Are they a national security threat or simply a prankster having a little fun? Whatever it is, it’s baffling local authorities in both Phillips and Yuma counties, in northeast Colorado dealing with what appears to be a squadron of drones performing nighttime maneuvers that thus far seems to have no known purpose.
The drones, 17 in all, appeared recently last week flying over Phillips and Yuma counties, between 7 to 10 p.m. in what appears to be “mapping operation.”
According to Phillips County Sheriff Thomas Elliot, the drones fly between 200 and 300 feet above the ground slowly mapping out a square pattern of about 25 miles, usually cursing between 50 or 65 kilometers per hour.
“They’ve been doing a grid search, a grid pattern. They fly one square and then they fly another square,” Elliott told local reporters.
The Sheriff estimates that the drones each have an estimated wingspan of about 1.8 meters, which in layman term measures roughly 6-feet.
So far no one can explain where the drones are coming from or perhaps even more worrisome who’s flying them and what their intentions are. However one thing is sure, according to Under-sheriff William Myers, it’s unlikely the drones are being flown by hobbyists.
The Federal Aviation Administration told the sheriff’s office that it had no information on the drones, and the U.S. Air Force said the aircraft aren’t theirs, Elliott said.
The Sheriff also acknowledged that many local residents are concerned, especially seeing these drones creepily hovering over towns or empty fields for hours, with their distinctive strobe lights pulsating white, red, blue, and green.
U.S. Federal regulations standards concerning drones, mandates “drones weighing less than 55 pounds (24 kg) must be flown during daylight hours, within sight of the pilot, and keep below 400 feet (120 meters) above the ground.” Based on the wingspan the drones appear to easily exceed that weight limit. Although thus far they haven’t flown over any “restricted airspace.”
There are also additional federal regulations concerning “restricted airspaces” regarding airports, government facilities and certain emergency sites, which are strictly off-limits.
“They do not seem to be malicious,” Elliott said. “They don’t seem to be doing anything that would indicate criminal activity.”
Currently, U.S. drone pilots aren’t required to broadcast their drone’s position or who is pulling its strings, but that could change with new regulations recently purposed by the FAA.
So far the feds are staying out of this baffling mystery and leaving it up to local authorities in Colorado to figure out the nightly intrusions and the eerie pulsating lights.
However, regardless of what the FAA says, it’s noteworthy to point out what FBI Director Christopher Wray recently acknowledged concerning potential drone attacks, due to their widespread availability and ease of use.
Wray testified before a Senate committee hearing last year and told lawmakers that the threat of drones and other unmanned aircraft is “steadily escalating.”
“The FBI assesses that, given their retail availability, lack of verified identification requirement to procure, general ease of use, and prior use overseas, UAS will be used to facilitate an attack in the United States against a vulnerable target, such as a mass gathering,” Wray said in written testimony to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, using an acronym for unmanned aircraft systems.
Wray added, “We have seen repeated and dedicated efforts to use UAS as weapons, not only by terrorist organizations, such as ISIS and al Qaeda but also by transnational criminal organizations such as MS-13 and Mexican drug cartels, which may encourage the use of this technique in the U.S. to conduct attacks.”
While the mysterious drones appearing nightly over Colorado, may indeed be a simple prank, imagine what those 17 professionally built drones could do to a sleepy community if they were armed?
Shoot the s.o.b.s down as I will do it if thay fly over me
Larry is right. Shoot a couple done and track the serial numbers.
You Never once mentioned that these drones could be clandestine covert operations by a Department or Division within the United States Government!
One needs to be captured or shot down ? Ownership then needs to be identified! And if a threat action has to be taken ? Public safety needs to be number one?
Gee sounds like this idea that people should not be allowed to protect their property from trespassers is not such a good idea after all. How long would the drone problem be a problem if land owners were permitted to shoot them down for trespassing?
If there were ONE, then I could believe there exists no nefarious intent, but there are more than a dozen, flying on a regular SCHEDULE. This is professionally performed, either by our government, or some other government, or by some organization seeking to do us harm, such as ISIS or the like. Whitewashing this event will benefit NO ONE.
A few years ago one of the Wyoming Senators was published and he said, “If you see a drone, shoot it down.”
How ‘bout it? Shoot it down!
Citizens should mask up and Skeet Shoot them down out of their sky. The mask is so no retaliation. No one is saying they are theirs !!!!!
Unmand means it is a piece of equipment so shoot one down and inspect it.
Poorly written article as drones have many positive uses. Mineral searches Forest service hunting for game trail tracking search and rescue as is less likely for illegal use or as mentioned for an attack on anything or anyone most illegal use would not want to be caught or doing large flying formations. Could be a survey company someone doing thermal imaging. So fear mongering doesn’t get it guys you need to make your article interesting to read without trying to create fear and concern with no proof.
SHOT THEM DOWN.YOU MUST FIND OUT WHO THESE DRONES BELONG AND WHY ARE DOING THIS,AND NOT REPORT WHO THEY ARE OR WHAT THEY ARE DOING HOOVERING OVER AMERICAN.
If they’re traveling ILLEGALLY, SHOOT them down. Team Trump and his allies 2020.
Good targets for nocturnal shootdowns I would think, especially over private property. Anything bigger than a .22 would bring one down especially with explosive or incendiary ammo.
Send up our own drones to take closeups of their payload and camera lens sizes. This kind of interception was performed on Migs by our Phantoms in the 80’s
With all of the unrest that we are experiencing in USA, I believe that any abnormality should be
checked up on. The times that we live in are best investigated to determine if they are dangerous or not. This is not a time when a “Daisey Red RYDER” could “POSSIBLY” shoot your eye out!!! Those days were not a threat!!! TODAY IS! Wake up and report your concerns!!!
One of the Wyoming Senators was published in saying, “When you see a drone, shoot it down.!”
Why not take his advice and shoot one of them down. Then you’ll learn all about them.
Shoot it down!
If they fly over my space, they will come down. MY OPINION
Obviously it will be something HUSH HUSH again because we the people are not allowed to know anything. I am fat up with all of these organizations/corporations working underground or above and committing deadly experiments on humans since the WWII. It is sickening and parasitic politics. I am outraged about all of it and the ignorant people that agree with all conspiracies and more.
The real problem with encouraging anyone to “shoot down” these drones is where do the missed the drone bullets fall. Hitting them during the day at 100+ yards would be difficult (no back drop for angle of flight/movement compensation). This situation is only exasperated at night.