Everyone has their own speculations regarding these New Jersey drone sightings that have become extremely prevalent. I'm constantly bombarded with blurry photos and videos on all my social media platforms. This phenomenon has led everyone to take out their phones and capture images of these SUV-sized drones, but I can't help but notice how many of them seem subpar.

Uncover the Truth Behind New Jersey's Drone Sightings

Night vision binoculars for clearer images

Just over a month ago, I had my first encounter with the Akaso Seemor 200 night vision binoculars. I've been utilizing it to enhance my astrophotography as it effectively exposes all the faint stars in the night sky. Additionally, it has a color night vision mode that enables me to spot creatures from a distance while outdoors.Although it functions similar to a camera phone with 4K video recording, what sets it apart is its 850nm infrared illuminator, which ensures sharp and clear details even in complete darkness or when the subject is far away. When you watch the clip below, you can clearly make out the contrails left by the plane overhead, which is impossible to see against the dark night sky.(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)In another incident, something flew closer to the ground and zipped overhead. It didn't make the same noise as other planes. However, the Akaso Seemor 200 once again indicated to me that it was a plane due to the sharper footage it captured.Camera phones face significant challenges in low light conditions due to their small sensors. They often record at higher ISO settings, resulting in heavy noise and softer details, making them appear like blobs of light. In contrast, night vision binoculars like this one are more effective at retaining details.

Thermal cameras to see heat signatures

I've previously used the Infiray One XH09 thermal camera to detect hidden dangers around my home. It's a gadget that I never thought would be useful for identifying unidentified objects in the night sky. Unlike the Akaso Seemor 200, this attachable thermal camera for my phone senses heat signatures, similar to having Predator vision.This definitely helps in further identifying objects in the night sky, especially if they are flying lower to the ground. According to FAA regulations, consumer-grade drones can't fly higher than 400 feet AGL. Therefore, it's easy for me to determine what is overhead with the Infiray One XH09 thermal camera due to the heat signature produced by the plane.(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)What I'm trying to convey here is that a gadget like this would help eliminate false sightings. When you can clearly make out the outline of a plane as in the clip above, it saves a lot of time by focusing only on the ones that look different.Although some of the other planes I captured with this thermal camera appear as blobs, I still think it's worth having as against the darkness of the sky, these unidentifiable objects would remain invisible to the naked eye.

Bottom line

Although I didn't manage to capture one of these mysterious drones in the night sky, I'm hopeful that when I do, the images and videos I capture will be of much better quality than my phone. The next best option would be to use a high-powered mirrorless camera with excellent low light performance, such as a Sony A7 III paired with a long-range telephoto lens, which would cost thousands of dollars and require extensive experience to master.Both the Akaso Seemor 200 and Infiray One XH09 cost significantly less and are more portable, so I'm looking forward to sharing my best captures of these unidentifiable objects in the night sky on one of these nights.