This may explain some of those UFO's (aliens, secret, lights)

[saltine]

20+ yrs ago Just before dusk I went on a recon with 3 friends deep in the woods on the Missouri river. We had a nice campfire going that would serve as a little light and to heat our canned stew. We were about 90 minutes in when a bright light approached from the south at ground level along a trail that was a little west of our position. We doused the fire and took positions assuming it was the authorities. The light retreated back to the south and we resumed activities at our camp. After about 25 minutes the light approached again with a more deliberate speed. We froze up and remained put. Then to our utter amazement this thing lifted into the trees and manuvered through the canopy. Nobody moved or said a thing. It came to a clearing directly west and thankfully (I was scared) turned toward the river then proceeded up river and out of sight behind the thickening trees. Just as quick as it disapeared a helicopter straffed overhead just above the trees and lit us up, it's amazing how quickly a helicopter can come out of nowhere and be right on top of you. It kept going. It was a lot of fun speculating what this was but in the end I shelved it as government technology that was not public. Unmanned Drones Could Aid Farmers if FAA Allows - KHGI-TV/KWNB-TV/KHGI-CD-Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings

[pamelaBeurman]

Being a farmer, I still prefer the "get on a horse and go check it out myself" approach. Then again, we only have 250 acres.

I can see the advantage on a larger scale, it would save a great deal of time and effort.

I can't see them being confused with UFO's much though. Perhaps some, but not all.

We live in the flight path of a major military base. It's nothing to have as many as 50 helo's fly over within a couple of hours. Those you can hear long before you can see, although there have been a few times, mostly at night when they just seem to appear out of nowhere and they're QUIET. Flat black with no visible markings.

Kinda makes ya wonder what some of our taxes are being spent on.

[rifleman]

Agreed, pam! Esp. that all-black & silent stuff! We used to live on the outpath from that now-gone Marine Air Base El Toro in SoCal. We regularly had to endure flights of afterburner-mode F-18s heading out in groups of 1 to 5, right over our tract home in Trabuco Canyon. (never again, btw...)

Then there were the big ol' marine helos that thumped on by our home. A group of four of them, simultaneously awesome and über-shaky all at once!

But then, from time to time, always at night, () I 'd be out there on my patio, sipping some good Bourbon, and I'd more see than hear,some very fast "Thing" on that same outpath, but making not much noise, and going hyper-fast. With no pulsating afterburner glow neither! (called Shock Diamonds and more properly, Mach Discs, btw. You learn some thing new fron a scientist every durned day, dont'cha? That is, if you are willing to listen...) Hmmm...

Mach Discs/Shock Diamonds:

Image Detail for - http://www.avsim.com/pages/0708/AlphaSim3/fig33.jpg

So... could it possibly be that our military is working on a few future aerospace secrets? Nahh.. say it jist ain't so, Murtha. They keeps us cit-uh-zuhns, them what payz the bills, in the light at all times! Yup. I trust 'em!

A'course, maybe it was aliens checking out MCAS El Toro on the sly, or perhaps it was the Chinese. Yeah: that's it: The Chinese, scooping up secrets! And then stopping off over Colorado to make a few crop circles, all while they laugh their well-educated and logical heads off at how we dumb-a$$p Americans like to come to our religious conclusions whenever we're stumped.

[pamelaBeurman]

Nice link!

I can see how that could be mistaken for a UFO, especially if a good Kentucky Bourbon is involved.

I grew up on and around military bases. Living in the flight path of one doesn't bother me, but it tends to annoy the cattle.

True fear is hearing a sonic boom and looking up to see a 1000lb longhorn headed straight for you. Something that big shouldn't be so damn jumpy.