While it has become common to see drones being flown during the daytime, nighttime flights are a different story. For the most part, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not allow drones to be flown once it gets dark. This makes sense from a safety point of view on multiple levels. A drone has to remain within the visual line of sight of its operator at all times. If it is dark outside, it can be hard for a pilot to maintain a constant line of sight.

Even though drones are restricted from flying in the same airspace as airplanes, it is even more important for them to be clear of the sky at night to avoid confusing or distracting manned aircraft. As was made greatly apparent by the New Jersey drone hysteria, drones being flown in the dark can also be very distracting for people on the ground.

There are certain instances when the FAA will grant a special waiver for nighttime drone flights. Normally, when this happens, whoever is granted the waiver must also notify people in the area of the scheduled flights to avoid causing any concern. This was not the case in the fall of 2024. Civilians and non-civilians alike demanded answers but were left unsatisfied by the response from the White House. Officially, the White House declared that they would continue looking into the situation but that there was nothing to fear. They stated that the drones were often being misreported as drones, when in fact they were manned aircraft or even stars.

Though the White House said that the drones posed no threat to the American people, the FAA still put in place several temporary drone bans. On Thursday, January 9, 2025, while holding a dinner meeting for Republican governors at his Mar-a-Lago estate, then-President-elect Donald Trump was asked about the drones in the Northeast. He responded that he believed the Biden administration was withholding information from the public and that on day one of his resumption as President of the United States, he would reveal the truth.

When President Trump took office, many people were curious to see what his first acts as president would be, and if he would uphold his day-one promises. Well, President Trump certainly had a very busy first day, and first week, in office. However, it seemed as though the promise he made about the mystery of New Jersey’s drones was forgotten. About a week into his term, a reporter once again raised the question to President Trump. In response, President Trump turned to his team and requested they address it immediately. Several days later, President Trump had White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt deliver his official response on the mysterious nighttime drones.

Secretary Leavitt began by saying that before taking any questions, she had news to share. She said that she had just come from the Oval Office and began to recite a statement directly from President Trump. “After research and study,” Secretary Leavitt read, “the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons.” She went on to say that many of the sightings were those of hobbyists who were simply enjoying flying their drones. She said that at no time were the people of the United States under any threat, and that the hysteria was due to over curiosity. She then welcomed questions from the press, none of which had anything to do with drones.

The answer may not have come on day one of President Trump’s term in office, and it may have been a bit briefer than the public expected, but it is an answer nonetheless. However, it does raise more questions about why the FAA or the Biden administration didn’t simply state that the drones were authorized to fly at night. The fact remains that drones have become an integral part of our world today, and we should expect to see more and more of them flying at all times.

As drone technology continues to evolve, it’s clear that understanding and regulating their use will be crucial in ensuring both public safety and the continued advancement of this innovative technology. What has also become clear is that we, as a public, need to be informed of these advancements to prevent repeated hysteria.

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