U.S. officials are baffled by a series of unidentified drones that have flown freely over sensitive national-security sites, including military bases, without any clear indication of who is operating them or how to neutralize the threat.
Air Force Gen. Mark Kelly, a senior commander at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, decided to investigate reports of a suspicious fleet of drones himself. He climbed onto a squadron rooftop, joining other officers overseeing some of the country's most advanced fighter jets, such as the F-22 Raptors.
For several nights, military personnel reported a mysterious breach of restricted airspace over an area housing a significant concentration of national-security facilities. The unusual sightings typically began about 45 minutes to an hour after sunset, according to a senior officer.
Shortly after Kelly arrived, the first drone appeared. A veteran fighter pilot, he estimated its size at around 20 feet and its speed exceeding 100 miles per hour, flying at an altitude of approximately 3,000 to 4,000 feet. More drones followed, creating a sound reminiscent of a parade of lawn mowers as they flew by.