Pilots saw and filmed a "silver pill" in the sky - but the radar detected nothing

Two pilots over Ohio spotted a silver, pill-shaped object at an altitude of 13 km, filmed it, and reported it to air traffic control - but the radar detected nothing. Researchers at NUFORC released the image and audio recordings, concluding that the object's identity remains unexplained.

Two pilots flying a business jet over the U.S. state of Ohio on August 16, 2026, noticed a shiny silver object at an altitude of about 13 kilometers. They described it as a "giant pill" with no wings or lights, appearing nearly stationary. One pilot, identified in the report only as J, managed to photograph the object using his iPhone. The entire encounter lasted about two minutes. The pilots contacted Cleveland air traffic control, but the radar detected no object in the area. Researchers at the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) investigated the possibility that it was a weather balloon or research balloon, but found no match to documented launches. The aircraft's collision avoidance system and flight tracking app also showed nothing unusual. The pilot himself doubted it was a balloon due to severe weather conditions, including engine icing and turbulence. However, the researchers emphasize that a balloon cannot be ruled out, and the lack of radar detection does not prove an extraterrestrial origin. The organization criticized that the case was not forwarded to additional government bodies for investigation, noting that mocking responses from air traffic controllers may deter pilots from reporting unusual objects.