See Inside 'Nightcrawler,' The Mobile Field Lab Designed To Track UFOs

Both John and Gerry are engineers who have spent years studying the skies, with their efforts ramping up significantly in response to the recent surge of mysterious drone activity.

Laura met the Tedesco brothers outside Francis Gabreski Airport, where they had set up their mobile lab to monitor reports of drones flying in coordinated patterns. These sightings, which began surfacing in mid-November, often involve groups of drones hovering over sensitive locations like the Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey. Witnesses describe the drones as having blinking white, red, and green lights, with some as large as two metres in size. Despite efforts to capture clear footage, the images have remained grainy and inconclusive.

The "Nightcrawler" is packed with advanced technology, enabling the brothers to track and analyse these mysterious phenomena. It features specialised cameras with 36x optical zoom and night vision capabilities, along with scientific instruments such as Geiger counters, G-force sensors, and monitors for comparing their sightings against real-time commercial flight tracking data.

John explained one of their key tools: a portable millimetre wave radar system. "It detects motion at speeds up to about 2,100 miles per hour," he said. The brothers also employ multiple radar systems capable of scanning the atmosphere both horizontally and vertically. One vertical radar system can detect moving objects at altitudes up to 70,000 feet, while another monitors for radioactive particles in the air.

In addition, the lab is equipped with a UVC radiation detector, which can identify electrical discharges in the atmosphere. Gerry mentioned a recent success, noting that the detector picked up a positive hit on an object spotted over a nearby body of water - a finding that added to the growing intrigue surrounding these sightings.

Whenever the Tedesco brothers capture intriguing data, they share their findings with the FBI. Laura noted, "It's interesting to note that any time they find something unusual, they report it to the FBI, who are said to be reviewing their footage." This collaborative approach highlights the seriousness with which these sightings are being investigated.

Theories about the recent drone sightings range from plausible explanations, such as military exercises or corporate testing, to more sensational claims, including an Iranian "mothership" launching drones over the Atlantic. However, federal agencies have largely dismissed the more outlandish theories, maintaining that there is no evidence of a national security threat. Instead, they suggest many sightings might involve manned aircraft or lawful operations.

Despite this, the Tedesco brothers remain committed to their mission, using Nightcrawler to monitor the skies the citizen scientists are making a valuable contribution to ongoing investigations.