Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 125; Flight Crew Total 2300; Flight Crew Type 1700
Conflict NMAC
General None Reported / Taken
Airspace Structure; Procedure
Flying level at 15;500 and 220 knots (groundspeed); both pilots observed a black object with a small red payload hanging below. The object was in sight for only a couple seconds before it went above our right wing with about 10 feet of clearance. It is unclear if it was a drone or balloon of some type; but it appeared to be maintaining altitude. The object was reported to ATC.
Captain reported sighting an object (either a drone or balloon) close by his aircraft while flying at 15;500 feet.