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dudeKhed t1_iy6ixcl wrote

I would say spraying for mosquitoes, but the plane type and altitude don’t match…

−3

geauxdbl t1_iy6mphq wrote

Surveillance? Or maybe aerial imaging.

Update: that appears to be N44RL, pictures taken by airplane buffs show a logo of Aries Aviation International on the tail.

From the Aries website: Having experience in over 80 countries, Aries can acquire remote sensing data for its customers from any place in the world. Aries’ aircraft have accumulated more than 60,000 hours and have flown more than 18 million line kms of survey.

So… it’s looking for something. I would be really interested in knowing what that is.

205

deisjj t1_iy6ntcn wrote

Flying presumably

47

AlpineLace t1_iy6r3v9 wrote

Looks like the old cassette tape symbol lol

11

denis0500 t1_iy6rfjo wrote

I believe that is a training flight.

−3

SEND-YOUR-PII t1_iy6xyvq wrote

Just a survey. Maybe LiDAR, maybe aerial imagery. Likely for an exceedingly boring thing, like an ortho photo provider updating imagery every few years.

23

MyFirstMethod t1_iy6zcxe wrote

Flying currents. To keep up the license you have to do touch and goes on the runway and fly the pattern. So you just fly to a couple airports, touch and go, fly back home.

−4

bubalusarnee t1_iy74g4e wrote

Hi res aerial photography or mm wave imaging

8

negativetim3 t1_iy78ybf wrote

Just an international surveillance company flying over fort Devins… Likely govt contractors testing something…

37

ajafarzadeh t1_iy7ovpd wrote

Replying to geauxdbl (#753,168)

This is the answer, and it’s most likely aerial surveying work for utilities, land surveys, or environmental analysis.

A similar aircraft was running the same patterns over the Lynn/Revere/Salem area a few weeks back.

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sircheesecake3 t1_iy7te2k wrote

It’s trying to draw a set of glasses so you’ll click on that RayBans ad /s

7

Elecrockcity t1_iy7wcg4 wrote

I’ve heard of planes doing this kinda thing while waiting for the arrival of UFOs. There was one in the UK recently where a surveillance plane was doing laps for like a day and then a UFO shows up being trailed by military. Like they knew they were gonna show up. I can’t remember the town but if anybody is curious I’ll go find it.

−12

rdwytom t1_iy83haj wrote

Could be just practicing take-offs and landings.

2

SwingPrestigious695 t1_iy83xbq wrote

Replying to Unique-Public-8594 (#761,292)

Not as often as you'd think. Lots of messy, rough rectangles unless there's a published hold area. The controller gives you a new heading when they have time between communication with other aircraft. This results in straight lines, but at different times each pass, so weird, messy rectangles. There's some good examples in the "real atc" channel on YouTube.

4

greymaresinspace t1_iy857l7 wrote

clearly, its trying to create a giant D**K in the sky

turn your laptop to the left

0

borkmeister t1_iy88jo2 wrote

Given the proximity to Ft. Devens I would suggest it's serving as a target/calibration aircraft for some sensor system that is being proven out or some sensing modality that is being developed.

6

conviper30 t1_iy89rbl wrote

My brother is a ATC up that way and I asked him and he said "We get them allllll the time. Some work for google and do google maps. Some work for insurance companys and take pictures of peoples yards"

1

JoshSidekick t1_iy8bb0q wrote

Replying to BasicDesignAdvice (#762,647)

Can confirm. I was leaving my house around that time and I heard a faint voice from the sky asking "In the last month, how many of these have you purchased?" and when I looked up it was a guy in a plane with a sign out the window that had a list of grocery products.

21

Accomplished_Ad2599 t1_iy8blky wrote

Practicing their approach. Learning to line up on a runway is difficult. So I suspect they are just flying an approach vector.

1

kjmass1 t1_iy8bnrl wrote

Mowing the air. Nice stripes.

2

Putrid-Home404 t1_iy8bs57 wrote

Thought they were trying to draw a penis…

2

Local_Stuff_Acct t1_iy8jbg5 wrote

Replying to geauxdbl (#753,168)

People be fucking paranoid... And I am far from a trust the government and/or corporations type person.

Aries appears to specialize in "remote data retrieval, airborne geophysical survey, radar and LiDAR mapping," which is what they're probably doing for some kind of civil engineering or environmental management application. You can download maps of soil type with like 10 foot resolution, foliage maps super detailed topographic info including in some cases foliage height, I'm pretty sure we have bedrock depth data - how do you guys think that stuff happened.

Guys, if the government wanted to know what you were up to, they would ask your phone or Alexa.

If it was doing some kind of broad-reaching law enforcement overreach, it would probably be flying over poor/minority areas.

Edit: /u/baron_muchhumpin since you were wondering and I think mine is the most detailed answer, I'll ping you and offer this example of what data they might be collecting: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massgis-data-soils-ssurgo-certified-nrcs

12

SLEEyawnPY t1_iy8kgob wrote

Replying to SEND-YOUR-PII (#755,371)

One of the largest high-voltage transmission line networks in central MA runs approximately north-south just to the west of that flight path, so maybe surveying for the utility company. Seems too far away for doing direct inspection, which I think are usually done by helicopter

1

bemest t1_iy8l9ib wrote

Replying to negativetim3 (#757,347)

Fort Devens, there’s also an MOA under this track, where I’ve seen it used as a drop zone for training. This is a Navajo, it probably has a large format camera mounted in the belly for high resolution photos.

3

pslatt t1_iy8mhte wrote

I saw this too. It was actually is looping over my house in the southern part of the circuit so I saw this plane visually. I counted 26 loops and they were extremely precise, so I am guessing some sort of surveying equipment. It went on for a couple of hours.

4

AhbabaOooMaoMao t1_iy8rxoi wrote

Lidar scanning. It's flying directly over a quarry.

2

Rapierian t1_iy8v8y2 wrote

For the record, even though it's been verified that this is for surveillance, this is also pretty much the pattern flight instructors take students on their first few times up. You have to learn to fly the plane straight before you start to learn to do other things. The number of times I've flown along the coast of plum island...

1

Jakius t1_iy92i5v wrote

Replying to bemest (#767,123)

Devens hasnt had active military use for decades though, its just the federal prison now. Which would mean an active MOA still, I suppose.

1

Due-Studio-65 t1_iy94lng wrote

Last time this came up it was a Lidar survey. They use drones over short distances and planes over long ones. A pilot talked about his experience doing these and its just a back and forth lowish flight over an area usually in low traffic hours.

2

ScottyZizzle t1_iy9cgq4 wrote

Flying out of Sterling Airport it is probably pulling a glider. They fly them there a lot.

1

Codspear t1_iya75wz wrote

A Piper going in loops? Probably a training pilot’s first few practice runs.

1