Air Force Gen. Mark Kelly, a senior commander at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, decided to investigate reports of a suspicious fleet of drones himself. He climbed onto a squadron rooftop, joining other officers overseeing some of the country's most advanced fighter jets, such as the F-22 Raptors.

For several nights, military personnel reported a mysterious breach of restricted airspace over an area housing a significant concentration of national-security facilities. The unusual sightings typically began about 45 minutes to an hour after sunset, according to a senior officer.

Shortly after Kelly arrived, the first drone appeared. A veteran fighter pilot, he estimated its size at around 20 feet and its speed exceeding 100 miles per hour, flying at an altitude of approximately 3,000 to 4,000 feet. More drones followed, creating a sound reminiscent of a parade of lawn mowers as they flew by.

The drones moved south across Chesapeake Bay toward Norfolk, Virginia, an area that includes the home base of Navy SEAL Team Six and Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval port in the world.

Officials remain uncertain whether the drone fleet, which numbered as many as a dozen or more in subsequent nights, is the work of savvy hobbyists or potential adversaries. Some speculate that Russia or China might be testing the U.S. military's response capabilities.

Current federal law prohibits the military from shooting down drones near U.S. military bases unless they pose an imminent threat, and mere aerial surveillance does not meet that criterion. However, some lawmakers are advocating for expanded military authority in this regard.

The drone sightings have reached President Biden, prompting two weeks of White House meetings since their initial appearance in December of last year. Officials from the Defense Department, FBI, and the Pentagon's UFO office, along with outside experts, have convened to explore possible explanations and response strategies.