Overview

• The drones, some up to 20 feet long, flew at altitudes between 3,000 and 4,000 feet at speeds of 100 mph, appearing each night shortly after sunset.
• Despite suspicions of foreign involvement from countries like China or Russia, the drones' origin remains unknown, and hobbyists have been ruled out due to the complexity of the operations.
• Federal laws prevent the military from shooting down drones unless they pose an imminent threat, and jamming their signals was deemed too risky due to potential civilian disruptions.
• The incidents led to high-level meetings involving the Pentagon, FBI, and White House, but no effective countermeasures have been implemented.
• A separate incident involved a Chinese student who pleaded guilty to espionage after using a drone to photograph classified naval installations, highlighting ongoing concerns about foreign surveillance.