For what it’s worth, the same rules apply to Northern Virginia, DC and much of Maryland. The FAA has restricted a 30-mile radius no-drone zone around the nation’s capital.
The worst kept secret… for years there was a hill that was not part of the base and anyone could go up there with good binoculars and see the main complex. When that finally got annexed in the late 90s Popular Science did an article on it. They asked the US gubbiment for satellite photos and was told they did not exist. Since they had offices in the DC area the went to the Russian embassy and asked there, and were told sure for $5k we can give you some photos.
Of course now you can see the complex in Google maps for free.
I imagine they pull everything in for known satellite flyovers. It is where they test fly all the next gen not public yet aircraft mostly. The workers there get flown in daily on a 737 with no windows from Las Vegas. They then ride to their buildings in a bus with no windows. So it is an interesting commute if you work there.
My god, the guy is a terrible cameraman. Zoom in, zoom out, zoom in… aaargh!!!
Those eagles put these signs up, didn’t they? They’ve got this new job figured out already.
Well yeah - it’s a secret base, not a SECRET base.
It has nothing to do with aliens or BS like that. It is for experimental aircraft. Obviously you can SEE it from space. Yes they are trying to limit the knowledge the Russians or whoever have on what they are doing there.
Imagine flying the F-117 for the first time (non simulator) in darkness in radio silence. Fun!
Oh nobody outside of the kook circles thought it wasn’t anything more than the test bed area for classified aircraft. That said the F117 was mistaken for an alien craft when spotted mostly cause it looked so unlike current aircraft at the time.
ETA it still looks quite unlike most aircraft today even though it is retired.
It is pretty amazing it was made in the 70s…
Well those drones are HUGE compared to a quadcopter thing. They have a lot more in common with actual aircraft and can stay up for a long time.
Darkness, yes, after the first few test flights.
Radio silence? Over friendly civilian land? Most assuredly not.
That is what I recall from a pilot interview. But I could be mistaken.
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