Report a UAP Sighting

HOW TO FILE & WHY IT MATTERS

NUFORC

NATIONAL UFO REPORTING CENTER

Founded in 1974, NUFORC is the oldest and largest civilian UFO reporting database in the United States. It has received more than 170,000 reports and provides the primary dataset used by academic researchers studying UAP phenomena. Reports are available publicly and have been geocoded and analyzed in peer-reviewed studies.

Reports can be filed online, by phone, or by email. Anonymous reporting is accepted. Reports are reviewed by NUFORC staff and published in the database, with the option to withhold personal information.

Report to NUFORC →

MUFON

MUTUAL UFO NETWORK

Founded in 1969, MUFON is one of the largest UFO investigation organizations in the world, with field investigators in all 50 U.S. states and internationally. Unlike NUFORC, MUFON conducts field investigations of selected cases — sending trained investigators to interview witnesses and collect physical evidence where available.

MUFON maintains a large case management database and publishes regular case analysis. Reports require contact information for follow-up, but privacy policies are in place.

Report to MUFON →

What to document

The quality of a report is determined by the detail and precision of the information provided. If you have witnessed something unexplained, document the following as soon as possible — memory degrades rapidly:

Time & Location

  • Exact date and time (include timezone)
  • GPS coordinates or precise address
  • Your altitude if applicable
  • Direction you were facing

Object Description

  • Shape (as precise as possible)
  • Estimated size (relative to known objects)
  • Color and any light patterns
  • Surface texture if close enough to observe

Behavior

  • Direction and speed of movement
  • Altitude and trajectory
  • Any acceleration, deceleration, or hovering
  • Sounds — or absence of sound

Context

  • Weather conditions and visibility
  • Other witnesses and their reactions
  • Any physical effects (electrical, physiological)
  • Photos or video — preserve original files

What happens after you report

NUFORC logs and publishes reports in its public database, where they become available to researchers. Significant or unusual reports may be followed up by NUFORC staff. Your report is added to the geographic database that researchers use to identify patterns and correlations with military activity, weather, and other factors.

MUFON may assign a field investigator to contact you if your case is considered investigation-worthy. Field investigators are trained volunteers who follow a standardized investigation protocol. They may visit the location, interview additional witnesses, and collect physical samples if applicable.

Your report — however modest — contributes to the public record. The 122,983 sightings on this site are the cumulative result of individuals choosing to report what they observed. The dataset that has driven congressional hearings and government acknowledgment of UAPs exists because witnesses filed reports.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. The Pentagon's AARO office operates a reporting portal at aaro.mil that accepts reports from current and former U.S. government and military personnel. For civilian reports, NUFORC and MUFON are the primary channels. Some cases reported to NUFORC or MUFON have subsequently been forwarded to or referenced by government investigators.
NUFORC allows fully anonymous reporting — no personal information is required. MUFON collects contact information for follow-up but maintains privacy policies. The AARO portal also allows confidential reporting for current and former government personnel concerned about professional consequences.
Report it anyway with the details that made it seem unusual. Investigators are experienced at identifying conventional explanations. A report that turns out to be a conventional aircraft contributes to baseline data. Reporting something that you subsequently explain is not a waste of anyone's time — false positives are part of any investigation.
No. UFO Data Live is an independent data resource and does not collect sighting reports. Please direct reports to NUFORC at nuforc.org or MUFON at mufon.com, where they will be professionally logged and may be investigated.