What the Aguadilla Infrared Video Really Revealed

Introduction

The central question is not whether the video exists or whether it was recorded by a government aircraft — those points are well established. The dispute concerns what the imagery actually shows. Independent researchers argued that the object displayed unusual capabilities, while the U.S. Department of Defense’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) later concluded that the apparent extraordinary behaviour was caused by viewing geometry and that the objects were likely ordinary airborne objects, specifically a pair of sky lanterns.[Zenodo]zenodo.org2013 Aguadilla Puerto Rico UAP: The detailed analysis of an Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon captured by the Department of Homelan…

The case remains important because it illustrates a recurring problem in UAP investigations: a sensor recording can be authentic while the interpretation of the object remains uncertain.

What happened over Aguadilla in 2013?

The incident occurred near Rafael Hernández Airport on the north-west coast of Puerto Rico. A CBP aircraft equipped with an infrared sensor captured footage of an object during a night-time operation. The recording became publicly known after copies circulated online and was later analysed by UAP researchers.[uapufo.org]uapufo.orgaaro puerto rico objectPuerto Rico Objects | Official UAP Video | UAP UFOApril 26, 2013…Published: April 26, 2013

The original footage shows a bright thermal signature moving across the scene. Viewers have highlighted several features:

These observations made the case notable because the apparent combination of speed, manoeuvrability and possible movement between air and water seemed difficult to reconcile with conventional aircraft or drones.

However, infrared footage can be misleading when distance, camera movement, atmospheric conditions and viewing angles are not fully understood. The main disagreement has therefore centred on whether the unusual appearance represented the object’s actual behaviour or an effect created by the sensor perspective.

Why some researchers considered it anomalous

A major analysis was conducted by the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies (SCU), which examined the video along with additional information including radar-related material and witness accounts. The researchers argued that the object showed characteristics inconsistent with ordinary aircraft or balloons.[uapcaucus.com]uapcaucus.comscu aguadilla puerto rico 20132013 Aguadilla Puerto Rico UAP Incident: A Detailed AnalysisAugust 15, 2018…Published: August 15, 2018

The SCU analysis focused on several points:

Supporters of the anomalous interpretation argue that the value of the case comes from the combination of multiple data types rather than the video alone. They point to the involvement of a government sensor platform and the presence of additional contextual information as reasons to treat it as more than a simple unidentified light in the sky.[Zenodo]zenodo.org2013 Aguadilla Puerto Rico UAP: The detailed analysis of an Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenon captured by the Department of Homelan…

Critics of that interpretation argue that the analysis may have placed too much weight on the apparent motion seen in the infrared image without sufficiently accounting for perspective effects.

AARO’s investigation and conventional explanation

AARO, the Pentagon office responsible for investigating UAP reports, published a case resolution for the Puerto Rico object. It concluded that the objects did not demonstrate anomalous speed or flight characteristics. According to AARO, the video showed two separate objects travelling near each other rather than one object splitting into two.[AARO]aaro.milUAP ImageryAARO UAP Imagery…

AARO’s reconstruction argued that several visual effects created the impression of extraordinary movement:

The final AARO assessment gave high confidence that the objects did not exhibit anomalous performance and moderate confidence that they were a pair of sky lanterns. The report assessed the objects as travelling at roughly wind speed rather than performing powered flight.[AARO]aaro.milPuerto Rico UAP Case ResolutionAARO Puerto Rico UAP Case Resolution…

The evidence dispute: video, sensors and interpretation

The Aguadilla case demonstrates why UAP analysis often depends less on whether footage is real and more on how much information is available about the recording conditions.

The strengths of the case

The strongest elements supporting further investigation were:

These features distinguish the case from many UFO reports based only on distant lights or incomplete eyewitness accounts.

The weaknesses of the case

The main limitation is that infrared imagery does not directly reveal an object’s identity. It records heat differences, not shape, propulsion system or material composition. A bright thermal signature can appear to behave strangely when the camera platform moves or when an object is viewed at changing angles.

The later AARO reconstruction specifically argued that the dramatic appearance resulted from perspective effects rather than extraordinary movement.[AARO]aaro.milAARO Open Hearing Case Slides: Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities…

Competing explanations and what remains unresolved

Before AARO’s conclusion, several conventional explanations were proposed, including balloons or lanterns affected by wind. Independent sceptical analyses also examined whether perspective, tracking geometry and local conditions could explain the apparent motion.[Reddit]reddit.comThe Aguadilla Puerto Rico UFO is not compellingThe Aguadilla Puerto Rico UFO is not compelling.September 13, 2022…Published: September 13, 2022

The remaining disagreement is not about whether ordinary objects can create unusual-looking infrared signatures — they can. The disagreement is about whether the available data is sufficient to confidently identify these particular objects.

Supporters of the original anomalous interpretation question whether the AARO reconstruction fully accounts for all reported observations and earlier analyses. Some critics argue that additional witness information and earlier investigative work were not fully addressed in the final explanation.[Reddit]reddit.comAARO's 'Case Resolution' report for the Aquadilla 2013 CBP incident shows erratic movement by the object, and does not include rele…

AARO, however, maintains that the apparent anomalies were resolved through reconstruction of the flight path and sensor geometry.[AARO]aaro.milUAP ImageryAARO UAP Imagery…

Why the Puerto Rico infrared video remains significant

The 2013 Aguadilla recording remains a frequently discussed UAP case because it sits at the boundary between compelling appearance and uncertain interpretation. It contains more technical information than many UFO reports, yet it also demonstrates how easily infrared footage can create misleading impressions when the observer’s position and the object’s distance are unclear.

For UAP research, the case highlights the importance of combining multiple independent measurements — such as calibrated sensor data, reliable range information, environmental conditions and verified trajectories — before drawing conclusions about unusual capabilities.

The current official assessment is that the Puerto Rico object was not an example of extraordinary technology or transmedium flight. Instead, AARO concluded that the apparent anomalies resulted from ordinary objects viewed through a complex infrared observation geometry.[AARO]aaro.milPuerto Rico UAP Case ResolutionAARO Puerto Rico UAP Case Resolution… The case remains a useful example of how a genuine unexplained recording can eventually move from “unidentified” towards a conventional explanation as better analysis becomes available.

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Endnotes

1. Source: aaro.mil
Title: UAP Imagery
Link:https://www.aaro.mil/UAP-Cases/Official-UAP-Imagery/4/

2. Source: aaro.mil
Title: Puerto Rico UAP Case Resolution
Link:https://www.aaro.mil/Portals/136/PDFs/case_resolution_reports/AARO_Puerto_Rico_UAP_Case_Resolution.pdf

3. Source: zenodo.org
Link:https://zenodo.org/records/7844175

4. Source: uapufo.org
Title: aaro puerto rico object
Link:https://uapufo.org/archive/aaro-puerto-rico-object

Published: April 26, 2013

5. Source: aaro.mil
Link:https://www.aaro.mil/Portals/136/PDFs/SASC_AARO_Open_Hearing_Case_Slides_19Nov2024.pdf?ver=Hec1SwKwP-4zSRJwIEIlJw%3D%3D

6. Source: uapcaucus.com
Title: scu aguadilla puerto rico 2013
Link:https://www.uapcaucus.com/research/scu-aguadilla-puerto-rico-2013

Published: August 15, 2018

7. Source: reddit.com
Title: The Aguadilla Puerto Rico UFO is not compelling
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/xd67r7

Published: September 13, 2022

8. Source: reddit.com
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/UAP/comments/1jpddgu

9. Source: aaro.mil
Link:https://www.aaro.mil/Next-AARO-Home-redesign/Next-Parent/Next-AARO-UAP-Imagery-Acc-Table/

Published: May 8, 2026

10. Source: aaro.mil
Link:https://www.aaro.mil/Next-AARO-Home-redesign/Next-Parent/AARO-UAP-Case-Resolution-DT/

11. Source: aaro.mil
Link:https://www.aaro.mil/Next-AARO-Home-redesign/Inactive-Parent/Next-UAP-Imagery-dup/

12. Source: aaro.mil
Link:https://www.aaro.mil/Next-AARO-Home-redesign/Next-Parent/Next-UAP-Case-RR-Data-Table/

13. Source: reddit.com
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/StrangeEarth/comments/15mhvvd/here_is_the_stabilized_uapufo_video_taken_over/

14. Source: reddit.com
Title: in 2013 an airborne us customs and border
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/ug3sck/in_2013_an_airborne_us_customs_and_border/

Additional References

15. Source: diariolibre.com
Title: Análisis de fenómenos anómalos no identificados en el Caribe
Link:https://www.diariolibre.com/mundo/estados-unidos/2026/05/10/analisis-de-fenomenos-anomalos-no-identificados-en-el-caribe/3528889

Published: May 10, 2026

16. Source: youtube.com
Title: Aguadilla UAP Video Analysis: Is It “Smoking Gun” Footage? | Rich Hoffman
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmvHKAbRuFI

17. Source: youtube.com
Title: UFO FILES: FOIA VIDEO RELEASE of the ‘Aguadilla UAP’ in Puerto Rico
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuSZDrBDgb8

18. Source: nature.com
Link:https://www.nature.com/articles/srep10669

19. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqjXQPJwM-M

20. Source: youtube.com
Title: Homeland Security UAP Inferred Reconnaissance Video
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8mTT07Hsmk

21. Source: uap-archive.org
Link:https://uap-archive.org/uap/learn/aaro-case-resolution-reports-overview/

22. Source: ufoevidence.com
Link:https://ufoevidence.com/case/aguadilla-uap-incident/

23. Source: scirp.org
Link:https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=146509

24. Source: thedebrief.org
Link:https://thedebrief.org/incursions-at-the-border-homeland-security-agents-tell-of-encounters-with-uap/