Sighting in Carry-le-Rouet, August 21, 2022

In the afternoon, the witness was spending time on the beach with family and flying a recreational drone fitted with a camera. It was only when watching the footage afterwards that they noticed an unusual object in the images recorded at 4:07 p.m. The object was moving quickly across the frame.

The GEIPAN investigation analysed the video using IPACO, a photo authentication and analysis software adapted to the service's needs. It established that the object was a cluster of dandelion seeds carried by the wind. Several points supported this: its shape matched that of a cluster, it was white, and it travelled in a straight line in the direction of the wind, coming from the northwest. In addition, the period when these seeds disperse fits the date of the sighting. They probably came from one of the hills visible in the background of the video, which are largely covered in vegetation. The case was classified A: identified.