The media has taken up the cause and the story has gone mainstream, with baffled officials furnishing no unified explanation - and President elect Trump weighing in.

Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy has sent a drone unit out to scout the sky for unidentified aircraft.

A broader ban is worrisome for Americans for whom drones have become a part of their lives and work. It could disrupt wide-ranging operations, from law enforcement to mapping and filmmaking that drone operators say are viable because of the low cost and high performance of the Chinese drones. American-made drones just aren’t comparable, they say.

Members of Congress are calling for a ban on two major Chinese manufacturers who sell drones in the U.S. They argue they pose a threat to security and hurt the U.S. drone industry.

The conflict in Ukraine has introduced drone warfare at an unprecedented scale. There is a constant buzzing of drones of all sizes above the battlefield in Ukraine as both sides are using unmanned aerial systems in great numbers.