Does an authentic video show a weapon being fired at a drone in New Jersey in mid-December 2024? No, that's not true: The earliest version of the video shared on social media doesn't include gunfire or video effects. Robert Earl White, who originally published the clip, clarified in a follow-up post: "Yes, the gunfire is fake in this video ..."
The claim appeared in a post and video (archived here) on Instagram on December 15, 2024, under the on-screen title "Local NJ Police Trying to shoot the 'DRONE.'" The video's caption said:
In the words of Tony Montana, "chute that piece of chit"🛸 is this video real or is it airsoft pellets?
This is what the post looked like at the time of writing:
(Source: Instagram screenshot taken on Fri Dec 20 17:16:43 2024 UTC)
The 29-second clip also included the sounds of gunfire and what looked like tracer fire.
Google search
Using Google Lens, a reverse image search (archived here) found that the earliest versions of the video were first published by Robert Earl White on YouTube (archived here) and X (archived here) on December 4, 2024, 11 days before it appeared in the post on Instagram. The caption to his X video said:
I Recorded A Mysterious Military Drone / Craft Now In South Jersey Caught On Video & Enhanced.
This is what the post, including the original video, looked like at the time of writing:
(Source: X screenshot taken on Fri Dec 17:53:29 2024 UTC)
In the original video, a man's voice is heard saying:
Mysterious drones in South Jersey. They're down here now. Mysterious drones.
These are military crafts. These are not extraterrestrials. They are not extraterrestrials. These are military craft.
I'm looking at it. I hear it. That is a military craft. It's very low. You can see how low it is.
Nine days later, on December 13, 2024, White posted a slightly shorter version of the video (archived here) to his X account. In the caption, he acknowledged adding the sound and visual effects (emphasis ours):
Since the government won't shoot down the drones in New Jersey I thought I would give it a go!
Let's go Jersey Boys, Take these things down!
Yes the gun fire is fake in this video but the drone I recorded is very much real.
This is what the post looked like at the time of writing:
(Source: X screenshot taken on Fri Dec 17:53:29 2024 UTC)
White also added a "Drone Hunter" logo in the bottom right corner of the video.
About five hours later, White posted again to his X account (archived here), providing a more detailed account of how his video went viral after he added the gunfire. It said (emphasis ours):
I Am The Drone Hunter In The Viral Video Going Around Of Me Shooting At A Drone!
Many large X accounts have shared my video which is being shared on news stations now.
People have had Enough they are trying to take the drones down.
This is a real world scenario that could happen if people do not get answers, but this was a brilliant CGI EXAMPLE created by me, Robert Earl White from the channel The Order Of Light.
In the original video of a real drone that I recorded here in New Jersey. I edited gun fire to the video which in the original post I clearly stated they were fake but the drone was real.
A bunch of accounts stole my video and shared it without the right context.
The video has gotten millions of views while the original with context got none.
This fully exposes how fake information gets promoted over the truth.
Now because of these creators sharing this post they have portrayed me as a domestic terrorist.
Without the context of the original post of a video that I created, which is my property they have started a fire they won't be able to put out.
You all were played and this proved the exact point I wanted to make.
Do your own research, don't trust someone just because they have millions of followers or are on TV.
The media including social media is filled with false information.
*Disclaimer NEVER SHOOT AT A DRONE THIS IS A CGI VIDEO BE SAFE CALL 911Never take matters into your own hands.
Below are those who have shared my post also the original video.
I am the Drone Hunter, Robert Earl White
#dronehunter #drones #NewJersey #firing #shooting #misinformation #X
The post, which included the original video and the altered video, is embedded below:
I Am The Drone Hunter In The Viral Video Going Around Of Me Shooting At A Drone!
-- Robert Earl White | Order Of Light (@WATDOOL) December 14, 2024
Many large X accounts have shared my video which is being shared on news stations now.
People have had Enough they are trying to take the drones down.
This is a real world scenario that could... pic.twitter.com/PbHN44Ro6B
The video in the Instagram post is a cropped version of White's video with the added sound and visual effects. It's also flipped horizontally so the drone moves from right to left, not left to right, as in the original.
Drone reports
Purported drone sightings blossomed across the Northeast and social media in November and December 2024. The reports prompted a joint statement (archived here) from the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Defense dated December 17, 2024. It said:
Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones. We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast.
Additionally, the FAA put temporary bans on drone flights over the New York and New Jersey areas, CNBC reported (archived here) on December 19, 2024. The FAA lists its temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) here (archived here)
Read more
Other fact check agencies have reviewed this claim, including AFP Fact Check and VERIFY.
Additional Lead Stories fact checks of claims involving drones can be found here.
