone sightings.