Last updated: June 23, 2026
The year 2024 was one of the most consequential on record for documented UAP sighting reports. Between a landmark Pentagon report cataloguing 757 new cases, military pilots describing being trailed by unknown craft, and the explosive New Jersey drone wave that gripped the Northeast for weeks, UAP sightings in 2024 moved firmly from fringe to frontpage. This archive covers every major UAP sighting of 2024 with case details, official responses, and primary source links.
The AARO FY2024 Report: 757 New Cases
On November 14, 2024, the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) released its Fiscal Year 2024 Consolidated Annual Report on UAP — the most comprehensive UAP sighting dataset made public to date. The report covered 757 new cases submitted between May 1, 2023 and June 1, 2024.
Of those 757 cases, AARO resolved 49 as identifiable objects — 70% balloons, 16% unmanned aerial systems, 8% birds, 4% satellites, and 2% conventional aircraft. A further 243 cases were recommended for closure due to insufficient follow-up data. But critically, 21 cases were flagged as meriting further analysis due to anomalous characteristics and behaviors that could not be explained. The remaining 444 cases lacked sufficient sensor data for any conclusion and were placed in the active archive.
The report was published at media.defense.gov and represents the official government baseline for UAP sightings in 2024.
Case 1 — Diamond-Shaped UAP Moving at 434 Knots (CENTCOM, 2024)
Among the 21 cases flagged for further analysis, one of the most striking involved U.S. Central Command. A military platform operating in the CENTCOM area of responsibility captured one minute and five seconds of multi-sensor video footage of a UAP described in the accompanying mission report as “diamond-shaped” and traveling at approximately 434 knots. What made this case particularly notable: the object was only detectable via short-wave infrared (SWIR) sensor — invisible to conventional optical cameras entirely.
The combination of extreme speed, unusual geometry, and sensor-selective detectability placed this UAP sighting in 2024 among the most technically significant on record. No conventional explanation has been offered.
Case 2 — Military Pilots Trailed by Unknown Aircraft (Three Documented Incidents)
The FY2024 AARO report documented three separate incidents in which military air crews reported being followed or shadowed by unidentified aircraft. In each case, investigators found no evidence linking the activity to a foreign adversary or to any known aerospace technology. The cases remain open.
A separate INDOPACOM submission included one minute and 39 seconds of infrared sensor footage from a U.S. military platform — one of several 2024 incidents captured exclusively via thermal or infrared imaging, consistent with the pattern first brought to public attention by witnesses including Ryan Graves and David Fravor during their 2023 congressional testimony.
Case 3 — The New Jersey Drone Wave (November–December 2024)
The most publicly visible UAP sighting event of 2024 began on November 18 in New Jersey. Within weeks it had become a national story, with officials reporting up to 180 sightings per night across New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Witnesses described objects unlike typical consumer or commercial drones: some were reported as as large as cars, flying without navigation lights, emitting a loud hum, and operating in coordinated groups alongside fixed-wing aircraft. Crucially, sightings clustered near sensitive locations — military installations, nuclear power plants, Round Valley Reservoir, emergency communication centers, and major infrastructure corridors including highways and transmission lines.
The FBI and DHS stated they had “no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.” However, military officials separately confirmed a concurrent pattern of unauthorized incursions over sensitive defense installations — a distinction that was largely lost in public reporting. By late December 2024, sighting reports in northern New Jersey had slowed significantly. No official explanation for the objects was ever provided. NBC News and NPR covered the event extensively.
Case 4 — The September 2024 Multi-State Orb Flap
Between September 13 and 19, 2024, a wave of UAP sighting reports emerged across at least seven states: Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Nevada, and Colorado. Witnesses consistently described silent, fast-moving orbs with no visible propellers or conventional propulsion. Approximately half of all reports noted the objects were completely silent — inconsistent with any known commercial drone platform of comparable size.
An October 2024 orb case in the northeastern United States added further detail: an object described as a “plasma-like sphere” was observed hovering above a pond at an estimated distance of 2,700 feet, changing shape and luminosity intermittently, before appearing to separate into smaller luminous points. The object remained stationary for approximately 45 minutes before disappearing. The UAP Task Force model of rapid multi-state orb tracking has since become a framework for understanding this category of UAP sighting.
Case 5 — MQ-9 Reaper vs. High-Speed Orb off Yemen (October 2024)
One of the most dramatic UAP incidents of 2024 was not publicly disclosed until a 2025 congressional hearing, when Representative Eric Burlison unveiled previously unseen video footage: a U.S. military MQ-9 Reaper drone firing a Hellfire missile at a high-speed orb off the coast of Yemen in October 2024.
The footage, described by ABC News as “never-before-seen,” showed the Reaper engaging the object over open water. The outcome of the engagement was not disclosed. The incident underscores that UAP sightings in 2024 were not merely passive observations — in at least one documented case, the U.S. military actively engaged an unidentified object.
The November 2024 Congressional Hearing: “Exposing the Truth”
On November 13, 2024, the House Oversight Committee held a hearing titled Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth — one of the most substantive UAP hearings since the landmark July 2023 session featuring David Grusch.
Retired Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet testified about witnessing confirmation of UAPs interacting with naval exercises, including his connection to the “Go Fast” video — one of the three videos officially released by the Pentagon. Investigative journalist Michael Shellenberger presented a whistleblower report describing what he called “Immaculate Constellation” — an alleged active, highly classified Special Access Program tracking non-human craft. Matthew Brown, the whistleblower behind the Immaculate Constellation disclosures, has his full profile on this site.
Witness Chief Alexandro Wiggins testified that sailors need explicit assurance that reporting UAP encounters will not harm their careers — a systemic chilling effect on the data that explains why official UAP sighting figures almost certainly underrepresent reality. NPR and DefenseScoop covered the hearing in depth.
What UAP Sightings in 2024 Tell Us
Taken together, UAP sightings in 2024 reveal several consistent patterns. First, sensor-selective detectability — objects that appear only on infrared or SWIR sensors while remaining invisible to conventional optics — is becoming a recurring characteristic across unresolved cases. Second, proximity to sensitive military and energy infrastructure is a documented pattern across multiple 2024 incidents, from the New Jersey drone wave to CENTCOM airspace. Third, the 21 cases flagged for further analysis by AARO represent only the officially acknowledged tip of a much larger dataset.
The broader context for understanding this data is covered in our AARO organization page and our archive of primary UAP source documents.
Frequently Asked Questions About UAP Sightings in 2024
Frequently Asked Questions
How many UAP sightings were officially reported in 2024?
AARO’s FY2024 report covered 757 new UAP cases submitted between May 2023 and June 2024. The cumulative AARO database reached over 1,600 cases. Of the resolved cases, the majority were attributed to balloons, drones, or airborne clutter — but a significant percentage remained uncharacterized.
What was the most significant UAP sighting of 2024?
The CENTCOM diamond-shaped UAP moving at 434 knots — detectable only by short-wave infrared — was among the most compelling documented cases. The object exhibited no visible propulsion or control surfaces and was tracked by multiple sensors. It was publicly described at a congressional briefing as representative of the genuinely uncharacterized cases in the AARO database.
What were the New Jersey drones spotted in late 2024?
Starting November 18, 2024, large unidentified objects — some reportedly the size of cars — were observed over New Jersey and neighboring states, often near sensitive infrastructure. Despite extensive media coverage and congressional inquiries, no government agency publicly identified the objects or their operators. The episode remained unresolved into 2025.
Did the US military engage a UAP in 2024?
Yes. Video footage revealed at a 2025 congressional hearing showed a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone firing on an unidentified object. The engagement took place in 2024, and the footage — described as previously classified — was presented as evidence that UAP encounters have escalated beyond passive observation.
What did AARO conclude about UAP sightings in 2024?
AARO concluded there is no evidence of extraterrestrial beings, activity, or technology in any case reviewed through 2024. Critics disputed this framing, arguing that AARO’s mandate and access restrictions prevent it from investigating the legacy programs where the most sensitive evidence would be held. The office’s FY2024 report was widely described as incomplete by UAP researchers and former officials.
Was there a congressional UAP hearing in 2024?
Yes. On November 13, 2024, the House Oversight Committee held a hearing titled “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Examining the Federal Government’s Investigation and Disclosure Efforts.” It featured testimony from military pilots and researchers and was part of the continuing congressional effort to establish formal oversight of UAP programs.
Are UAP sightings in 2024 evidence of extraterrestrial life?
No official government body has concluded that 2024 UAP sightings are evidence of extraterrestrial life. The documented cases establish that genuinely uncharacterized aerial objects exist, operate in restricted airspace, and exhibit flight characteristics beyond known technology — but the origin of these objects remains officially unknown.
How many UAP sightings were officially reported in 2024?
AARO’s FY2024 report covered 757 new UAP cases. Of these, 21 were flagged as anomalous and meriting further analysis.
What was the most significant UAP sighting of 2024?
The CENTCOM diamond-shaped UAP at 434 knots — detectable only by short-wave infrared — is among the most technically significant. The New Jersey drone wave was the most publicly visible event.
What were the New Jersey drones of late 2024?
Starting November 18, large unidentified objects — some reportedly car-sized — appeared over New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania at up to 180 reports per night. Sightings clustered near military bases, nuclear plants, and reservoirs. No official explanation was provided.
Did the US military engage a UAP in 2024?
Yes. Video shown at a 2025 congressional hearing revealed a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper firing a Hellfire missile at a high-speed orb off Yemen in October 2024. The outcome was not disclosed.
What did AARO conclude about UAP sightings in 2024?
AARO found no evidence of extraterrestrial activity in resolved cases, but 21 cases with anomalous characteristics remain under ongoing analysis.
Was there a congressional UAP hearing in 2024?
Yes — November 13, 2024: “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth.” Witnesses included Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet and multiple military whistleblowers.
Are UAP sightings in 2024 evidence of extraterrestrial life?
No official body has concluded this. AARO explicitly states no resolved cases substantiate that claim. The 21 anomalous cases remain under analysis.
