Aliases

Disambiguation

A generic aeronautical term with specific significance in U.S. government UFO/UAP investigations. Distinct from specific aircraft types (e.g., 'flying saucer'), conceptual frameworks (e.g., 'aerial phenomena'), and individual sightings.

Stats

Concept

Any physical object capable of sustained motion through Earth's atmosphere; in U.S. government UFO/UAP contexts (1947–present), specifically an airborne object that cannot be readily identified as a known aircraft, natural phenomenon, or familiar object.

Qualquer objeto físico capaz de movimento sustentado através da atmosfera terrestre; em contextos governamentais dos EUA sobre UFO/UAP (1947–presente), especificamente um objeto aéreo que não pode ser prontamente identificado como uma aeronave conhecida, fenômeno natural ou objeto familiar.

Enrichment

• Unidentified Flying Object
  Wikipedia▎ high· 2026-05-14
  • UFO defined as object or phenomenon seen in sky but not yet identified or explained
  • Term 'UFO' established by USAF Capt. Edward J. Ruppelt in 1950s
  • Kenneth Arnold's 1947 Mount Rainier sighting sparked widespread cultural phenomenon
  • Project Blue Book (1951–1970) investigated 12,618 sightings; 701 unidentified
  • CIA and DoD now prefer 'Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP)' to avoid sensationalism
• Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) | History, Sightings, & Facts
  Britannica▎ high· 2026-05-14
  • UFO defined as any airborne object or optical phenomenon observer cannot readily identify
  • Air Force Regulation 200-2 provided formal government definition (1953–1954)
  • Robertson Panel (1953) concluded 90% of sightings attributable to astronomy, weather, or aircraft
  • CIA declassification (2014) revealed U-2/A-12 spy planes caused >50% of UFO reports (late 1950s–1960s)
  • Condon Report (1968) found no scientific evidence supporting extraterrestrial origins