While I accept that aliens would represent a different culture and level of intelligence, it is hard to imagine why their craft would bother to fly bizarre patterns. Like dropping 12 miles over the ocean and shooting straight back up, again and again.
Dr Jacques Vallee—an expert on such matters—both UFOs and control functions—notes that the critters and craft are more or less obviously implementing a CONTROL function over our society, culture. The cat and mouse games and demonstrations are one factor in that strategy of theirs.
in a sense--a psych ops with the human society.