Eglin UAP sighting was commercial light balloon: AARO
- A pilot spotted the UAP during a training exercise off the Florida coast
- AARO investigations found it was likely a commercial light balloon
- Lawmakers have been pushing for more transparency on UAP reports
A UAP sighting near Eglin Air Force Base has been identified as a commercial light balloon. (AARO)
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(NewsNation) — The Pentagon said it has resolved the case of a UAP reported near Eglin Air Force Base off the coast of Florida, finding it was a lighter-than-air object such as a commercial light balloon.
The report from the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office said there was “moderate” confidence in the conclusion in the report, which was made due to the object’s potential hazard to flights and the fact that it was in a sensitive area.
A previous Pentagon report indicated most UAP sightings can be attributed to known objects that are misidentified, though some have questioned the validity of the findings.
The Eglin UAP sighting
A pilot reported the UAP on Jan. 26, 2023, observing four objects flying between 16,000 and 18,000 feet using the onboard radar system. The pilot reported the objects appeared to be flying in formation but they only observed one of the objects visually.
The pilot captured two images of the single object using the aircraft’s electro-optical and infrared sensor. The plane’s recording equipment was inoperable, so there was no video of the object captured.
The pilot described the UAP as gray with a paneled surface and orange-red coloring in the center. In discussions with AARO, the pilot said the object was about 12 feet in diameter and was either stationary or moving very slowly.
The pilot also said the UAP had a rounded bottom and a rounded cone shape on the top half, similar to the Apollo spacecraft, and the pilot saw a heat signature around the bottom portion.
The pilot came within 4,000 feet of the object when the radar on the plane malfunctioned and did not work for the rest of the training exercise. After the exercise, it was determined a circuit breaker had tripped. AARO found there was no connection between the object and the incident with the circuit breaker.
AARO concludes object was commercial light balloon
AARO reported that after an investigation, it was determined the UAP was an ordinary object that did not show any anomalous flight behavior and was most likely a lighter-than-air object.
Lighter-than-air objects include meteorological balloons, Mylar ballons and commercial lighting balloons. AARO reported the object was most likely a commercial lighting balloon based on reconstruction of the flight geometry and the angle of the sun.
The UAP’s slow pace and direction were consistent with an object being held up and moved by the wind, according to wind direction and speed at the time it was seen.
The heat signature was a visual misperception or motion-induced image blurring, AARO said.
Commercial light balloons are used for special events, construction sites and movie sets. AARO tested balloons and found they could replicate some of the pilot’s account.
Read the full report below:
