LAGNIEU (01) 14.04.2016

On 14 April 2016, a farmer and his father left home to work on their land near Proulieu (01). At 09:50, while traveling about 30 km/h along a dirt track beside the old Blyes road, the father first noticed a UAP and pointed it out to his son. Weather was fine, with a little wind and a temperature of 16°. They described a stationary black ring above woodland, about 500 m away, southwest toward Saint-Vulbas. The son quickly photographed and filmed through the lowered passenger-side window for about 2–2½ minutes while the vehicle continued moving. The ring broke apart 'like a small cloud' and disappeared. The gendarmerie's investigation cites an article in Le Progrès, La Côtière edition, dated 'Sunday 18 April 2016', from which it appeared other witnesses had seen it. The source's weekday/date combination is inconsistent, but is retained as quoted. The gendarmes also noted that a civilian company reportedly conducted explosive tests that day at the La Valbonne military camp. Only one account was collected. There is little doubt, according to the investigation, that the witnesses saw a smoke ring from pyrotechnic devices used in those tests (see investigation report). The distant test site would explain their not hearing the detonations or hearing them later without making the connection. Very light wind when the ring formed favored its structure persisting for several minutes. The case has low strangeness, mainly due to an unfamiliar appearance the witnesses probably had never encountered. It has a substantial evidential basis: sufficient usable witness information, a complete and detailed gendarmerie report, one video and six photographs analyzed in the investigation. It is classified A: confirmed observation of a smoke ring created by pyrotechnic tests that day at La Valbonne military camp.