EPERNAY (51) 11.11.2024

On 11 November 2024 around 17:30 in Épernay, a witness saw a stationary light in the sky from his living room. He interrupted a telephone call to photograph and film it. The UAP moved markedly away before going dark. He continued recording and noticed rapid movements. It soon reappeared directly above his home. From his terrace, he described a round form emitting light intermittently. It then moved again and disappeared into clouds. GEIPAN assesses the evidential strength as satisfactory: 1 witness, but usable photographs and videos (see the investigation report). Under its criteria, this means the quantity of reliable, objectively supported information collected for an account. The witness found the remarkable, unusual light and total silence strange. Remote and on-site investigation reduced that strangeness through a drone hypothesis, also considered by the witness. Drone speeds vary widely and are compatible with the apparent movement. The light could have been switched off remotely or temporarily hidden by parts of the drone. White alone does not match the source’s stated aviation lighting requirements, which also include green and red, but 1 or 2 custom lights might help an operator keep the drone in sight, especially at the reported brightness. Distance, moderate drone noise and a wind that would carry sound towards the witness only initially probably explain the lack of heard sound. Image analysis adds support. IPACO distance estimates using common drone dimensions are consistent. Climbs, descents and stationary phases in several videos fit drone capabilities. Zooming caused defocus, explaining irregularities and various shapes within the blurred light spot; the actual source was point-like. GEIPAN notes that, under this interpretation, the unidentified operator violated several rules. The sighting began at the flight-authorisation time limit, with flight prohibited during aeronautical night, defined here as 30 minutes after sunset, and the area was strictly prohibited to drones. The case is classified B: probable drone observation. IPACO is GEIPAN’s image-analysis and processing software (IPACO.fr).