DOD_109584439.mp4
Summary: Thermal footage captures an unidentified object, initially appearing as an indistinct bright spot, then as a dark, possibly spherical object moving across the screen, later assessed to be a commercial aircraft with a sensor artifact.
This video, classified as 'Unclassified,' presents thermal imaging footage from an MQ-9 forward-looking infrared sensor, recorded in South Asia. The footage shows an object, initially appearing as a bright, indistinct entity against a dark background in a 'white hot' thermal setting. The perspective then shifts to a 'black hot' setting where the object appears dark against a brighter background. The object, which seems small and possibly spherical or disc-shaped, moves across the sensor's field of view. The camera actively tracks the object, which at times exhibits an apparent atmospheric wake or cavitation. According to the accompanying metadata, this footage was captured while recording another MQ-9 and was later analyzed by the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO). AARO assessed that the object is likely a commercial aircraft, and the observed trailing 'cavitation' is a sensor artifact resulting from video compression.
Playback guide
1. startTime: 0:00 endTime: 0:03 label: Intro screen: Unclassified, mission report details. 2. startTime: 0:03 endTime: 0:34 label: Thermal footage (white hot mode) showing a bright, indistinct object in the distance, centered with a crosshair. 3. startTime: 0:34 endTime: 0:49 label: Thermal footage (black hot mode) showing a dark object against a bright background, still centered. 4. startTime: 0:49 endTime: 2:10 label: Object becomes clearer and moves across the screen. Camera tracks the object as it moves left-to-right, exits, reappears, and is tracked again. A subtle 'wake' or trail is visible behind the object.