At least six unidentified drones circled, followed and trailed US Navy ships transiting through the Channel Islands off the California coast in July 2019, raising concerns about unidentified aircraft jeopardizing the security and safety of military vessels, NBC News reports.
The drones were able to keep up with Navy ships traveling at 16 knots and could stay aloft at least 90 minutes, performance outside the parameters of commercially available drones. The drones continued trailing the ships in low-visibility conditions, defined as less than one mile of clear sight. The Drive website first reported the sightings, noting that military officials said there is no indication that the aircraft were extraterrestrial.
Officials from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the FBI field office in Los Angeles and the director of the Maritime Intelligence Operations Center within the Navy’s 3rd Fleet were investigating the craft, which were sited near San Clemente Island, home to sensitive naval operations and SEAL training facilities.