Large drone spotted. I have a foil hat.

Joined
Mar 23, 2016
Messages
83
Reaction score
7
Age
37
Okay, I know this sounds a little nuts, but last night (8/31/16 3:10am est) I saw something incredible.

I sit outside late at night very often. I live close to a major airport hub and love to watch the planes come and go. Last night I saw something very different. Approaching from the south, I saw what appeared to be a small personal aircraft. Approaching me, it slows down and it has similar rear navigational lights to a small plane, but the lights I see coming from the approach look more like a huge winged drone. Lights out wide, but the same color. As it comes over head, it slows and hovers for what seemed like 8 seconds or so, then made a very slow downward move over the tree line that was moving almost straight down. Very different than the way a plane of any size would or could land.

I sit and watch these planes, of all sizes, come and go very frequently; very late at night (thanks insomnia!). This was so different, not only in the way it operated, but also the altitude and flight path.

This thing was enormous. I so wish I could have gotten a video, but I was completely amazed. I know I sound nuts, I couldn't believe it myself, but I thought I'd share and see if anyone else has seen anything like this. It was very quiet. Like a silenced helicopter.

I'll be looking around in the future. The time (3:10am) was what got me interested. The most interesting thing was after it hovered and flew overhead, it seemed to move slightly left and then right in a 'right stick' motion as it slowly went down, and as it did, the navigational lights that I spoke of before set out wide blinked on the left or right as it moved left or right. I've never seen anything like it. Like a turn signal.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Sky Architect
Could it of been an Osprey?

I'm not sure how large those are, but I can't think of a reason for one of those here. I live near Louisville, KY.

Looked up a video of those flying low during the day, so I can't tell how the nav lights look. Very possible, though.

What are they used for?
 
Last edited:
Amazing



Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
You would have definitely heard it if it was a drone. The osprey you can't really hear when it's that high. I used to work around bases that launched these religiously, when they fly over it does sound like a loud copter though but over 200 meters I don't think you can hear it
 
US Marine Corps Ospreys fly over my house here near Camp Pendleton frequently every day. Below 1000 feet agl altitude they are very noisy with a sound different from most helicopters because they have two main rotors and no tail rotor.
 
It's possible that it was an Osprey. The distinguishing factor to me, is the way it reacted when I had a view from the rear. When it was descending and moving laterally left or right, the navigational lights would light up on the side of the craft in which it was moving towards, whether right or left, and blink like a turn signal.

Also, it could have been further in altitude, as it was really late, but the aircrafts in the video look bigger than what I saw.

This was very quiet.


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
US Marine Corps Ospreys fly over my house here near Camp Pendleton frequently every day. Below 1000 feet agl altitude they are very noisy with a sound different from most helicopters because they have two main rotors and no tail rotor.

Have you ever noticed a blinking nav light in either wing when sliding left or right?


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
 
Have you ever noticed a blinking nav light in either wing when sliding left or right?


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots mobile app
will check next time I see them at night
 

Recent Posts

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
143,086
Messages
1,467,525
Members
104,965
Latest member
cokersean20