A new drone that flies almost silently without wings or propellers has raised questions about how many alleged UFO sightings could actually be man-made.
Created by Florida-based start-up Undefined Technologies, the Silent Ventus drone uses ion propulsion, with electrodes that ionize the air to generate thrust, and flies incredibly quietly.
It can also hover in the air against wind – a feature of many UFO sightings by military personnel.
DailyMail.com spoke to two drone experts about how many UFO sightings may be due to advanced technologies like these so-called “floating” drones.
The hi-tech drones could potentially explain sightings such as the famous “Tic Tac” drone sighting, in which pilots spotted a craft resembling the breath mint performing impossible maneuvers during a training mission with the USS Nimitz off the coast of Southern California in 2004.
Undefined Technologies claim its ion-powered eVTOL drone generates 150% more thrust than rivals (Undefined Technologies)
The company hopes to achieve a 15-minute flight this year and believes the drone could be used for “last mile” deliveries (Undefined Technologies)
Undefined Technologies’ claim that its ion-powered eVTOL drone generates 150 percent more thrust than rivals.
The company hopes to demonstrate a 15-minute flight this year with noise levels below 70 dB — ion propulsion devices are commonly used in satellites and spacecraft, but are less common on Earth.
“Undefined Technologies’ ‘silent’ drone gives the impression of flying through the air with no visible or audible propulsion,” says drone expert Dr. Shaun Passley, CEO and founder of Zenadrone.
Passley said advanced drone technologies such as ion propulsion, morphing drones and drones with ranges of hundreds of miles could be behind many UFO sightings.
Some modern drones can perform maneuvers that could easily be mistaken for advanced propulsion systems, Passley said.
Passley said: ‘Drones have fast and agile flight. Some drones can fly at speeds of up to 200 mph and perform gravity-defying acrobatic maneuvers.
“These drones can also change direction quickly and hover in place, giving the appearance of advanced propulsion systems.
drone expert Dr. Shaun Passley, CEO and Founder of Zenadrone (Zenadrone)
US pilots encountered an object they said resembled a Tic Tac Breath Mint (DOD)
Passley said: ‘Modern drones are capable of performing various tasks and functions that can make them appear as UAPs or UFOs to the untrained eye, including drones designed to be unobtrusive and avoid detection by radar, infrared or visual sensors. .
“These drones can also use adaptive materials or coatings to blend into the background or mimic other objects, such as birds or balloons.
Other drones can change shape in flight by unfolding wings, arms or propellers, including the EPFL FlyJacket, the MIT Dragon and the NASA Puffin, Passley said.
Pentagon officials believe that at least some of the 144 UFO sightings discussed in a recent report are due to drones used by China for surveillance, the New York Times reported.
Verge Aero, a company that specializes in drone swarm technology, showed on a History Channel show how drones can create complex shapes and patterns that could be mistaken for UFOs.
There’s a long history of unmanned craft and spy craft being mistaken for aliens, said Dr Ajaz Ali, a computer science course leader at Ravensbourne University.
Verge Aero worked on a History Channel episode where they demonstrated how drones could fool people into believing they’ve seen UFOs (Verge Aero)
The Pentagon recently released several videos of alleged UFO encounters (DOD)
The U2 spy plane was linked to a string of UFO sightings (Getty)
Ali said, “Countries like the US and the Soviet Union have been experimenting with such technologies since the mid-20th century, during the Cold War.
“These countries conducted secret experiments with high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, such as the infamous spy plane U-2.
Since people were unfamiliar with advances in flight technologies, these military missions and seeing objects that seemed to defy conventional aviation standards added to the UFO lore.
The development of VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) drones or aircraft added to the reports of UFO sightings.
Secret drone activity has contributed to UFO sightings and stories of alien visits, Ali said.
In 2013, a declassified CIA report detailing U-2 reconnaissance missions in the 1950s and 1960s was released.
This revelation highlighted how covert drone activity can unknowingly contribute to the creation of UFO stories.
Fast forward to the present, where drones have permeated civil and commercial spaces.
“From miniature quadcopters that can fly indoors to sophisticated fixed-wing UAVs, their shapes and sizes vary widely, often resembling the ‘flying saucers’ and strange aerial phenomena that have fueled UFO reports for decades.