Hawaii UFO Sightings

RANK #43 NATIONALLY — 876 REPORTED SIGHTINGS

876
Total reported sightings
#43
National ranking
1 in 1,600
Approx. per capita rate
2000s
Peak reporting decade

About Hawaii UAP sightings

Hawaii's 876 sightings are notable given the state's isolation and limited population. Pearl Harbor-Hickam Joint Base and the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai generate significant classified military activity. The Pacific Ocean's dark skies and absence of light pollution create exceptional observation conditions.

Hawaii's position in the central Pacific places it on major transoceanic military and commercial aviation routes. The RIMPAC naval exercises conducted periodically in Hawaiian waters generate concentrated military activity that may contribute to anomalous observations.

Mauna Kea's world-class astronomical observatories have provided some additional documentation support for unusual atmospheric observations in the Hawaiian sky.

Contributing factors

  • Pearl Harbor-Hickam — major Pacific military hub
  • Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai
  • Marine Corps Base Hawaii
  • Dark Pacific Ocean horizon
  • Limited light pollution statewide

Shape breakdown — Hawaii

Consistent with national patterns, Hawaii witnesses most frequently report orb and light phenomena, followed by triangular and disc-shaped objects.

Orb / Light
38%
Explore →
Triangle
16%
Explore →
Cigar
8%
Other
24%

Recent UAP news — Hawaii

Multiple witnesses in Hawaii file reports with NUFORC — pattern under review
NUFORC — 2026
Trump declassification order expected to surface files related to Hawaii military installations
Defense reporting — March 2026
AARO database includes cases from Hawaii in latest review cycle
Pentagon AARO — 2025

Frequently asked questions — Hawaii

Hawaii has 876 reported UFO and UAP sightings on record, ranking #43 nationally. The data is sourced from peer-reviewed academic research geocoding historical NUFORC reports through 2023. This represents reported sightings, not verified encounters.
Hawaii has produced notable sighting reports over the decades. The state's military installations and geographic characteristics have contributed to a consistent and varied reporting history. See the contributing factors section above for details specific to Hawaii.
Sightings from Hawaii can be reported to NUFORC at nuforc.org or MUFON at mufon.com. Both maintain state-level investigators. See our reporting guide for more information.

Witnessed something unexplained in Hawaii?

Report your sighting to an established civilian organization. Your report contributes to the public record.