NUFORC Sighting 175586

Occurred: 2022-07-07 21:10 Local
Reported: 2023-04-30 13:05 Pacific
Duration: Two minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Milwaukee, WI, USA
Location details: Far NW side, near Timmerman Airport

Shape: Cross
Explanation: Drone - Possible
Characteristics: Lights on object

Noiseless, rapid object originated at 185 degrees, overflew and continued steadily, adjusting to 300 degree bearing. Multiple lights.

My house is quite near Timmerman airport, which is used for small craft and helicopters only, no jets as a general rule. I have lived in the same area for 45 years and am familiar with typical airborne objects and their behavior.

I walked to the south of my lot, where there is a large field I use for skywatching. I was observing the 'Summer Triangle' (Altair/Deneb/Vega) and noticed a barely-moving white light at approximately 12 degrees of arc in height to the South of my position. It appeared to be moving North and had no associated sound. I disregarded it assuming it was an aircraft until I realized that it was gaining speed, getting closer, the size of the lights was increasing and the whole thing was not far from overhead.

At this point I focused on the appearance, and I can only say there were a minimum of three affixed lights to this craft, all white, none green nor red nor intermittent, but positioned at what I would suggest would be the fore (a headlight), the tip of a wing and a tail of a cross-shaped airplane.

There was nothing extraordinary about this craft, save one thing. I am pretty sure it was of Earth origin, and it didn't exhibit any special properties.

The extraordinary nature was that it gave off no sound whatsoever and I could not see any structural components. This is important because at the point at which it was closest to me, no more than 1000 feet in altitude, it flew over my head quite rapidly and continued north.

I am arriving at height value by theorizing that the craft was probably moving at a steady speed and its bearing didn't change. From 'almost standing still, far south of me' to flying overhead noiselessly at the speed a small plane (200mph, roughly) it took about 300 seconds, but the majority of this was when it was near-still so I doubt it increased in speed.

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If you were to ask me for my opinion as a trained storm spotter and experienced skywatcher, amateur astronomer and plane enthusiast, I would suggest that it was a stealth drone of some sort (the Predator and Reaper types the US Military fields for example seem to fit the rough size and functional airspeed - however, those are propelled and what I heard was -no- sound whatsoever). Markup lights would be expected to be required in civilian airspace as well. The bearing it seemed to be headed toward corresponds to Oshkosh and points west, which have National Guard facilities (and the EAA, but this was not the appropriate time for that). Definitely not toward Madison, WI where we do have a UAV Fleet.

Posted 2023-05-19