The North American Aerospace Defense Command based in Colorado Springs announced Friday it detected a small balloon and sent fighters to intercept it above Utah. 

The fighters determined it was not maneuverable and did not present a threat to national security, according to a news release. 

Why a spy balloon? It’s a key question, retired NORAD commander says

The balloon, detected between 43,000 and 45,000 feet, was no hazard to flight safety, the FAA determined. 

NORAD could not release additional information, such as when the balloon was detected and what type of planes were sent.

One U.S. official told CBS News the balloon was expected to be over Georgia by Friday night. The balloon appeared to be made of Mylar, the official said.

Last February, a large Chinese balloon was shot down off the coast of South Carolina with a payload the size of three school buses. 

At the time, John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, said it may have been designed to spend time loitering over sites to get better imagery than a satellite could gather.