(NewsNation) — NASA’s recently released UAP report, which detailed its findings from a yearlong study on unidentified aerial phenomena, relied entirely on nonclassified materials. One expert says this type of study is still valuable.

“NASA is doing something quite different. NASA is leveraging its existing resources and capabilities, the telescopes, the satellites but also talking about crowdsourcing,” said Nick Pope, a former member of the U.K. Ministry of Defense.

“What they’re going to be doing is leveraging the public in all of this, everyone walks around with their smartphones. Let’s get the pictures, then let’s then use artificial intelligence to maybe analyze them,” Pope added.

Pope, who ran the British government’s UFO projects, joined “NewsNation Prime” to discuss the report as some critics say a study without classified materials is not helpful.

A member of NASA’s UAP study team defended the organization’s work, saying the work is meant for the public.

“NASA is transparent. NASA is open. NASA involves the public, NASA reaches out to international allies, and the agency has a vital role to play in terms of bringing sunshine to the issue,” said a member of NASA’s UAP team, Mike Gold.

“The administrator said very eloquently, less sensationalism, more science. Let’s do everything out in the open, which is why we’re doing that without classified information,” Gold added.