In November 2021, at approximately 0500 local time in the northeastern United States, an eyewitness observed a bright light source near the horizon at an estimated distance of 2,000 feet. The light source initially appeared as a single intense luminous object before resolving into multiple lights exhibiting erratic rotational motion relative to one another. The object slowly moved laterally from left to right during the encounter.
The eyewitness captured the video with a hand-held iPhone 12 Pro, resulting in unintended camera movement. The location was well known to the eyewitness and is sparsely populated. The FBI assesses the individual who reported this event as highly credible.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened an investigation following receipt of video footage and a first-hand narrative from the eyewitness. FBI special agents conducted interviews and collected the original video recording for analysis. The footage was subsequently analyzed and authenticated by the U.S. Government. The FBI documented the investigative activity in FD-1057 forms, which record the agency's contact with the witness and the circumstances surrounding the capture of the video.
The subject matter described in files FBI-UAP-D004 through FBI-UAP-D008 and depicted in video footage FBI-UAP-PR001 through FBI-UAP-PR003 corresponds to reports originating from the same general area in the northeastern United States. The FBI assessed the witness as highly credible.
The case remains classified as unresolved by the FBI and the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). The available video footage and witness testimony do not provide sufficient evidence to conclusively identify the observed phenomenon as any specific conventional platform, nor do the observed characteristics — erratic rotational motion of multiple lights in formation — fall within known performance envelopes of civilian or military aircraft.
The footage has been publicly released by the Department of War via the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) as part of Release 03 — the third tranche of unresolved UAP reports made public under a Department of War disclosure initiative.
- Q.01What was the true nature and origin of the multiple lights that appeared to exhibit erratic rotational motion? The video footage does not provide sufficient detail to determine whether the lights were attached to a single airframe, multiple separate objects, or a luminous phenomenon.
- Q.02What accounts for the object's ability to remain near the horizon for the duration of the encounter while moving slowly laterally, without producing any audible sound?
- Q.03Were there additional witnesses in the sparsely populated area who may have observed the same phenomenon but were never identified or interviewed?
- Q.04Do classified documents or additional sensor data exist that have not yet been released to the public that could shed light on this incident?
