MQ-9 'metallic orb' video

An MQ-9 Reaper's electro-optical sensor recorded a small spherical object that appeared to move past the drone. AARO director Sean Kirkpatrick described it to the Senate Armed Services Committee in April 2023 and showed it at NASA's public UAP meeting on 31 May 2023 as a 'typical example' of metallic orbs seen worldwide, saying it showed no enigmatic capabilities and posed no threat, but that the data were insufficient to identify it. A Bellingcat analysis in October 2023 estimated the object at about 0.43 m across, explained its apparent motion as parallax from the passing drone in a westerly wind, and concluded it was most likely a party balloon, noting the date fell during Eid al-Adha.

A drifting party balloon seen with parallax (Bellingcat 2023)

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  Public Meeting on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (Official NASA Broadcast)Watch from 37:04 on YouTube

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  Historic Senate Hearing on #UAP & #AARO, Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick Testifies #EmergingThreats #DisclosureWatch from 19:28 on YouTube

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  The Reality of UFOs UAP with Leslie KeanWatch from 1:05:20 on YouTube

• Unverified37:04Sean M. KirkpatrickSingle sensor

  An MQ-9 drone's EO sensor recorded a metallic, spherical orb performing apparent maneuvers in the Middle East in 2022; AARO states it demonstrated no enigmatic technical capabilities and posed no threat to airborne safety, though the case remains under review pending more data.

  this is a spherical orb metallic in the Middle East 2022 by an MQ-9... this one in particular, however, I would point out, demonstrated no enigmatic technical capabilities and was no threat to airborne safety

  Said in Public Meeting on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (Official NASA Broadcast)

• Unverified19:28Sean M. KirkpatrickSingle sensor

  The Middle East MQ-9 drone video of an apparent spherical object (via EO sensor) remains an unresolved case due to insufficient data.

  It is going to be virtually impossible to fully identify that just based off of that video.

  Said in Historic Senate Hearing on #UAP & #AARO, Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick Testifies #EmergingThreats #Disclosure

• Unverified1:05:20Leslie KeanSingle sensor

  At a 2023 NASA press conference, then-AARO director Sean Kirkpatrick showed a video of a spherical, metallic orb filmed in the Middle East in 2022 by an MQ-9 drone, calling it a 'typical example' of objects seen worldwide making unexplained maneuvers.

  This is a spherical orb, metallic, in the Middle East 2022, by an MQ-9. This is a typical example of the thing that we see most of.

  Said in The Reality of UFOs UAP with Leslie Kean

• Bellingcat: Isn't that a balloon? Deflating a DoD UFO videobellingcat.com
• Global News: metallic flying orbs, NASA and Pentagon panelglobalnews.ca