....8,500 feet, westbound."

An East-West corridor exists between the southern boundaries of R-2508
and the northern foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern
California. At its western choke point near Palmdale, the corridor is about
15 NM wide. Fifty miles to the east, where it bends NE towards Las Vegas,
it opens up to about 30 NM. About half-way between those two points lies a
dry lake by the name of El Mirage - smack in the middle of the corridor. The
ILS approach slope to PMD [Palmdale] is slightly south of the center line of
the corridor on the west end.
El Mirage Flight test Facility is one of the busiest UAV test areas
in the US. It is a short hop from the field there to playing games with the
Air Force at Edwards AFB and just a slightly longer trek to boogie on up to
the Naval Air Warfare Center at China Lake.
I flew east and west through that corridor today on a junket with my
son for a $150 Patty Melt at Leonard's Cafe on KAPV, Apple Valley. During my
standard briefing from San Diego FSS, the briefer said NOTAMs were up for
UAV activity in the vicinity of El Mirage.
Being based at Inyokern [IYK] has subjected me to coping with Special
Use Airspace and the hazards of flying in the vicinity of kerosene burners
for almost my [admittedly short] entire flying history. My first call for
flight-following is typically within five miles of the airport, as soon as I
have established my first course line. The only exception to asking for
flight-following is if I am remaining in the pattern for any reason.
On this particular day, two UAVs were hauling around the area before
lunch and three while I was on the way back afterwards.
The UAV at my 9 o'clock, identified by Joshua Approach was at my
altitude and going in the same general direction. The ATC added that he had
direct contact with a chase plane that was with the UAV and the traffic was
no factor. I didn't feel any anxiety but I mentally armed my diving
right-turn spiral and continued on my way. I would liked to have gotten a
glimpse of the UAV and/or its chase, but the lighting and background masked
it.
UAVs are routinely tested in that small arena. Unless you pass through
on a weekend, holiday, or flex-Friday, your briefing will more than likely
include one or more NOTAMs regarding the tests. Altitudes vary from
ground-skimming to cranking on the turbos.
And with all the testing, and all the VFR traffic, and the countless
ILS practice runs, I can't find any hint of conflicts between UAVs and MAVs
[that's us in the Spam cans]. I feel that our ATC system and the UAV
controllers have their act together. I won't have any problem with UAVs
patrolling our borders as long as ATC is involved and unnecessary TFRs
aren't slung about like confetti.
On the other hand, I don't feel comfortable about them tooling over
populated areas. At least not until the reliability factor goes way up.