At first, the relentless flocks of drones were unusual but nothing to worry about – now, people want answers

Kyle Breese, 36, works remotely in insurance and lives in Ocean Township, New Jersey, a sleepy suburb with tree-cloaked streets, not far from beaches. Last Saturday night, with his wife and two kids inside their home, he let out his ageing dog Bruce into the backyard and then looked up.

There, in the sky, was an unmistakable floating object. Not high enough to be a planet or a star, but about the elevation of an aircraft.