Big drones have become a big topic of conversation in New Jersey: Residents have reported seeing drones the size of small cars flying around at night; officials are unsure if they’re seeing anything unusual, or if these are drones at all.

But even if the New Jersey sightings turn out to be something else, large drones do exist. And they can have a wide range of potential applications for hobbyists, commercial users or the military, according to unmanned aircraft experts.

“There’s so many uses for these devices. It’s almost limitless,” Ryan Wallace, associate professor of aeronautical engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, told