This is the last week Congress is in session for the war unless the President calls them back to declare war.
My guess:
We had a top secret nuclear accident in one of our Midwest silos or at a research lab. The drones are in the East where the likely wind path would take the “dirty” air. They are testing at 1000 feet and higher with nuclear sensors to see if the levels ae high enough to issue a public warning.
Someone with a sophisticated air tester could “test” this theory.