Disturbing video appears to show bizarre flying objects in the sky along the New Jersey coast after a YouTuber set out on a mission by boat to hunt drones.
CJ Faison usually reports on paranormal activity and haunted houses to his 600,000 followers, but the issue of drones in and around the state captured his attention.
Reports of unidentified drones, with strange patterns and movements, have rattled residents sparking a flurry of questions.
CJ sailed onto the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Atlantic City determined to see if he would witness any of the drones for himself.
Since mid-November, sightings of mysterious drones have been reported with New Jersey emerging as a hotbed of activity.
Witnesses describe fleets of drones appearing in grid-like formations, flying with precision, and then dispersing into the night sky
‘Tonight, I’m doing something no YouTuber or news outlet has done,’ he announced in a video that has since gone viral. Armed with cameras, equipment, and a chartered boat, he set out into the icy waters off New Jersey, determined to uncover the truth.
CJ rented the vessel and hit the open water at dusk, just at the time the drones have reportedly been appearing in recent weeks.
The night was bone-chillingly cold with temperatures plunging below freezing.
Accompanied only by the boat’s captain, CJ patrolled miles of coastline.
The skies were clear as the sun set but as the minutes passed it was not long before a drone was spotted flying nearby.
Minutes later, one by one more drones materialized, their lights blinking in patterns eerily reminiscent of commercial aircraft, he claimed.
‘They’re blending in,’ CJ observed. ‘Hidden in plain sight!’
Some were seen hovering close by while others appeared to dart back-and-forth.
He described the drones as moving in deliberate formations, emerging from the ocean before spreading inland. ‘It’s wild,’ he said. ‘It’s eerie.’
Despite the dramatic sightings, federal officials insist that many of the reports are likely misidentified planes, helicopters, or even stars.
But for residents and independent investigators, the explanation feels inadequate.
The precision and frequency of the sightings suggest something far more organized.
There has been no official explanation from authorities as to what the drones are, who they belong to or what their purpose may be.
President Joe Biden has downplayed the incidents, stating there’s no evidence of anything ‘nefarious.’ However, his reassurances haven’t quelled the growing unease.
President-elect Donald Trump has been more vocal, accusing the government of withholding information. ‘Let the public know,’ he posted on Truth Social. ‘Otherwise, shoot them down!’
At one point over the last month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) even responded by temporarily banning drone flights in dozens of zones across New Jersey and New York.
Federal agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, have launched investigations, but officials maintain there is no evidence of a national security threat.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has called for stricter rules on drone use and greater transparency from federal authorities.
Multiple sightings have caused alarm among many communities along the East Coast with amateur sleuths now turning their binoculars and cameras to the night sky in order to capture their presence on film as evidence.
In the comments of his 30 minute clip posted to YouTube, some viewers criticized CJ for the footage which failed to give a clear view of the drones he was talking about, beyond the bright lights. He insists they were not regular commercial or military aircraft.
As darkness fells, CJ could be seen in the cabin of the boat pondering what the significance of the drones might be and where they are coming from.
‘This is just the beginning,’ he said.
Only weeks earlier one New Jersey Sheriff’s Deputy had reported seeing 50 drones coming in off the ocean.
The Coast Guard, too, has encountered these drones. One chilling account described 13 drones swarming their boat, some flying as low as 300 feet above the water.
‘Their wingspans were about eight feet,’ an officer reported, only adding to the growing sense of unease.
Later in the clip, several more drones are spotted hovering above the Atlantic City skyline.
Despite capturing more than a dozen drones on video during his expedition, he believes he arrived too late to witness the full scale of activity and is now planning an overnight trip further offshore, into international waters, to uncover more.
CJ concludes that the mystery for now will remain unresolved but he has promised to return to the open ocean better equipped next time with a more powerful camera in the hopes of gathering more data.
‘I have so many questions,’ he said. ‘What’s launching these drones? How are they staying airborne for hours? What’s their energy source? And why here? Why New Jersey?’