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Introduction On Data
Reliability		 Analysis
Methodologies		 A Scientific WFM Observatory Explanatory
Hypotheses		 Conclusion

Available Video Footage
 Trollstigen1 Jul 2018
YouTube: adRsfMwpnQk★★☆☆☆
 Queen Valley (AZ)5 Apr 2018
YouTube: 4KeZ7Pzbd9U★★★★☆
 Suchá14 Oct 2017
YouTube: lnIUh2bPxu0★★★★★
 Crucea de Piatră3 Oct 2017
YouTube: P-iFx3VIiQ0★★★★★
 Crucea de Piatră14 Sep 2017
YouTube: mWvP3QG18v0★★★★☆
 Fort St. John (BC)3 Sep 2017
YouTube: d3ajks8OHCo★★★★★
 Weert25 May 2017
YouTube: h0s_P74oQD4★★★★☆
 Port Tabacco (MD)18 Mar 2017
YouTube: 2wII24qSpDw★★★★☆
 Volgograd (VGG)18 Mar 2017
YouTube: _p_inSwZcPQ★★★☆☆
 Charles Town (WV)Feb 2017
YouTube: JJpSYozvasc★★★★☆
 RugeleySummer 2016
YouTube: mgrI0MHZQQc★★★☆☆
 New York City (NY)Jul 2016
YouTube: QGKkhZE2Fk0★★☆☆☆
 Ayden (NC)16 Oct 2016
YouTube: 6BUA6zdbgEE★★★★☆
 Nueva Talcuna24 Mar 2016
YouTube: O9R1wMq0VOI★★☆☆☆
 Maryland Point (MD)12 Dec 2015
YouTube: 9P2A8m7RgnA★★★★★
 Sion13 Nov 2015
YouTube: dNrtU1z_5EQ★★★☆☆
 Westbury26 Sep 2015
YouTube: VjW_QyXtyHA★★★★★

 Port Tabacco (MD), 18 Mar 2017


 Abstract  This footage exemplifies some common features of the WFM phenomenon captured by a drone camera. The object approaches from a distance along a curved line with a very big radius, which leads to the possible WFM passing the drone from below. The object remains very likely at roughly the same altitude over the ground, it moves about the speed of sound over a suburban area. Later frames of the video reveal that the camera's shutter time is too long to get a clear picture of the object and the common smear effect is visible. This video shows some peculiarities regarding the object's appearance in frames with significantly differing background contrasts of dark green, light green and grey-white color. The video was uploaded with a high resolution and the originator provides detailed background information.


Video Info
Source:YouTube.com/watch?v=2wII24qSpDw
User:Golden Hour Aerials (later changed to: RoyalFifth) 
Published:19 Mar 2017
Resolution:2160p
Frame rate:30fps
Drone model: Very likely DJI Phantom 4 Pro‡
Files: archived original description and comments on YouTube
Content Info
Viewpoint*: 38.466802, -77.028498goo.gl/maps/JsSCVrmh7Dt
Time†: 18 Mar 2017 16:00 (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
Weather: 15°C, 1014.5hPa, 53% humid., 13 km/h wind NEmore 
Object Analysis Results
Appears in frames:145 to 170 (00:04:833 to 00:05:667 m:s:ms)
First/last appearance*:(38.4645, -77.024889)  /  (38.466528, -77.028)
Object's direction:E to W
Passed distance:0.343km (13.19m per frame)
Traveling speed:1424.8km/hReview methodology for this estimate


This video and the YouTube channel were deleted by the originator in October 2018. The embedded video is a re-upload by me.

Data Reliability and Quality

The originator's YouTube channel has 24 subscribers and the mentioned video with the title Help identify this flying object I filmed with my drone--Charles County, MD has only 482 views (August 2018). He uploaded 54 videos since July 2016. 53 videos show drone footage and derivates of drone footage, including 3-dimensional area scans, which is the creation of photo-realistic computer models of a large object by applying algorithms to drone footage (example: 1IizrVf19bg). The one non-drone video shows a gathering for a solar eclipse filmed with a handheld camera. None of the other videos are in any way UFO related and the total views of the channel amount to only around 11,700. In some videos, the person holding the drone's remote is clearly visible (e.g. Ggm1grCiR4A).

The channel's about page reveals:

Golden Hour Aerials is a licensed and insured drone company in Washington DC providing aerial photography, videography, and 3d modeling services for residential, commercial, industrial, or agricultural properties. We use the DJI Phantom 4 Professional Drone, which shoots in 4k video and takes 20MP stills. (channel page, retrieved August 2018)

The company was active until August 2017 on Facebook and Twitter. Note that the channel recently changed his name from Golden Hour Aerials to RoyalFifth and the last uploaded video is from 21 August 2017.

All uploaded videos show areas in the US, most videos show locations in Maryland, some others show locations in New York, New Jersey, one in Aspen, Colorado and one from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The originator does not answer to comments or requests for information. However, he provides thorough information about his capture of a possible WFM. Furthermore, he speculates:

Need help identifying this white object that flies under my drone going about 800 mph, a calculation based on the distance it covered in 1 second. It comes out of the woods to the top right and flies towards the viewer. I at first thought it was a bird but bird's don't fly that fast.

I think it is a speck of dust that flies under the camera. (original video description)

Interestingly, he does not obviously foster a non-mundane interpretation of the data. He notices the fast speed, but still suggested a speck of dust, which can obviously not be the case. Does he suggest an unlikely explanation to foster UFO speculations implicitly? Possibly, but without further information I can only speculate about such implications. No subscriptions to other channels are revealed for this YouTube profile and, therefore, we cannot gather further insight into the individual's personal interests.

As analysed below, the footage itself does not show any signs of tampering. Peculiarities at different contrast situations in the shot rather show that the footage would have been cleaner, if it was hoaxed. Overall, this case seems rather reliable. The person or company shot a lot of drone footage with a professional intention. The YouTube channel does not attract a lot of viewership and the video is not presented as a sensational case of a UFO capture. The low number of views indicate that this video was not sent to any other media outlet. The best explanation for this capture of a possible WFM is that the originator filmed and uploaded it as an interesting anomaly without any more further intentions than receiving a good explanation of what he filmed, which did not occur in the video's comments until today.

The video is of very high resolution (2160p) and sufficient frame rate (30fps), which could also be chosen higher.

Smear Effect and Different Backgrounds

As figure 1 shows, the smear effect is consistent with an object approaching very fast. Furthermore, the very noticeable smear effect is consistent with other cases shoot with the camera sensors used in a DJI Phantom 4 Professional—see chapters on data reliability and on the analysis methodology.




Fig 1. Closeup views of some selected frames with strong background contrasts to the possible WFM.

Figure 2 shows details of four frames in which the background colors behind the possible WFM change significantly. The change of visibility of the possible WFM with smear effect are stronger than one would suspect. I cannot offer a good explanation for this peculiarity, but, in my view, this strengthens the reliability of the case, because I do not see any reason why hoaxed footage should show this peculiarity.


Fig 2. Closeup views of some selected frames with changing backgrounds.

Furthermore, for whatever reason, the object's visibility changes strongly in earlier frames, too. It is not unambiguously visible in frames 146, 147, 149, 157 and 159, but it is unambiguously visible in the other frames from 145 to 170.

Slightly Curved Trajectory Towards Drone

As figure 3 shows, the object's travel path is not linear, but curved with a big radius and the object seems to steer towards the drone's position similar to some other cases (see chapter on analysis methodology, figure 7). The distances between the object's appearances in the different frames are consistent with an object that travels at roughly constant altitude.

Fig 3. Analysis of the object's path. Every unambiguously visible position of the object is marked.

The perspective of the filming changed slightly during the capture due to the drone's movement. (figure 4) However, these slight changes can be adjusted manually and a stabilization of the video is not necessary.

Fig 4. Perspective of first and last frame with the object being visible.

Estimation of Speed

Under the usual assumption of the object traveling at a roughly constant altitude, the data is very suitable to estimate the speed of travel. Figure 5 shows the estimated traveled distance, which leads to an estimate of about 1423 km/h. This is too fast for an model air plane of this size or any animal.

Fig 5. Estimation of object's distance traveled.

Figure 5 shows the correct place. In figure 3 an additional isolated tree can be seen in the upper right part that does not occur in the 2018 satellite image in figure 5. As an earlier satellite image reveals (figure 6), this tree was removed recently and a new part of road was constructed.

Fig 6. Satellite image of the area from 15 April 2016.

Weather

The weather conditions are very moderate in all regards. Wind cannot be the cause of the object's movement behavior.

Appendix

Fig A.1. Distance between camera and nearest publicly available weather station at Quantico Marine Corps Air Facility.


‡ The originator did not state specifically that this footage was taken with this drone, but on his channel he/she mentioned his ownership of this and only this drone more general in other videos.

* Geographic coordinates are given as a vector of latitudes and longitudes in format WGS 84 as used by Google maps.

† The detailed point in time of the capture was stated by the originator of the footage.

 
 
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