On last weekend’s flight up to Bishop I shared the airspace for the first time (knowingly) with a drone. While talking to Joshua App (that’s the agency controlling the mil areas NE of LA), the controller repeatedly called the drone traffic for a/c going into General Fox (KWJF).
The interesting thing was, that he also called the drone operator, who therefore must have been in radio contact, but I never heard a reply from him. What I did hear was a pilot somewhat nonplussed as he was following the drone on approach and landing into KWJF.
Anyone out there having more experience with this? I found it both disconcerting and also somewhat reassuring that ATC was actually talking to the drone.
There is more UAV testing done in that area than anywhere else. Palmdale, Gray Butte and El Mirage (all slightly to the east of Fox Field) are the airports used, for UAVs from at least two manufacturers. I understand ‘chase’ planes are sometimes used, sometimes they are autonomous – it depends on the type of UAV, and altitude of operation.
Yeah, this whole area is a hotbed of aviation! The UAV in question was pretty low, way below my level, and then landed at KWJF which surprised me (and a couple of pilots flying into there!) a bit.
