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The disturbing inquiry occupying the thoughts of many who have spotted them overhead is: why?

A local resident had little doubt about what he observed when a mysterious scarlet illumination showed up between his home and carport on the western coastline of Norway one chilly evening in the end of September.

The parent of three children, a fisheries worker and firefighter, had just driven his teenage son home from athletic practice when they came to an abrupt halt by an aerial phenomenon in the clear Norwegian sky.

"Near the outbuilding and residence I spot a strange light that doesn't typically appear. My son and I instantly identify it's an unmanned aircraft," he said. "We pause for several moments and look and we see the red lights. I could see it was a very big drone. Roughly 150 centimeters in width."

As a regular drone user, he knew perfectly well of the restrictions near his residence close to Ørland airport, an important facility for Nato and Norway's aerial defense.

Increasing Worries

It was uncommon to observe an unmanned aircraft moving through nighttime skies. Yet only after the next morning, when he learned of the drone incursions at airfields in Norway, that he started reflecting about it.

His children felt anxious. He sought to provide context. "At present, we are distant from the war that's taking place but I think someone is watching us and seeking to understand how we respond to drones," he commented.

Rabban says he remains unafraid yet, but the observations have already had certain mental impacts on local residents. He thinks the developments in Europe could deteriorate rapidly. "As additional witnesses observe the unmanned aircraft, growing numbers question what's occurring. They feel inquisitive."

Extensive Occurrences

After several flying devices were eliminated in the skies over Poland last month, sightings of drones have expanded over the region, comprising incidents that have closed major airports.

The Danish prime minister addressed the nation subsequent to the suspension of the capital's airfield. "We're experiencing the initial phases of an unconventional conflict against our region," she declared.

An incursion over the German airfield recently required flight regulators to halt activities, resulting in the cancellation of numerous aircraft movements and affecting journeys for nearly 3,000 passengers.

Past Precedents

The incursions in Scandinavia display an informative historical context, commented a university professor in the field of mental health.

"It has been said that history doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes – and what we are currently seeing over the Nordic countries is historical patterns repeating," he said. "There is a long history of aerial phenomenon anxieties over this region where the source was believed to have been either the Russian Federation or the historical superpower."

During the 1930s it was "ghost planes" that created anxiety, suspected as foreign spy planes on reconnaissance missions as a prelude to a military attack.

"Numerous such accounts match familiar celestial bodies like celestial objects positioned," noted the expert. "No flying machine of that era could have remained aloft for the timeframes that it was frequently seen. Advancing to 1946 and Scandinavian nations were experiencing anxiety about mass sightings of 'ghost rockets'."

Mental Health Consequences

There is also a psychological impact that is less appreciated, stated a project director specializing in aerial systems and society.

"I believe the incursions are a way to spook and to provoke," she noted. "Therefore flying devices typically work in this ambiguous area where they demonstrate their existence, their technological features, they demonstrate that defenses can be penetrated, but they stop short of reaching into complete military action that we're observing in Ukraine and Russia."

An additional academic participating in the project said that since humans employed aviation in combat, a significant outcome was to "convert tranquil atmospheres into a continuous danger source."

Current Situation

The drone sightings of this period cannot be described a figment of anyone's imagination but they're happening amid a convergence of international conflicts driven by Russian aggression and concerns over the unpredictability of historical military associate the United States.

"Suddenly, many European countries like Denmark are perceiving greater threats than they've experienced recently," he said.

"In this environment, what we are seeing is a widespread fear response where the sky has become a societal indicator of the current era, driven by limitations in human observation and fear."

As fall approaches and daylight hours decrease, which results in more hours of darkness which should not be underestimated as it adds to the uncertainty of these circumstances.

"It's probably harmful for people experiencing mental health challenges," concluded the expert.