Private Company Claims Responsibility for 2024 New Jersey Drone Swarm

Hoboken, New Jersey, Nov. 10, 2025 – Editor’s Note: The following article first appeared in New Jersey Digest Magazine on 10.21.25 and can be read here:  https://thedigestonline.com/news/new-jersey-drone-sightings-private-contractor/?ref=ufouapwtf.com

Nearly a year after a series of unexplained drone sightings lit up New Jersey’s skies, a private defense contractor has reportedly come forward, claiming responsibility for the mysterious flights that caused public alarm and widespread speculation.

LAST WINTER’S DRONE MYSTERY

Between November and mid-December 2024, hundreds of residents across New Jersey reported seeing unusual lights and drones moving in tight formations, sometimes hovering near sensitive military installations such as the Picatinny Arsenal Army base in Morris County.

The sightings prompted concern from local law enforcement and questions from lawmakers at both the state and federal levels. Some feared the aircraft could belong to foreign entities or even represent unidentified aerial phenomena.

The White House later stated that the drones were operated by private companies and posed no threat, though officials offered few additional details at the time.

THE REPORTED ADMISSION

Now, according to a New York Post report, a private company acknowledged responsibility during the Army’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Launched Effects Summit held in August at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

An attendee told the outlet that during a live panel, an employee of the unnamed defense contractor admitted that the company’s manned aerial craft had caused the uproar over New Jersey.

“You remember that big UFO scare in New Jersey last year? Well, that was us,” the employee reportedly told the Post.

The company was allegedly conducting performance and maneuverability tests on a 20-foot aircraft with four wings, part of a government contract demonstration.

A TEST HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

According to the report, the tests were part of a private government contract, which meant the company was not required to publicly disclose its activities. The demonstration took place during a U.S. Army summit designed to explore new aerial technologies, including drones and launched effects systems.

The contractor reportedly explained that its aircraft had been performing capability exercises over several areas in New Jersey during the fall of 2024, which coincided with the public reports of unidentified drones. The admission appears to confirm what many officials suspected but could not prove—that the incidents were linked to U.S.-based testing operations, not foreign surveillance or extraterrestrial activity.

FROM PANIC TO EXPLANATION

At the time of the sightings, residents flooded social media with videos showing groups of lights moving in strange patterns. Local police departments fielded dozens of calls each night, while federal officials stayed mostly silent.

For weeks, speculation swirled—ranging from military training drills to spy activity — before the sightings eventually stopped.

Now, nearly a year later, the alleged acknowledgment from the contractor provides a long-awaited answer, though questions remain about how such large-scale tests could have taken place over populated areas without public notice.

As of this time, neither the U.S. Army nor the Department of Defense has publicly commented on the contractor’s reported statement.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The incident highlights growing tensions between public transparency and the rapid expansion of drone technology. As private and government partnerships increase, experts warn that similar confusion could happen again—especially when testing involves unmanned or experimental aircraft near civilian airspace.

While this revelation may finally ground the “UFO scare” from last winter, it also raises new concerns about communication, air safety, and public trust in an era when the skies are increasingly shared between humans and machines.

###

CONTACT:

New Jersey Digest is a magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years. Please email: michael@thexfactorteam.com