Why One State’s UAP Legislation Could Reduce Pilot Stigma

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signs a bill that allocates $2.5 million for university-based research of unidentified aerial phenomena.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 11:30 AM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Artist’s rendition of UAP over the New Jersey coast [Credit: Americans for Safe Aerospace]

Key Takeaways:

New Jersey has become the first U.S. state to fund a research center dedicated to the scientific study of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), allocating $2.5 million annually for universities to establish such a center.
This initiative aims to combat the significant underreporting of UAP sightings by pilots, who currently fear professional repercussions, institutional dismissal, and lack clear official reporting channels.
Additionally, the legislation provides $1 million annually for an air traffic control (ATC) loan redemption program to address workforce shortages and enhance the ability to track unusual aerial activity, further contributing to aviation safety.

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New Jersey could be the first U.S. state to fund a center dedicated to the study of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP).

The U.S. government a few years ago began using UAP in place of “unidentified flying object” to reflect that sightings reported by pilots may not be objects at all, since they are unidentified. But according to Ryan Graves, executive director of the nonprofit UAP advocacy group Americans for Safe Aerospace (ASA), most pilots do not report sightings because they fear professional repercussions. ASA earlier this month published a white paper exploring the topic.