Drones or UFOs: You be the judge
The mysterious “New Jersey drones” may have reached Australia, as 349 UFO sightings have been reported in the country so far this year. See the videos and have your say.
Science
Don't miss out on the headlines from Science. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The mysterious “New Jersey drones” may have reached Australia, but experts warn our government is ill-prepared.
It comes as prominent UFO disclosure advocate Ross Coulthart alleges drone-like objects have been spotted over Sydney airport, Exmouth in Western Australia, and Pine Gap and the MacDonnell Ranges in the Northern Territory.
Military policy and counter-drone expert Dr Carl Rhodes said Australia had “been truly the lucky nation” for not yet facing a drone invasion as it was currently unclear which government agency would be in charge of the response.
News Corp reached out to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), Department of Defence, Airservices Australia and the Australian Federal Police but received no clarity on this.
“CASA write the policy about what happens with drones in aerospace, and law enforcement and other agencies are given the ability to enforce those,” Dr Rhodes said.
“Who handles the situation if it’s a nuisance, if it’s foreign surveillance, if it’s an imminent threat like something carrying an explosive or chemical or biological weapons?
“That needs to be figured out in advance so we are not having that discussion as a life-threatening situation is occurring.”
Meanwhile, Walkley Award-winning journalist Mr Coulthart said there had been reported sightings of mysterious drone-like objects in Australia, New Zealand, China, Russia and Indonesia.
“They are all very similar objects (to those seen in New Jersey),” he said.
The unidentified craft began appearing in the US – including over Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf club – about a month ago.
They have been described as the size of a small car, and as “going dark” when approached, but neither the FBI or White House have been able to explain their origin, sparking outcry from local mayors.
Mr Coulthart called the objects “a genuine mystery” and did not discount theories that the technology was non-human.
Intelligence sources had told him of failed attempts to bring down or to track the craft with usual anti-drone technology.
“The amazing thing is the Pentagon, FBI, Homeland Security and the White House, none of them have answers,” he said.
UFO researcher Alejandro Rojas said he was open to the possibility of aliens overhead but there was not yet evidence of this.
“I haven’t seen one (video of the drone-like objects) yet that is so extraordinary where we’re like ‘wow, that is definitely a propulsion we’re not used to’,” said Mr Rojas, who is also a consultant for Enigma Labs, an international network that crowd sources UFO sightings data via its phone app.
“They are likely drones (but) those of course are still mysterious because who are they?”
Enigma has received 349 UFO reports in Australia so far this year – led by New South Wales with 117 sightings and Victoria with 73.
There were also 62 reports from Queensland, 52 from WA, 25 from South Australia, 10 from Tasmania and one each from the NT and Australian Capital Territory.
Mr Rojas said most UFO sightings turned out to be a drone or Starlink satellite, but about 1 per cent were unexplainable.
“It is rare that I run across something super mysterious,” he said.
“Although I would say I get stumped at least once a week.”
YOU BE THE JUDGE: STRANGE SIGHTINGS FROM 2024
January 3, 2024
Coleraine, VIC
“I was with a mate driving out to Coleraine and we stopped to decide what road to take so then we don’t get home too late and when we were stopped I saw a reflection off the car and looked up and saw these 3 red light. We aren’t near any towers that I know of and it was eerie and silent. I recorded it for about 5 seconds but I stopped because it was very small in the sky or may have been far away and camera wasn’t focusing properly. When I stopped recording I looked at the video and looked back up in the sky and it was gone, almost like it vanished out of thin air or the lights had turned off. Very strange.”
March 30, 2024
Wollongong, NSW
“Sandpoint, Bulli, Sydney, NSW Australia @ 4:30am on the 30.03.24, Off the South Coast of Sydney, Australia around 4-5am, up to 15 UAP (UFO) were viewed hovering off the coast line looking like they were in communication with each other, under intelligent control.”
April 24, 2024
Woonona, NSW
“3x UFO, sighted above Woonona, Sydney NSW, on 24.04.24 at 3:13pm. 3 consecutive Tic Tac shape UAP (unidentified anomalous phenomenon) flew in the exact perfect path following each-other, to disappear in the exact same spot in the sky 3 times in a row perfectly. I missed recording the first UFO but the second and 3rd are clearly recorded.”
May 12, 2024
Newcastle, NSW
“Whilst visiting Stockton Beach we witnessed what appeared to be a black object with a top section shaped like a fin with two prong like elements below the fin. The size of the object is best described as roughly the height of a male adult. The object was moving in a NE direction for approximately 1 minute at an altitude of approximately 3000 feet. The object was then stationary for approximately 30 seconds while maintaining it’s 3000 feet altitude before slowly gaining altitude reaching a maximum altitude of 5000 feet while heading east. The object was captured using an iPhone 11 and as shown in the video I purposely pan out to give the viewer a better perspective of where the object is in relation to the Coastline. The sighting location is approximately 15 Kilometres SE of the Williamtown RAAF base.”
June 18, 2024
Maidstone, VIC
“I was waiting in the car at a set of stop signs, idly gazing out the window, when I noticed a strange figure emerging from the clouds. It was changing colour and shape in a way that captivated me. Intrigued by its unpredictable movements — sometimes fast, sometimes slow, at different angles — I grabbed my phone and started recording. The way it moved was unlike anything I’d seen before, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I might be witnessing something extraordinary, possibly even a UFO. I’m glad I captured it on camera; it was an experience I won’t soon forget.”
August 1, 2024
Wanniassa, ACT
“I have been experimenting with consciousness for the past few years. I asked my ET guide to show me craft playing in the clouds. An hour later I saw this. This is best viewed on a big screen (4K TV recommended). The activity continued for a few more minutes after I stopped recording.”
November 18, 2024
Huntingdale, WA
“Had just gone out the backyard to relax. Started sprinkling rain so I got up and I had an urge to look above me so I did. I saw a black disk slowly moving above me. No sound Emitted, didn’t see any lights on it.”
November 23, 2024
Beachmere, QLD
“Was sitting outside looking ahead when I noticed the light and thought it was a plane until it randomly disappeared. A few minutes later I noticed it again and watched it move across the sky then disappear only for another 2 to follow. A minute or so later another light appeared lower than the others but moved upwards in a slight zigzag pattern before again disappearing. A few moments later another light appeared and did the same as the previous moved across the sky with another 2 following behind it. Which is when I started recording on my phone.”
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS
* RECORD IT
Mr Rojas said the most helpful reports submitted to the Enigma app included video filmed using a tripod.
“Often people will film something like a light in the sky but they’re holding their phone and it’s impossible for your hand to be still …(so) we can’t really tell what the movement of that object was,” he said.
He also recommended taking note of “when you first saw it and then how you saw it leave”.
* CHECK IF IT’S STARLINK
UFO researcher and podcaster Anthony Goodall said most reported UFOs could be quickly identified as Starlink satellites.
“They might see 60-70 tail lights cruising at once and they get excited but of course it’s just Starlink,” he said.
“They see lights on the horizon then it disappears … but it’s Starlink.
“Starlink, as good as it is, has ruined our night sky.”
Mr Goodall, who runs the “Australian UFO Sightings – AUFOS” Facebook group with 49,000 members, recommended the Heaven-Above app to help rule out man-made objects while UFO spotting.
It tells users what is above them in the sky in real time, including satellites and the International Space Station.
* CHECK THE METADATA
As AI-generated deep fakes become more common, it’s extra important to be sceptical of images found online.
MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) national director for Australia and New Zealand Roger Stankovic said the easiest way to determine if an image had been created with artificial intelligence was to check the metadata.
“That will give the location, et cetera,” he said.
“It will be a dead giveaway.”
More Coverage
Originally published as Drones or UFOs: You be the judge
‘Uncharted territory’: NASA’s wild trip to sun
The probe will travel to “uncharted territory”, flying closer to the fiery surface of the sun than any human-made object has before.
‘Strange lights’ spark panic across US
Strange lights have been spotted across American skies for weeks on end – and now, the panic is well and truly spreading across the nation.