Spied on by a predator drone....just another day in the desert

Recently think I saw a couple drones in the past week or two. So I searched on ATS and found this thread.

Living in Michigan, I was driving on I-96 (major freeway) from Grand Rapids to Detroit.
Saw this plane, rather small, white, with no front headlight but a very bright strobe and blue and red on bottom sides I believe.
Definitely a distinct strobe that was very very bright. I noticed it and watched as it flew low near me, over the freeway, then quickly turned around and flew directly over the car. The underside is mostly what I could see (night-time), but it seemed rather rectangular and boxy. I don't really know if this was the particular predator drone style that I've seen many pictures of.

It's flight path reminded me of an RC plane, a hobby one, except way too big for that.

I later saw the same kind of plan on the same freeway, around the same time of night.

Side note: My or may not be related, but I've seen multiple UFO's on my travels down 1/96 in my days.

Are there any other civilian drones people have seen?

reply to post by skylightsintheillions


In theory, the FAA restricts where UAVs can be flown. I don't know where that data (allowed areas) resides, but the airport used for launch and recovery will have a NOTAM.

Nothing you stated indicates the aircraft is unmanned. The big clue is no windows in the cabin. ;-) If the plane looks rectangular on the bottom, often they have a cargo hull there. It could have cargo, but often has surveillance gear.

The plane most often mistaken for a UAV is a LongEZ. It doesn't match your description though. The USAF has a couple of LongEZs in their inventory as "UAV simulators." Probably to test instrumentation, but I have no evidence of that.

reply to post by gariac


Hmm...Well I couldn't get a view of the top well enough to say. My best view was from underneath. The way it moved reminded me most of an RC plane, but I can't say conclusively either way except that it was able to make pretty sharp turns quite quickly, although it didn't appear to be too fast.

Saw it on two different occasions however, on the same freeway. It didn't remind me though of the pictures of drones I've seen, or any other plane I've seen.

reply to post by gariac

As old as this I have to laugh. Aside from having been there and still having friends who contract in Nellis, I can't think of a reason why knowing the frequency makes the location elsewhere. Perhaps it because uav is a two location operation. In no place are they flown and controlled from the same location. While there are certain things where you mentioned, the battle lab itself is on the installation.

However, its a mute point. There are several battle labs, not just this one

That's pretty cool and certainly a slightly unnerving sight to see!

I would have to agree with bonecrusher321 that its most likely the operator having a little fun with you and seeing if he can catch you out picking your nose, or farting through his thermal imaging and optics. Probably the most extreme thing to do when your flying a desk.

In England our group was buzzed by very low flying harrier followed by a c130 while on a ferry in the Lake Districts.I find it hard to believe that out of the whole km's wide lake there was no other path other than directly over our heads.

bonecrusher321
reply to post by gariac

 

As old as this I have to laugh. Aside from having been there and still having friends who contract in Nellis, I can't think of a reason why knowing the frequency makes the location elsewhere. Perhaps it because uav is a two location operation. In no place are they flown and controlled from the same location. While there are certain things where you mentioned, the battle lab itself is on the installation.

However, its a mute point. There are several battle labs, not just this one

edit on 8-11-2013 by bonecrusher321 because: (no reason given)

Your message is difficult message to parse. You might want to reread it.

UAV operation can have one or two locations. For instance, the Italian operated Predators used in Iraq had launch, operation, and landing controlled from the same location. But if you are operating in denied territory, then it is more likely to be run from two locations. That is LRE in friendly or friendly enough territory, and operation in a more remote location since once you are on the bird, location is less relevant.

OK, so I had the voice comms. And just how does this sentence get translated?

I can't think of a reason why knowing the frequency makes the location elsewhere.

reply to post by gariac


your claim that you were " spied upon " is an interesting twist of ` logic ` [ the most polite thing I can say ]