At approximately 4 AM on December 26, 2024, residents of Coober Pedy reported a bright light in the sky near Flat Hill Road. Witnesses described the object as drone-like, the size of a car, hovering silently over key locations including the Recycling Depot and Coober Pedy Area School.
The object was estimated to hover at a height of 300-400 feet, displaying erratic movements with no visible blades or sound. After hovering over the school, it moved towards the Coober Pedy Drive-In and then disappeared near the local hospital.
Mobile phone footage captured some of the activity, although it lacked clarity. Local residents have since corroborated the sighting, with one reporting a bright green object observed for several minutes around 5 AM. Another miner recalled seeing four similar objects at the Veno Opal Field earlier in the year.
Significantly, Coober Pedy is designated as a NO DRONE ZONE due to its proximity to the airport, raising questions about the nature of these sightings. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is the responsible authority for any future drone activity reports.