Hello, there!

We are the drones. We thought this would be a good time to clear up some misconceptions about our recent appearances in the night skies above New Jersey and Maryland.

Let’s just come out and say it. We’re watching you.

We’re not creepers. You’re just a highly amusing species. A few of us go for a joy flight at the beach in New Jersey and the next thing you know, it’s Orson Welles, 1938, and the “War of the Worlds” all over again.

We weren’t quite sure what all the panic was about, so we tried to contact a few of your leaders to let them know we aren’t flooding the skies over Davidsonville or peeking in your bathroom window.

Oops. Our bad. We thought he was your governor. At least he’s staying busy.

On the way back to our mothership, we heard a voice of reason offering to explain what’s up with the drone sightings.

“The ongoing situation with the drones has probably morphed from a few legitimate reports to mass hysteria,” said Matthew Cappucci, a senior meteorologist for The Washington Post and NPR and the wry daily voice of Capital Weather Gang forecasts on WAMU. “Social media is perpetuating it. Engagement accounts, which make money by peddling conspiracies and bogus viral videos, are profiting off the credulity of the American public.”

That makes sense. You can always count on men and women of science and your elected representatives — the ones in office — to see what’s happening and provide a voice of calm.

Is this a partisan thing? The Republicans are Trumphiant. (See what we did there. Who said drones have no sense of humor?) Maybe it’s some kind of victory prank?

Democrats, however, are reacting, too. Many are complaining about a lack of transparency from the federal government.

After drone reports shut down New York Stewart International Airport near West Point for an hour Friday night, Gov. Kathy Hochul called on Congress to extend federal authority to track drones and use jammers, spoofers and nets to knock them down.

“This has gone too far,” said Hochul, a Democrat.

In Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore has us covered. He said state officials are “aware of the reports of potential unmanned aerial system sightings and are working closely with federal authorities.”

So, defenders of the America. What do you say?

We, the drones, think this is just a manifestation of your lifestyle.

You are so obsessed with that little computer in your hand, that you forget to look up and see what’s around you. When panic spreads to your phone, it seeps right into your brain. You see what you’ve been told to see.

“So few people look at the sky these days,” Cappucci said. “When they actively take time to, they’re surprised by what they see. Conspiracy theories are born when someone convinces the public that an ordinary, yet overlooked, phenomenon has an extraordinary explanation. Right now, save for a small few legitimate drone reports, we’re seeing airplanes, stars and planets mass reported as drones.”

So, put it down for a few minutes.

Yes, light pollution makes it harder to see the stars, and air traffic draws lines and circles of light every night. There’s still a lot up there that isn’t us.

The constellation Orion and his bow are high in the clear winter sky, Sirius theDog Star running brightly at his heels.

It is tempting to ask intrepid journalists for answers.

What’s the old saying — if one side says it’s raining and the other says it’s not, a journalist’s job is to stick his head out the window and see who’s right.

OK. Moving on.

Why do we scare you when a pajama-clad immortal — propelled by Santa’s reindeer, or Saintnicolas magicalus, and relying on a glowing nose for navigation ― fails to freak you out? He’s checking his list, for cripes’ sake.

There are of course people who understand technology, modern-day wizards who’ve substituted physics and computing power for eye of newt. Your society is a testament to the benefits of giving genius the room to change the world.

Where’s Elon Musk when you need him? Surely, the owner of a social media platform, a satellite network, a space transportation business, advanced electric cars and a tunnel boring company could shed some light?

There’s no way he would perpetuate misguided fears about us as part of a plan to increase his substantial treasure hoard, right? Maybe the answer is just a parody of him.

Look. We’re busy bees.

We’re working worldwide, providing benefits to you in almost every field of endeavor, from agriculture to perking up your Annapolis real estate listing with video from a flyby.

We’re at war, too.

Want to talk about fear of drones? Speak to the Ukrainians and the Russians. Every day, drone units in both armies post videos on social media showing how much we are helping humanity’s pursuit of lethality.

Now the North Koreans are learning to be afraid.

Given the level of gullibility demonstrated in the last week, we think there will be more sightings. Some will be real. We do soar, after all, and sometimes we don’t follow your rules very well.

But something will take our place in the American zeitgeist. When was the last time we had a good zombie scare?

“Suffice to say, we’re moving into an era where a large portion of the U.S. population will reside in a state often not commensurate with reality,” Cappucci said. “Feelings are already given the same weight as facts, and as misinformation and conspiracy become even more deeply ingrained in our society, the truth will become more obfuscated and less relevant.”

Maybe it will be sentient octopuses or orcas wearing salmon hats. Oh, wait. those are real.

We’ve got to fly, so here’s a parting thought. Perhaps we should go to the top guy, your once and future No. 1.

Surely, President-elect Donald J. Trump would see the concern among his people and respond with a level of mature leadership others might be forgiven for lacking.

Nah.