The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics' UAP Community of Interest

What is the AIAA?

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world's largest aerospace technical society. It has around 30,000 individual members from 91 different countries. 

During the AIAA 2021 annual gathering, a panel discussion spoke to the potential aviation safety issues related to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP.) The panel members were:

* Philippe Ailleris - Project Controller, European Space Agency

* Ted Roe - Director, National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena Roe's talk may be found here. 

* Peter Reali - Electrical engineer and board director of the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies

* Dr. Kevin Knuth - Associate Professor of Physics, State University of New York

* Dr. Ravi Kopparapu - NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Kopparapu's talk may be viewed here. 

* Ryan Graves - former United States Navy fighter pilot.

Following the panel discussion, it was reported that the AIAA would form a UAP study group.

Ryan Graves

On 18 February 2022, Ryan Graves tweeted that he was part of an AIAA UAP Community of Interest (COI.) He reported that the charter for this COI was:

To improve aviation safety by enhancing scientific knowledge, and mitigating barriers to, the study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena.

The gaols of the COI are:

1. Serve as a neutral focal point enhancing activities that integrate aviation safety related UAP data and analysis into relevant scientific/engineering aspects of aviation development, design, and safety planning across the aviation/space systems.

2. Interact with appropriate AIAA Committees, government agencies, academic institutions and international researchers and organizations associated with the scientific/engineering study and understanding of UAP.

3. Engage with the scientific and engineering research community to assist with educating the Aerospace community relative to aerospace safety factors of UAP.

Graves also advised that, at the 2022 AIAA gathering, a panel of industry, government, and academics will discuss the AIAA's UAP COI mission, to improve aviation safety and advance scientific knowledge.

Not the first time

This current effort is not the first time that the AIAA has tackled the thorny subject of UAP. Back in 1967, the AIAA Technical Committee on Atmospheric Environment and the Technical Committee on Space and Atmospheric Physics looked to form a UFO Subcommittee.  The establishment of the Sub-Committee was announced in the journal "Aeronautics & Astronautics" December 1968, p.12. After examining the evidence todate the UFO Subcommittee presented a statement in "Aeronautics & Astronautics" November 1970, pp 49 - 51.  In the same journal, dated July 1971, the Sub-committee published an article titled "UFO Encounter1: Sample Case Selected by the Sub-Commitee of the AIAA" which took a deep dive into one case from 1957. A 1974 article by Dr. Peter Sturrock, titled "UFO Reports from AIAA members" appeared in the May 1974 edition of "Aeronautics & Astronautics."

Other countries

The Aeronautics and Astronautics Association of France (3AF) has had a UAP Technical Committee for many years. It is called SIGMA2 and looks at what it refers to as Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena.

The German Aerospace Society held a workshop on the topic of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, and UAP in August 2021. 

Aerospace companies

Since 1947, Aerospace companies as business entities, and aerospace company employees as individuals have exhibited serious interest in UAP. For a comprehensive article exploring their interest, please click here.

Update: 29 June 2022

In a Tweet dated 29 June 2022, Ryan Graves advised that "The AIAA UAP Community of Interest is holding its first technical session as part of AIAA's Aviation 2022 Forum on June 29th, 4pm CST."

In an associated YouTube piece Graves announced that the speakers for the technical session would be:

1. Haqq Misra - Senior Science Investigator, Blue Marble Space Institute of Science - speaking on Carl Sagan and his relationship to UAP.

2. Brian E. Smith - System Safety Specialist and aerospace engineer at NASA Ames - discussing human factors in commercial aviation.

3. David Fravor - ex US Navy pilot.

4. Ryan Graves - ex US Navy pilot - to explain the mission and how you can participate.

In another Tweet dated 29 June 2022, Graves wrote:

"If unable to attend live, the AIAA UAP Community of Interest Technical Session will be available free ~ 2 weeks after Aviation 2022 closes."

Update: 20 October 2022

A new Tweet from Ryan Graves.  https://twitter.com/uncertainvector/status/1582774538466516995

There is a link provided to the new home page for the AIAA UAP COI. https://www.aiaauap.org/

Update: 17 November 2022

In a tweet dated 17 November 2022, Ted Roe advised that "The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, AIAA, voted on Monday Nov 15 to recognise our UAP Community of Interest as a fully empowered AIAA UAPP Integration and Outreach Committee dedicated to scientific study of UAP."

Update: 31 May 2023

The UAP Integration & Outreach Committee of the AIAA announced that it will be presenting at AVIATION23 Conference. The link provides details of papers being given.