Recorded within this archive are all known sightings of drone aircraft operated by the Roswell Flight Test Crew. If you are aware of a sighting that is not listed below, please contact us with a web link.
03-September-2012
Unconventional aircraft are observed maneuvering with the balloons at the 2012 Sequim Hot Air Balloon Festival. A local video producer named Jeff Chew captures footage of these mysterious craft and traces them back to a nearby ground station operated by the Roswell Flight Test Crew. Although they appear to be in a trance-like state, possibly induced by sleep deprivation, he interviews the crew and posts a video about the encounter on YouTube.
22-August-2012
KPTV Channel 12 reporter Stephanie Kralevich learns about the existence of small, unmanned aircraft operated by the Roswell Flight Test Crew while preparing a feature story about the Tigard Festival of Balloons. During a follow-up investigation, she captures video of the mysterious aircraft operating in the vicinity of Jackson Middle School in Portland, Oregon. Her broadcast report, which aired on August 22, includes video recovered from on board the craft, as well as a first-hand description of the aerial perspective that they provide.
28-Mar-2012
KOIN Local 6 reporter and anchor Chad Carter conducts a months-long investigation of Roswell Flight Test Crew drone aircraft, beginning at the city's renown Rose Garden and culminating in a live demonstration with Portland Fire & Rescue crews at their training center. His report is broadcast during the 6 p.m. newscast.
03-Mar-2012
Two independent witnesses - photographer Teri J. Pieper and community blogger Karen West - simultaneously photograph and document multirotor drone aircraft operating in Winthrop, Washington, during the town’s annual balloon roundup. The drones are observed in the immediate vicinity of a hot air balloon wedding that is being conducted by the Morning Star Balloon Company.
15-Oct-2011
Volunteer search and rescue personnel participating in a K9 trailing exercise at Northwest SARCon observe small, unmanned aircraft shadowing their movements during training. Members of Tactical Tracker Teams recover high-definition video footage taken from on board these craft and incorporate it into videos that they post on their YouTube channel.
15-Sept-2011
Having read reports about Roswell Flight Test Crew drones participating in public safety training exercises, KATU Investigative Reporter Dan Tilkin identifies the local proving ground for these mysterious aircraft – code-named “White Sands.” He is able to capture video of the unmanned vehicles in flight and conduct interviews with members of the crew. His report is broadcast during a television newscast and posted to the Internet.
14-Aug-2011
Bryan Dorr, a sharp-eyed bicyclist participating in the 2011 Providence Bridge Pedal, notices a mysterious aircraft hovering above the starting point of the course. He snaps a quick photograph and after posting it online via Twitter, he is able to identify it as an RFTC drone.
13-Aug-2011
RFTC drones are observed in operation over a "burn-to-learn" exercise conducted by the Longview, Wash., Fire Department. The report appears in The Daily News - a local newspaper serving the communities along the lower Columbia River. The story is reported by Barbara LaBoe and photographed by Bill Wagner.
31-July-2011
Photographer Kersten Green documents Roswell Flight Test Crew drones operating at Woodlawn Park, during the the run-up to the final 2011 Atomic Arts production of "Trek in the Park." She transmits her images to the RFTC website, where they are placed in a gallery.
