Anomalous Performance Observables Filter
Screen unusual objects by measurable behavior, not appearance alone
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 96%
Elizondo says his team approached reports expecting a prosaic explanation and used performance parameters to decide which cases deserved deeper attention. In the episode he calls the system the five observables, but explicitly explains four: instantaneous acceleration, hypersonic velocity combined with extreme maneuverability, low observability to people or radar, and transmedium travel without the usual design compromise. The reusable mechanism is a filter: eliminate reports matching known signatures, then score the remainder against concrete behaviors rather than the emotionally loaded word UFO. A case becomes more interesting when several supported observables appear together. The transcript includes extraordinary numerical performance claims from Elizondo but does not provide the underlying measurements, so those figures should be treated as his account rather than independently verified facts.
Origin
Luis Elizondo described an observables-based filter used in US government UAP investigations on The Diary of a CEO.
Core principles
- 01Begin by looking for an ordinary explanation
- 02Observable performance matters more than a culturally loaded label
- 03An anomaly should exceed known profiles on specific dimensions
- 04Operating across environments can reveal design constraints or their absence
How to run it
- 1
Assume a conventional cause
Compare the report with known aircraft, drones, balloons, missiles, tests, atmospheric effects, and sensor artifacts. Remove cases whose signatures fit a credible ordinary explanation.
Pro tip Use known performance profiles rather than visual resemblance alone.
Watch out Starting with an exotic conclusion creates confirmation bias.
- 2
Assess acceleration
Look for measured changes in velocity that appear abrupt relative to known vehicles. Distinguish actual motion from camera, perspective, or tracking effects.
Watch out The extreme G-force figures in the episode are Elizondo's claims and are not independently documented there.
- 3
Pair speed with maneuverability
Evaluate velocity together with the radius and timing of turns. High speed alone is less distinctive than high speed combined with abrupt directional change.
Pro tip Compare the complete maneuver with a known vehicle's constraints.
- 4
Check observability
Compare what human observers, cameras, infrared systems, and radar can discern. Investigate whether jamming, spoofing, weather, or sensor limits better explain an unclear return.
Pro tip Record both positive detections and missing expected signatures.
Watch out Low detail is not automatically evidence of advanced concealment.
- 5
Test environmental transitions
Look for credible evidence that the object operates across air, water, or space without the performance compromises expected from known multimedium vehicles.
Watch out Do not infer a transition between environments from separate unsynchronized sightings.
- 6
Escalate the supported anomaly
Document which observables are supported, which are absent, and what uncertainty remains. Advance only the cases whose evidence survives conventional checks.
Pro tip A partial match can justify investigation without justifying a definitive label.
Watch out The episode names five observables but gives a full explanation of only four; do not invent the missing detail.
In the wild
An analyst receives a report of a fast object. Rather than labeling it anomalous from speed alone, the analyst checks perspective and sensor behavior, compares its turn radius with known aircraft, looks for independent visual or infrared confirmation, and asks whether any environmental transition was actually observed.
→ The report is either resolved conventionally or escalated with a precise list of supported anomalous behaviors.
Common mistakes
Treating appearance as performance
An unusual shape does not establish unusual acceleration, velocity, observability, or transmedium capability.
Ignoring sensor limitations
Apparent motion or low observability may arise from the collection system and must be tested before escalation.
Is it for you?
Best for
Analysts triaging reports that include enough observational or instrument data to assess performance characteristics.
Not ideal for
Low-information sightings where speed, acceleration, observability, and environmental transitions cannot be measured reliably.
From the transcript
“We weren't looking for UFOs.”
“These things had five parameters, five observables that made them stand out away from everything else.”
From the episode
Ex-Pentagon Official: The U.S Isn't Telling The Truth! Top-Secret UFO Encounters Finally Uncovered! They're Trying To Silence Us!