Six unidentified drones were filmed flying over the US Navy’s most modern destroyer ship as it was in international waters off the coast of California.
A new video captures the moment six strange drones circled the USS Zumwalt, the most modern cruiser in the United States Navy.
The footage depicts a drone with multicolored lights hovering above the ship and flying in ‘regular patterns.’ Drone swarm occurrences have been more prevalent in recent years, and the United States military has spent greater resources to combating and understanding them.
The event occurred barely 17 miles off the coast of Southern California, close to Camp Pendleton, a large Marine post.
In April 2019, the US Navy published a new video depicting the moment when a sailor captured six mystery drones hovering around its most modern battleship.
In this event, drones were filmed circling the USS Zumlwalt, along with six other boats. All incidents occurred between March and July of 2019.
On the video, a sailor can be heard narrating the strange event and stating that the aircraft were flying between 300 and 1,000 feet above the ship and performing multiple flyovers and circling maneuvers.
The footage is hazy, but it appears to show a drone with multicolored lights buzzing above the ship and flying in ‘regular patterns.’ According to the sailor, the drones appear to be unarmed.
At one point, one of the drones flew above the ship’s deck without making touch with the vessel.
In recent years, drone swarm occurrences have become more prevalent, and in some cases, less capable drones are utilized as “canaries” to confuse security systems or test defenses.
The captured drones on April 24th, 2019 were equipped with four multicolored lights and were flying in circles around the USS Zumwalt.
The USS Zumwalt is exceptional in that it is the most technologically advanced stealth battleship in the US Navy’s arsenal.
Throughout 2019, the USS Paul Hamilton (left) documented many interactions with drone swarms. On July 15, they were reportedly trailed by drones from a Hong Kong-based cargo ship. On July 21 and 30 they reported drones flying overhead. On July 15, 2019, fourteen drones surrounded the USS Ralph Johnson (seen on the right).
The drones have been recorded by the navy’s SNOOPIE team – Ship Nautical Or Otherwise Photographic Interpretation and Exploitation team – in order to monitor sightings.
SNOOPIE is formed of sailors who are taught to photograph strange occurrences for documentation purposes.
Dave Kovar, CEO of URSA Inc., a company that specializes in drone security issues, stated that he is unable to determine the aircraft’s configuration, but it looks to have four navigation lights.
Kovar informed The Drive that the unidentified flying item may be a multi-rotor, most likely a quad, UAV (unidentified aerial vehicle) with running lights.
While the video quality isn’t the best, I don’t see anything on the drone that would lead me to believe it couldn’t be purchased off the shelf from a current commercial drone manufacturer, according to a second expert.
The expert noted that the drones were either set to fly a specific course or remotely operated while presumably on altitude hold, neither of which are characteristics of modern technology.
The event occurred barely 17 miles off the coast of Southern California, close to Camp Pendleton, a large Marine post.
Due to the close proximity to the U.S. mainland, the analyst decided that it was likely a planned mission, since no one would have six drones on a boat for leisure purposes.
In addition, the newly disclosed video is “essentially the only way a forensic evaluation can be conducted to determine the origin and capabilities of an unidentified drone,” they explained.
The apparent observation of the USS Zumwalt is unprecedented because it is the most technologically advanced stealth destroyer available to the United States Navy.
The ship’s stealth technology makes it more resilient than other destroyers because it can operate unnoticed and closer to hostile territory.
Director of Naval Intelligence Scott W. Bray testifies on “unidentified airborne phenomena” before the House Intelligence Committee.
Due to its proximity to the U.S. mainland, an analyst decided that it was most likely a planned mission, as no one would have six drones aboard a boat for leisure purposes.
Initially, it was believed that these swarms of ‘tic tac’ shaped drones only troubled the Navy for a few days in mid-July. However, new records indicate that Navy authorities dealt with these encounters for the whole month.
On July 20, the USS Russell fired five shots at the drones, which were capable of speeds up to 45 miles per hour and a range of at least 100 nautical miles, considerably beyond the capabilities of any commercially available unmanned aircraft.
Two days later, on July 23 at 10 a.m., the USS Russell sent out a “ghostbusters” squad. The team’s task was “accomplished” about 11 a.m.
The Drive described a “ghostbuster” as a rifle-shaped, low-end counter-UAS weapon that blocks radio frequencies between the drone and its operator.
Unknown is whether the USS Russell already had ‘ghostbusters’ on board or if they were purchased particularly to counteract the surge in drone presence.
According to The Drive, the drones connected to the Hong Kong ship were not the only cause for alarm.
In March 2019, in the same international waters off the coast of southern California, the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry reported up to eight unidentified drones flying straight over the ship at a height of around 500 feet while “performing collection activities.”
It was unknown where these drones originated.
On July 21, 2019, the USS Paul Hamilton once more reported drones in the sky; this time, it is thought that they were flown by “local fishermen using personal quadcopters.”
On July 25, later that week, the USS Gabrielle Giffords spotted four drones in the sky and requested assistance from the neighboring USS Pinckney. There were three tiny boats close at the time.
Over the course of three hours on July 30, 2019, the USS Russell observed two groupings of lights containing five unmanned aerial vehicles.
Never established communication with the adjoining pleasure craft.
And on the same day, the USS Paul Hamilton reported many drones, some as close as 200 yards away, flying overhead.
Despite the fact that the operator of the drone swarm has yet to be positively identified, a prior report indicated that the drones may have come from a Hong Kong cargo ship in the surrounding waters.
Representatives of the Navy and Department of Defense acknowledged the drone swarms during a congressional hearing on UFOs held earlier this year, but did not provide any other details.
Despite the lack of clear evidence, the Crane Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center held an exercise called “Swarm 22” last month.
The event was intended to be a “large scale experimentation event” with over 150 people analyzing “electromagnetic warfare (EW) employed on small multi-domain unmanned systems” (UxS).