Wingless And Cycling Drones Flying In Silence Raise Doubts On UFO Reports

Drone Silent Ventus, created by startup company Undefined Technologies (photo: twitter @h5LPyKL7TP6jjop)

JAKARTA - A new drone that is almost voiceless and without wings or propellers has raised questions about how much UFO reports may actually be man-made aircraft.

The Silent Ventus drone, created by Florida-based startup Undefined Technologies, uses ion propulsion, in which the electrodes ionize the air to generate thrust, and fly very calmly.

The drone is also capable of floating in the air against the wind, a feature that has frequently appeared in UFO observation reports by military personnel.

This advanced drone may be able to explain reports such as the well-known 'Tic Tac' drone observations, in which pilots saw a candy-like plane perform an unlikely maneuver during a training mission with USS Nimitz off the coast of Southern California in 2004. Undefined Technologies claims that this ion-powered eVTOL drone generates 150 percent more thrust than its competitors.

The company hopes to demonstrate flights for 15 minutes with noise levels below 70dB this year - ion drivers are commonly used on satellites and spacecraft, but less commonly used on Earth.

"The 'hening' drone from Undefined Technologies gives the impression that it flies through the air without any visible or heard propulsion," said drone expert Dr. Shaun Passley, CEO and Founder of Zenadrone, quoted by Dailymail.com.

Passley said advanced drone technology such as ion propulsion, 'varying' drones, and drones with a range of hundreds of miles may be the cause behind many UFO reports.

"Some modern drones can perform maneuvers that can easily be mistaken for being considered a sophisticated propulsion system," Passley said. "Drones have agile speed and flight. Some drones can fly at speeds of up to 200 mph and perform acrobatic maneuvers that challenge gravity."

"These drones can also change course quickly and float on the spot, making them look as if they have advanced propulsion systems," Passley said. "A modern drone is capable of performing various tasks and functions that make it look like UAP or UFO to untrained eyes, including drones designed to be confidential and avoid detection by radar, infrared, or visual sensors."

"This drone can also use adaptive materials or layers to blend with the background or imitate other objects, such as birds or balloons," he added.

According to Passley, several other drones can'shape' in the air by opening wings, arms, or propellers, including the EPFL Fly Jacket, MIT Dragon, and NASA Puffin.

Pentagon officials believe that at least some of the 144 UFO reports discussed in recent reports are due to drones used for surveillance by China, the New York Times reported.

Verge Aero, a company specializing in drone group technology, shows in a History Channel show how drones can create complex forms and patterns that can be mistakenly regarded as UFOs.

"There is a long history of unmanned aircraft and incorrect spy planes considered as alien beings," said Dr. Ajaz Ali, Director of Computer Sciences course at Ravensbourne University. "Negara-states like the US and the Soviet Union have been experimenting with this kind of technology since the mid-20th century, during the Cold War."

"These countries carry out secret experiments involving high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft such as the well-known U-2 spy plane," he added.

As people are unfamiliar with the development of aviation technology, this military mission and the appearance of objects that appear to violate conventional aviation norms contribute to UFO legends.

The development of VTOL drones or aircraft (Vertical Take Off and Landing) also adds to reports on UFO observations. "Criminal drone activities have contributed to UFO observations and narratives surrounding the visit of foreign creatures," Ali said.

"In 2013, a classified CIA report release outlined U-2 aircraft reconnaissance missions in the 1950s and 1960s explaining the relationship between secret air operations and UFO observations. This reform highlights how drone secrets activities can accidentally contribute to the formation of UFO narratives," Ali said.

"Looking into the present, where drones have penetrated civilian and commercial space," said Ali. "From mini quadcopers that you can fly in the room to state-of-the-art UAVs, their shapes and sizes vary widely, often resembling 'flying pills' and strange aerial phenomena that have stimulated UFO reports for decades."