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Kansas UFO: Is An Unidentified Object On A Flatbed A UFO? (VIDEO)

First Posted: 12/20/11 04:10 PM ET Updated: 12/20/11 04:19 PM ET

What do you call a flying saucer that isn't flying?

That's what residents of Cowley County, Kan. are asking themselves after a mysterious 32-foot-long shrouded object that closely resembled sci-fi depictions of UFOs rolled down US 77 on a flatbed truck.

"There was this funny sphere that went through on this big trailer and my first thought was, 'That looks like a UFO'," Kammi Root told ABC-7.

The UFO -- in this case an unidentified freight object -- was so big that police had to remove signs so it could turn a corner, Sheriff Don Read told the station.

"They told us that it was an aircraft and that they had explored other ways to transport it but this was the best way for them to do it and they asked us not to say a whole lot about it," Read said.

The odd piece of cargo is a flying machine, but experts say its origins are humanoid, not extraterrestrial, Defense Tech reports.

In fact, it's one of two X-47B drones being shipped from California to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, according to the military news website.

The unmanned aerial vehicle, designed by Northrop Grumman, is intended to be launched from aircraft carriers.

The X-47B isn't the first thing to be mistaken for a flying saucer. Check out these other objects mistaken for UFOs.

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  • Melbourne, Australia, Feb. 2013

    This is a composite image of how three alleged UFOs maneuvered about in the sky over Melbourne, Australia, in early February, 2013. The final verdict isn't in yet on whether they're birds, aircraft, balloons, bugs or something truly unidentified.

  • Lanterns

    These candle-lit Chinese lanterns can rise high into the sky and are often mistaken for UFOs.

  • Exploding Weather Balloons, Not UFOs

    On Dec. 20, 2012, a bright, circular object (pictured at the top of this composite image) was videotaped exploding in the skies above Sacramento, Calif. It wasn't immediately identified, resulting in speculation that it was either an alien spacecraft, military top secret weapon, runaway planet, North Korean satellite, among others. Within a short period of time, it became apparent that this was a weather balloon. The bottom part of this image shows such a balloon as it ascended over Tampa Bay, Fla., on July 2, 2012, and exploded in an identical manner as the Sacramento object, probably much to the dismay of all true ET believers out there.

  • Boomerang UFO composite images -- 10-5-12

    This is a composite of images shot by two eyewitnesses of a boomerang-shaped UFO they reported seeing over their Burbank, Calif., home on Oct. 5, 2012. Mutual UFO Network photo/video analyst Marc Dantonio concluded the object was likely "a balloon, floating on the wind that has collapsed in half."

  • Changing UFO Pattern -- Warren, Mich. 1-10-13

    This four-image series of lights in the sky was recorded over Warren, Mich., on Jan. 10, 2013. The lights were seen changing into several patterns. The most logical explanation for these types of UFOs is a series of balloons or lanterns.

  • UFOs Over Earth

    This composite image shows four different times that alleged UFO were photographed above Earth by either space shuttles or the International Space Station. The big question is whether or not they are truly unidentified objects or if they are more likely reflections from spacecraft windows, meteors or fast-moving spacecraft-generated debris.

  • Pink UFOs Or Lens Flares?

    What appear to be pink-red UFOs are actually lens flares from the Google Earth street view camera as it snapped images in Texas (left) and New Mexico (right).

  • Lens flares Arizona

    These two flying saucer-shaped, pink-colored lens flares were created by the Google Maps camera as it drove through locations in Sedona, Ariz. (left) and Flagstaff, Ariz. (right). The images were snapped in April 2009. Submitted to HuffPost by trenna.

  • Lens flare Whiteriver, Ariz.

    This skybound lens flare was created by a Google Maps camera in June 2008 over Whiteriver, Ariz. Submitted to Huffington Post by Cheryl Weeks.

  • Lens flare Gulfport, Miss.

    This very Earthbound lens flare was created by a Google Maps camera in November 2007 at Gulfport, Miss. Submitted to Huffington Post by Jenni Parker.

  • Lens flare Eureka Springs, Ark.

    This seemingly grounded lens flare was created by a Google Maps camera in January 2008 at Eureka Springs, Ark. Submitted to Huffington Post by SE.

  • Lens flare Escanaba, Mich.

    This lens flare appears to be following a car. The Google Maps image was created in October 2008 at Escanaba, Mich. Submitted to Huffington Post by Mary Robinson.

  • Cincinnati Skydivers NOT UFOs Sept. 28, 2012

    On the night of Sept. 28, 2012, a group of strange-looking lights appeared in the sky near Cincinnati, Ohio. First there was one, then, two, then three lights, slowly descending. It turns out, however, that these lights were originating from a group of skydivers performing a pyrotechnics jump at the La Salle High School homecoming event.

  • Weather Phenomenon

    Some UFO sightings may be due to a natural phenomenon known as sprites, like this one shown from 2006. "Lightning from [a] thunderstorm excites the electric field above, producing a flash of light called a sprite," said geophysicist Colin Price.

  • Clouds

    Clouds: Saucer-shaped or "lenticular" clouds that form at high altitudes have been confused with UFOs.

  • Blimps or Advertising Balloons

    Blimps or advertising balloons: These can look like flying saucers from some angles, especially at night.

  • Sunken Ship in the Baltic Sea

    On June 19th the Swedish-based diving company Ocean Explorer discovered something they've never quite seen before. They were exploring in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland looking for sunken treasures when a very unusual image suddenly appeared on the sonar. A 197 feet diameter cylinder shaped object was discovered at the depth of approximately 275 feet which resembles the Millennium Falcon from the movie Star Wars.

  • Baltic Sea UFO 1

    An image released on June 15, 2012, shows a close-up view of the unidentified object sitting on the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

  • Baltic Sea UFO 2

    Close-up of rock bed that forms the Baltic Sea UFO, which still mystifies researchers.

  • Baltic Sea UFO 3

    One of several odd stone circle formations, sitting on top of the unidentified object at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

  • Antarctic UFO -- Aug. 10, 2012

    A circular UFO hovers above the Neumayer-Station III research facility in Antarctica on Aug. 10, 2012. Theories ranging from a simple weather balloon to a more elaborate ship from another planet have run the Internet gamut. The next slide shows a closeup of the object.

  • Antarctic UFO Closeup -- Aug. 10, 2012

    This is a closeup of the UFO from the previous slide. No official explanation has been offered about the object.

  • Manufactured UFO -- 2011

    Pictured is a quad copter -- a deliberately manufactured UFO created by special effects wizard Marc Dantonio for a National Geographic special, "The Truth Behind: UFOs," which aired in December 2011. On the left is what the small device looks like resting on the ground, measuring 4 feet in circumference. At right, is how it appeared behind a tree in the night sky.

  • Police Dashboard Camera In Texas

    In February of 2012, this fireball was captured by a Texas police chief's A dashboard camera. F.A.A. say this was probably a meteor, falling to Earth. .

  • Meteors

    Meteors: Space debris can create a spectacular light show when it burns through the Earth's atmosphere, and sometimes reported as UFOs.

  • Civilian or Military Aircraft

    Civilian or military aircraft: Planes can look mysterious at night or in certain light conditions, thus confusing an observer.

FOLLOW HUFFPOST WEIRD NEWS

What do you call a flying saucer that isn't flying? That's what residents of Cowley County, Kan. are asking themselves after a mysterious 32-foot-long shrouded object that closely resembled sci-fi ...
What do you call a flying saucer that isn't flying? That's what residents of Cowley County, Kan. are asking themselves after a mysterious 32-foot-long shrouded object that closely resembled sci-fi ...
Filed by Ben Muessig  | 
 
 
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
CarlIII
Liberal Virginian living in Remlap Alabama
12:36 PM on 04/16/2012
It's a drone folks. Like all other UFO stories it's total BS.
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SweetClarissa
My micro-bio got dosed with nano-antibiotics
03:15 PM on 01/03/2012
Wait, this thing is/was being shipped from California to Maryland and it gets as far as Kansas before it even makes news, gets video on Ewetube, a still shot via Grougle Images or raises a hairy eyeball!?...In this day and age where every driver has cell phone cams and every fifth car has a camcorder!?...wow, somebody really could pull off a surprise or two on America without trying too hard.
01:10 PM on 12/26/2011
Wheels with pneumatic tires? It's ours.
09:16 PM on 12/25/2011
Dude where's my saucer?
09:25 PM on 12/22/2011
mama im coming home...the cab has just arrived
09:23 PM on 12/22/2011
Riddle me this ? Why would this "thing" alien or millitary,be transported through podunk towns in the midwest?Ever hear of a C5A or a C17? Hey news flash!!!! put a tarp over it ,stick it on a flat bed, configure to be under 14 ft and truck that damn thing down the friggen interstate at 65 to 70 mph. Nah! lets run it up an down main street from Marthas Diner to the Dairydip an back Hey Jethro! where in blazes is Barny Fife at? REALLY?!!!
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
ddixon1000
10:08 AM on 12/22/2011
Drones and aircraft are flown from base to base. As a matter of fact they are flown from manufacturer to base. This isn't a military aircraft.
pnut166
Proud member of the party of free thinkers
11:52 AM on 12/22/2011
You`re really dense.
09:25 PM on 12/22/2011
lmao
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Helema Alkaabi
12:48 PM on 12/22/2011
not all of the time many of the crafts are actually transported one way o ranother to try an dhide the looks of it from people. besides if you saw adrone fly ove ryour yard what woul dyou think was happening?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
hmby42
Faux Snooze home of the most Uninformed Viewers
09:15 AM on 12/22/2011
Its a drone fly the damn thing there
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Helema Alkaabi
12:49 PM on 12/22/2011
mabey they were trying to keep mass hysteria from happening.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
hmby42
Faux Snooze home of the most Uninformed Viewers
01:18 PM on 12/23/2011
like anyother plane flying doesnt?
10:45 PM on 12/21/2011
"In fact, it's one of two X-47B drones being shipped from California to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland, according to the military news website." -- From the story. Ya know, if it actually WERE an _alien spacecraft, the US milirary WOULD TELL US EXACTLY THE SAME THING!...
07:57 PM on 12/21/2011
oh puuleeeeezzzzee., its the plasma burst engin that broke down. their bringing it to the repair shop , she'll be back flying by christmas, because there really is a santa clause"
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Ed Baggett
Havana Cruise
06:02 PM on 12/21/2011
Ask the truck driver........
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
jer9848
Bleeding heart lib.
04:41 PM on 12/21/2011
ET phoned AAA???
09:26 PM on 12/22/2011
lol this is probably the funniest so far...f&f
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
dws51564
History doesn't repeat itself ignorance does
03:44 PM on 12/21/2011
When I read this headline the first thing I thought was if it's in a truck it's not a UFO as it isn't flying.
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kencrn419
Remember Newtown
07:45 PM on 12/21/2011
It's an Unidentified Flatbed Object.
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Murman
I read the news today, oh boy.
10:21 PM on 12/21/2011
that's it, brother.
03:29 PM on 12/21/2011
I can't believe you people!!! Take a close look. Can you say 'STEALTH BOMBER"?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
jep121212
The Octet Rule created life
03:56 PM on 12/21/2011
drone
03:28 PM on 12/21/2011
the military would have the thing covered may be to guess the shape but not see the object. ya think dorothy and toto know?