A military drone spotted circling off the coast of Victoria near Geelong has sparked a wave of online speculation following this week’s Geelong refinery fire.
A viral video circulating on social media claims a Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton was flying near Geelong at the time of the blaze.
The footage, pulled from Flightradar24, shows the aircraft travelling from northern Australia before performing repeated loops over waters south of Victoria.
The user suggests the drone, described as one of only a handful in Australia, may have been conducting intelligence or even “targeting” operations before the fire.
MORE: On the brink: Aus faces fuel rationing move
“You’ve got to ask yourself: why is one of three aircraft flying down from Darwin and then hanging around at the time of this very suspicious fire?” the video claims.
But a closer look at the flight data disproves the claim.
Tracking information shows the aircraft conducted a long-endurance mission on April 14, travelling from Katherine to South Australia before circling off Victoria’s coast.
The flight lasted more than 16 hours, with the looping pattern over Bass Strait occurring during the day and into the evening, around 24 hours before the Geelong refinery fire on April 15.
The clip has fuelled a surge of speculation online.
“If people aren’t awake yet I don’t know what to say,” one commenter wrote.
Another claimed: “We know who did it … to punish Australia,” while others suggested it was tied to Energy Minister Chris Bowen and the government’s net zero agenda.
MORE: Billionaire’s plan petrol giants feared
“Pattern recognition … who wants us to join in the conflict over [oil],” another post read.
The MQ-4C Triton is a high-altitude, long-endurance surveillance drone, designed to monitor maritime activity.
The drone can fly for more than 24 hours, fly above 50,000 feet and cover distances of up to 13,000 kilometres, covering huge parts of Australia in a single flight.
Its role is to gather information and monitor activity, sharing data in real time to support defence.
Australia operates only a small number of Tritons, making sightings relatively rare.
The looping pattern seen in the footage is standard for this type of aircraft.
Known as a “loiter” or “orbit” pattern, it allows the drone to continuously scan a fixed area, building a detailed picture of movement below.
Bass Strait is one of Australia’s most strategically important waterways, carrying fuel shipments and heavy commercial traffic between Victoria, Tasmania and international routes.
Experts say this type of surveillance activity is routine, particularly in high-traffic maritime corridors.
While the video correctly identifies the aircraft as a surveillance platform, it goes further, suggesting it could be used for targeting or even linked to so-called “directed energy weapons”.
There is no evidence to support those claims.
The Triton is not a strike aircraft and does not carry weapons. While it can gather intelligence, it does not have the capability to conduct attacks or start fires.
Authorities have also been clear about the cause of the Geelong refinery incident, with early indications pointing to a mechanical failure involving a valve and gas leak.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen said there were “no suspicious circumstances” at this stage, with a full investigation underway.
The Department of Defence said the drone was conducting ‘routine activities”.
“The Royal Australian Air Force is currently conducting routine activities within the Bass Strait area with both P-8A Poseidon and MQ-4C Triton as part of ongoing operational test and evaluation events,” a Defence spokesman said.
“The P-8A Poseidon and MQ-4C Triton were designed as a ‘family of systems.’ While they complement each other within the maritime domain, they have the ability to function independently or collaboratively.
