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The troubling question preoccupying many who have witnessed them overhead is: why?

Vegard Rabban was quite certain about what appeared before him when an unusual crimson glow materialized 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 salmon fisher and rescue worker, had recently transported his adolescent boy home from athletic practice when they came to an abrupt halt by an aerial phenomenon in the cloudless Scandinavian sky.

"Between the garage and the house I notice an unusual illumination that isn't usually present. My son and I immediately recognize it's an unmanned aircraft," he said. "We stand for two minutes and watch and we notice the crimson illuminations. I could see it was a very big drone. Maybe 1.5 metres wide."

Being an experienced drone operator, he knew perfectly well of the limitations near his property close to Ørland airport, an important facility for the international defense organization and the country's military aviation.

Growing Concerns

It was rare to witness a flying device flying at night. But it was not until the next morning, when he discovered reports about the aerial intrusions at Norwegian airports, that he started to think more about it.

His children felt anxious. He sought to provide context. "As it stands now, we are distant from the war that's happening but I suspect we're being observed and attempting to gauge how we behave to drones," he stated.

Rabban says he is not personally afraid currently, but the sightings have already had various emotional consequences on the Norwegian population. He thinks the situation in Europe could deteriorate rapidly. "With increasing sightings the flying devices, increasing numbers wonder what is happening. They're interested."

Broad Distribution

After multiple unmanned aircraft were destroyed in the skies over Poland recently, reports concerning drones have spread across Europe, encompassing events that have halted operations at significant aviation facilities.

Denmark's leader addressed the nation following the shutdown of the capital's airfield. "We're experiencing the initial phases of a multifaceted confrontation against our region," she said.

An incursion over Munich airport on Thursday forced air traffic control to suspend operations, resulting in the termination of multiple air journeys and disrupting travel for nearly 3,000 passengers.

Historical Comparisons

The violations in the Nordic region display relevant past precedents, stated a university professor in the study of psychological impacts.

"There's a common saying that the past doesn't exactly replicate, but it shows patterns – and what we are currently seeing over the Nordic countries is the rhyming of history," he said. "Historical records show of aerial phenomenon anxieties over these territories where the source was suspected to be either Russia or the historical superpower."

During the 1930s it was "mysterious flying machines" that caused panic, thought to be foreign spy planes on surveillance operations as anticipating a military attack.

"Numerous such accounts align with known astronomical objects like celestial objects positioned," said the academic. "No airplane of the time could have remained aloft for the durations that witnesses reported. Advancing to the mid-forties and northern European countries were experiencing anxiety about widespread observations of 'phantom missiles'."

Emotional Effects

Additionally, there exists a psychological impact that is insufficiently acknowledged, explained a research lead focusing on drone technology and culture.

"In my opinion the incursions are a way to spook and to challenge," she said. "So drones essentially function in this grey zone where they demonstrate their existence, their abilities, they show that defenses can be penetrated, but they stop short of reaching into that full-scale aggression that we're seeing in the ongoing conflict."

A different researcher who worked on the project explained that since humans employed aviation in conflict, a significant outcome was to "turn peaceful skies into an ongoing security concern."

Contemporary Context

The unmanned aircraft observations of this period should not be considered psychological projections but they're occurring amid a "perfect storm" of international conflicts fueled by eastern expansionism and concerns over the uncertainty of traditional defense partner America.

"Unexpectedly, numerous European nations including smaller countries are experiencing increased insecurity than they've felt for many years," he explained.

"In this environment, what we are seeing is a collective anxiety attack where the airspace has become a social barometer of the current era, fueled by the fallibility of human perception and anxiety."

It's almost autumn and nights grow longer, which results in more hours of darkness which must be considered as it adds to the unclear nature of the situation.

"It's probably harmful for anyone with an anxiety disorder," added the academic.