[HOAX] "Glowing Tic-TaC" UFO in southern France [Possibly a Drone]

[Shrinker]

It doesn't necessarily have to be a drone. What about a large RC fixed wing model? That's what it looks like to me. A fixed wing model doing turns, rolls and dives.

The model in this video has LEDs all over the place, but the object in the OP videos looks as if it were a model with LEDs in the wings only. The wings "change length" as the model turns.


Usually less noisy than drones. There are RC models with 4, 6, 8 foot wingspans. So something larger and farther away will be quieter still.

The classic how big/how far away in the night sky problem.

Would also explain why a desultory search in the dark of night didn't turn up any operator. The operator of a large RC airplane could be hundreds of yards away even if the model were almost overhead.

The very first video in the original post shows the UFO coming to a dead stop and then rotating around its vertical axis, which is very drone-like behaviour, and I think it rules out a fixed wing if they are all a coordinated stunt.

 

[gargamel]

The very first video in the original post shows the UFO coming to a dead stop and then rotating around its vertical axis, which is very drone-like behaviour, and I think it rules out a fixed wing if they are all a coordinated stunt.

Yes, my first thought was that - it flies and rotates exactly like a decent-sized quadcopter consumer drone like any of those DJI ones. If any of the videos have original sound, that typical drone whining should be noticeable somewhere, as it appears to be within audible range. Can't check it myself now, but will give it a look (hear) later.

The light is interesting, anyhow. Very bright indeed, LED strip? Lots of people modify their drones, and it's becoming increasingly popular to buy them as parts "kits" even, giving handy folks even more control over the final product.

 

[Shrinker]

You can clearly hear the drones in the drone YouTube videos posted above.

The UFO in all videos of post #1, however, is completely silent. You hear small background noises, people whispering etc. but not a trace of the typical sound that a drone makes in those videos.

It could be far away but then it would be awfully big for a drone (and probably need a bigger, noisier engine as well).

As I remarked in post #33 it’s a little convenient that none of the videos shows lip sync or anything to prove the audio wasn’t recorded in a second take with the drone grounded. The video in the car seems like it has some points of sync, but I’m not convinced by it. Anyway, it’s interesting to have a UFO video where audio tampering might be the key.

 

[Itsme]

It is not 'a' UFO video, but several filmed by different people from different locations. That is what makes it interesting.

Of course "hoax" is a one-size-fits-all explanation for any UFO video, and the end of all discussions if you're convinced it is. But the fact that this object was filmed by different people makes a hoax less likely.

So assuming the audio was not tampered with, how to explain the complete absence of any drone-like noises?

 

[Mendel]

how to explain the complete absence of any drone-like noises?

Distance.

 

[Mick West]

But the fact that this object was filmed by different people makes a hoax less likely.

But who filmed it? And where are the originals?

 

[386]

The LED strip sounded very plausible due to weight. However, if assuming these weren't all the same person traveling around, it seems like a lot of hassle to get such accurately similar results. Got me thinking/researching about payload limits of popular drones, and how much easier it would be to simply attach one of these onto the bottom (found many types ranging from 15-18 inches, this orange one has a rapid ultra bright five minute glow time for emergency flares, but obviously less intense longer lasting ones exits):



Perhaps a store there had something similar for Halloween parties?

 

[dimebag2]

I'm going to make devil's advocate against the drone explanation because it has many flaws at the moment .

First, the examples of drone that people posted here and on Reddit do not look anything like the Glowin UFO. We can clearly hear their sound, and if not they are far enough that they only show a dim light. That thing is very bright, even from far away, and it does not look like the white cold light from LEDs, more like a warm incandescent sort of light.

Second, it's dead silent in the videos. Being French I understand what is said in the videos, and people seem genuinely freaked out, and in all videos in which they talk they comment about it making no sound. This is a big point that cannot be ignored. This woman who appeared on the main national TV outlet has no interest in describing what she describes. She is a horse breeder in a small village where people will take you for a nutjob if you report things like that. It's very difficult to imagine all these people on the videos are part of the hoax. And again, the videos confirm what they say anyway, we don't hear a drone sound in the videos.

Let's consider it's a hoax that does not involve the witnesses. The hoaxers must fly this thing above people in different areas, hoping they don't hear any engine sound to discard it as a drone, and that they take a video of it to report it. In the case of the farm report, it's in the countryside, in the middle of fields. They had to go there at night, fly their thing, hope for the farmer to hear it and come to check it out, take a video out of it, and report. Who has no life to the point of making plans like that ? It makes no sense.

This thing being an alien probe or craft does not make more sense of course (why would they show up in such a dramatic setting?). But at least understand why many consider this case unsolved. There is a reason why this UFO is all over the place on Reddit, and reported in many medias in France.

EDIT: the horse breeder didn't hear it by the way, she heard her horses being agitated and came to check on them

 

[Ravi]

Can you build something that looks like a domino piece?
Because to me the lighted shape looks like a tumbling domino piece, sometimes seen from the side (which is when it looks like a thin line of light).

It is a strip of light (1D) and it sometimes looks like a rectangular shape, because it's out-of-focus (a blurred line becomes a rectangle)

 

[Kvothe7]

Is there any Flight24 data on the surrounding region ? ( hypothesis being it's a marketing campaign or something similar ? )

Is there any possibility that this could be a large baloon with a bright light attached ?

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

The very first video in the original post shows the UFO coming to a dead stop and then rotating around its vertical axis, which is very drone-like behaviour, and I think it rules out a fixed wing if they are all a coordinated stunt.

Does it come to a dead stop? Or is that the classic "hovering illusion"? A fixed wing aircraft moving along the line of sight of the witness (straight toward or straight away) appears to be "hovering."

See: https://www.metabunk.org/threads/my...and-nebraska-chasing-venus.11048/#post-236278

Turns are misperceived as slow lateral (sideways) motion.


I'm going to stick with the fixed wing model hypothesis. The drone hypothesis is based on superficial assumptions about what the aircraft is actually doing; perceived motions versus actual motions.

Fixed wing aircraft are bigger and therefore farther away. Apparent motions of more distant objects can be more deceiving. Fixed wing models are inherently more quiet; and being farther away are quieter still. Fixed wing models easily do the kind of rolls we see; and they can do dives as we see in the videos.

I think this entire video is worth watching, but I've cued it to this part here. We hear the more distant geese, but what do you hear from the model?


We hear a fan like noise when it's launched. Drones have multiple, smaller, faster rotating props. This model has a single, larger, slower rotating prop (driven by an electric motor). A faster prop is loud because the tips are producing sonic booms. A slower prop makes a fan-like noise because there are no sonic booms.

All of this was an issue with the classic advertising plane UFOs of the 1970's. Lighted wings, misperceived motions and the lack of noise from slowly rotating props.

 

[jarlrmai]

The problem with the fixed wing idea is the object goes static (hovers) then rotates 360 degrees several times

Take a look at 28 to 35 seconds of the 1st video.

 

[386]

Second, it's dead silent in the videos.

It could be 100+ metres away, we don't know the model of the drone (some are fairly quiet at a distance), we don't know wind/weather conditions, we don't know the true ambient sound levels. Why are you so certain that we/they should be able to hear it?

Is there any possibility that this could be a large baloon with a bright light attached ?

Watch the first video at ~30sec you'll see it maneuvers like a drone.

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

The problem with the fixed wing idea is the object goes static (hovers) then rotates 360 degrees several times

Take a look at 28 to 35 seconds of the 1st video.

What I see at that point is the model making a left turn, heading straight away from the camera and doing some rolls as it still heads away from the camera. It then does a dive.

It could well be a "flying wing" type, which could account for the wings-only illumination rather than the whole airframe being illuminated. In that case, the bar of light would actually be a V-shaped light. Which could make the motions even more deceiving. I think that would account for the "edge on" appearance of the (left) wing as it goes into the steep dive.

 

[jarlrmai]

What I see at that point is the model making a left turn, heading straight away from the camera and doing some rolls as it still heads away from the camera. It then does a dive.

Can you indicate where you think the light is mounted on this model aircraft, I am having trouble picturing this.

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

A flying wing. Remember that the LEDs are INSIDE the hollow core structure of the wing. The entire wing is illuminated.

I'll try to find a better video. But imagine this with illuminated wings. This is a small model with a high revving motor, so is noisy; and makes faster maneuvers.

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

Better, but still a much smaller model than I than I'm envisioning. A smaller, closer model makes the apparent size change more quickly. A larger and more distant model would make the apparent size change less quickly.

 

[Kvothe7]

I think this hypothesis is quite nice as it explains the elongated shape of the light.

However, I do have one issue with this. In the video, the light appears to be quite luminous. As you say that the diodes are inside the wing itself, wouldn't they be much less luminous.

I also found a few videos of LED flying wings, and they were all relatively much dimmer.

 

[jarlrmai]

So for a flying wing to represent those parts of the videos it would have to not swept back like the example one and then somehow rotate in a flat spin.

Then shoot off in the direction of one of the wings.

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

A flat spin? Why a flat spin?

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

At this point I think we'll just have to wait for the follow-up story; (after the RC hobbyist comes forward and says the French equivalent of "Jeez, I wasn't trying to freak anyone out. Just out having some fun with my new model.")

 

[jarlrmai]

The light rotates end over end, if this is the wings of the aircraft seen from below then it has rotate around it's centre axis in a way that keeps the full length of the light visible.

It then has to fly off in the direction of the long axis of the wings.

 

[Ravi]

What I see at that point is the model making a left turn, heading straight away from the camera and doing some rolls as it still heads away from the camera. It then does a dive.

It could well be a "flying wing" type, which could account for the wings-only illumination rather than the whole airframe being illuminated. In that case, the bar of light would actually be a V-shaped light. Which could make the motions even more deceiving. I think that would account for the "edge on" appearance of the (left) wing as it goes into the steep dive.

Are you sure you are viewing the video as @jarlrmai is indicating? I see no way of a plane to make a 360+ degree rotation like that.
I enjoy optical illusions as any other, but I don't see this being a plane of any kind.

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

Rolls; done properly... and improperly.

Source: https://youtu.be/W0WQF52Da0Q?t=100


Imagine a larger and slower model heading directly from the camera. A properly done roll (without losing altitude) heading away from the camera, looks as if the wings were spinning around a minor axis.

A drone that does a roll necessarily loses altitude.


Multiple slow rolls would make the drone fall out of the sky.

 

[Itsme]

Before going all out on manoeuvres, can someone show me a video with a drone as bright and big that is inaudible? I haven't found any yet. They all make more than enough noise to be clearly audible in a quiet French cow field.

The UFO was seen in locations 10 km apart, so there is possibility that it's much larger than a drone and at a considerable distance. Some of the French forums say 400 km apart but I don't think that has been confirmed yet.

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

Palavas-les-Flots, 11/9 : Source: https://twitter.com/MteoGardHerault/status/1458215287774404611?s=20

It heads toward the camera... makes a right turn... makes a left turn and heads in a diagonal way across the line of sight (both closer to the camera, and to the camera's right), with the typical rocking wing motion of a model airplane... goes into a tight left turn... heads directly away from the camera... does one and a half rolls... and goes into a steep dive from the last half roll.

Before going all out on manoeuvres, can someone show me a video with a drone as bright and big that is inaudible? I haven't found any yet.

The UFO was seen in locations 400 km apart, so there is possibility that it's much larger than a drone and at a considerable distance.

Allegedly seen 400km apart...

The videos are from witnesses in the same area...

As for it being a larger object... It could be a manned sailplane, but I really doubt that.

 

[Mick West]

I've changed the title from "probably" to "possibly" a drone, as there's a variety of points against the drone hypothesis as well as some other suggestions that need to be explored.

I'm leaning towards some kind of organized hoax - largely because of the abbreviated and unsourced nature of the videos (who is Yann Fenn?). The barbeque footage audio sounds suspiciously quiet, and with some reverb that sounds like it was recorded in a room. However we should not take things (a quiet UAV) off the table.

 

[Mick West]

So this is Yann Fenn
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010271169864
A little used FB account that last posted over a year ago. Aug 4, 2020

Their first post was the barbecue video:
Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1543954032623621&id=100010271169864




His translated comments

Filmed tonight in Murviel #OVNI Welcome!?

I was paralyzed!

you can't even imagine the fear we had... really very impressive!

I live 10 km west of Montpellier and we observed the phenomenon very close to us west of our position around 21:45, so opposite to the axis you suggest Font-couverte, and frankly it didn't look like anything deja vu.

I don't explain anything because it's unexplainable! I don't see the light source falling but moving away at the speed of light... it was downright a weird experience

I confirm that there was absolutely no noise, it was very disturbing indeed... We really have been prostrated to this phenomenon... I have no rational explanation

Content from External Source

Here's the FB video, probably the closest in quality to the original.

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

I think we should define some terms.

UAV - unmanned aerial vehicle - fixed wing or copter type, can be very large or small, especially one used by the military or other government agency.
Drone - just means unmanned
Quadcopter - Hobbyist remote controlled flyer that flies like a helicopter (I think that is what most people think when they say "drone.")
RC airplane - a hobbyist fixed wing model airplane

 

[Mick West]

The Facebook Yann Fenn BBQ file is smaller than the Twitter one, but seems better quality.

 

[Mick West]

I think we should define some terms.

UAV - unmanned aerial vehicle - fixed wing or copter type, can be very large or small
Drone - just means unmanned
Quadcopter - Hobbyist remote controlled flyer that flies like a helicopter (I think that is what most people think when they say "drone.")
RC airplane - a hobbyist fixed wing model airplane

"UAV" and "drone" are interchangable. I used UAV as in the vernacular people think of "drone" as being "quadcopter", so I thought UAV would be more inclusive

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

Before going all out on manoeuvres, can someone show me a video with a drone as bright and big that is inaudible? I haven't found any yet. They all make more than enough noise to be clearly audible in a quiet French cow field.

See: https://www.metabunk.org/threads/gl...nce-possibly-a-drone.12125/page-2#post-260657

Please pay attention to info that's already been presented in the thread.

 

[dimebag2]

We will probably have a explanation very soon on this. It turns out it was a hoax, made by the famous (in France) hoaxer Remi Gaillard. That's the region where he and his team are from. I suppose all the witnesses were part of it, or it could not work. He published a teaser on Twitter with the farmer girl so there is little doubt left he is behind it. They went all the way to have the national TV make a segment on it, what a bunch of idiots frankly.

 

[dimebag2]

It may very well be CGI then, and explain the questionable part with the light in front of the leaves. And of course the absence of sound in the videos. We'll see.

 

[386]

I was just posting the same, translation of the tweet is below.

Hello all media, In 1938, Orson Welles made it seem like an alien invasion on the radio. A century later, thanks to you, I just made the same hoax. Thank you ! It is by doing anything that we become UFO Flying saucer To be continued...

I remember sharing his tiny videos back in dial-up internet days.

 

[dimebag2]

His videos used to be funny. This one is just wasting everybody's time.

 

[dimebag2]

Who has no life to the point of making plans like that ? It makes no sense.

Remi Gaillard.

And he makes a living out of it. Should have thought about it cause this is the region where he makes his pranks.

 

[Mick West]

People think that hoax videos teach believers something about critical thinking. I've found it just makes them angry, and muddies the water. Now some will declaim this as disinformation, and some will continue to repeat it as a real case.

 

[dimebag2]

I mean it takes guts to straight lie like this girl did on national TV. She really is a horse breeder, she is not the one making a living out of it. I hope she got a good pay for that. And this meteorologist from the local weather outlet too.

 

[Z.W. Wolf]

I'd never heard of Remi Gaillard until this moment. Can you point me to some info about the guy?

Is it CGI? The sensor reflections/lens flares argue against that.