The mysterious drone pilot is back!
Last year, a person who took great pains to remain anonymous approached us with a series of amazing 4K videos that were taken from a drone over several of Scientology’s secret locations around the western United States.
Over a period of weeks we made them public, and the drone pilot indicated on his YouTube channel that the remarkable footage was free for anyone to download or use. Since then, we have seen his footage show up in television shows about the church. But it’s here at the Underground Bunker that you get to see his work first.
Last year, his remarkable fly-overs gave us never before seen angles on Scientology’s international management base near Hemet, California (“Int Base” or “Gold Base”); the super-secret CST headquarters compound near Lake Arrowhead, California where we believe Scientology leader David Miscavige has kept his wife Shelly out of sight since the summer of 2005; the ranch in Creston, California where L. Ron Hubbard spent his final years in hiding; a vault location in the Sierra foothills; another vault location with a space saucer-like building on the Northern California coast; and the infamous vault and airstrip in a remote part of New Mexico.
After that, the drone pilot said we wouldn’t be hearing from him again, and he stopped messaging us.
But now he’s back, saying he still had some unfinished business. He took his drone back to a couple of places, hoping to give us an even better view.
In particular, he wanted to give us our best view yet of the “Eagle’s Nest” observation point that overlooks Int Base. And he also took another run over the base, and got the best close-up yet of the building where David Miscavige works — known as “Building 50,” which houses the offices of the Religious Technology Center (seen in the photo above).
Once again, go full screen and soak up the incredible detail of this 4K video resolution, and ask yourselves, what is a church doing with a camouflaged observation post on the hill above their 500-acre secretive compound?
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Bonus items from our tipsters
Jim Mathers and the Rev. Alfreddie Johnson are here to sec check you…
Actual caption from Author Services: “Kevin J. Anderson, KJA with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels pilots at the Barksdale AFB Airshow briefing them on Writers and Illustrators of the Future!”
Actual caption from Tampa Ideal Org: “Adorable husband and wife Antonio and Elsa celebrate 5 years and resign. Viva la Mexico!”
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Countdown to Denver!
HowdyCon 2017: Denver, June 23-25 at the Residence Inn Denver City Center. Go here to start making your plans, and book your room soon!
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Bernie Headley has not seen his daughter Stephanie in 4,744 days.
Quailynn McDaniel has not seen her brother Sean in 1,847 days.
Claudio and Renata Lugli have not seen their son Flavio in 2,341 days.
Sara Goldberg has not seen her daughter Ashley in 1,381 days.
Lori Hodgson has not seen her son Jeremy in 1,093 days.
Marie Bilheimer has not seen her mother June in 619 days.
Joe Reaiche has not seen his daughter Alanna Masterson in 4,708 days
Derek Bloch has not seen his father Darren in 1,848 days.
Cindy Plahuta has not seen her daughter Kara in 2,168 days.
Claire Headley has not seen her mother Gen in 2,143 days.
Ramana Dienes-Browning has not seen her mother Jancis in 499 days.
Mike Rinder has not seen his son Benjamin in 4,801 days.
Brian Sheen has not seen his daughter Spring in 908 days.
Skip Young has not seen his daughters Megan and Alexis for 1,310 days.
Mary Kahn has not seen her son Sammy in 1,183 days.
Lois Reisdorf has not seen her son Craig in 764 days.
Phil and Willie Jones have not seen their son Mike in 1,269 days.
Mary Jane Sterne has not seen her daughter Samantha in 1,513 days.
Kate Bornstein has not seen her daughter Jessica in 12,622 days.
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Posted by Tony Ortega on May 8, 2017 at 07:00
E-mail tips and story ideas to tonyo94 AT gmail DOT com or follow us on Twitter. We post behind-the-scenes updates at our Facebook author page. After every new story we send out an alert to our e-mail list and our FB page.
Our book, The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology tried to destroy Paulette Cooper, is on sale at Amazon in paperback, Kindle, and audiobook versions. We’ve posted photographs of Paulette and scenes from her life at a separate location. Reader Sookie put together a complete index. More information about the book, and our 2015 book tour, can also be found at the book’s dedicated page.
The Best of the Underground Bunker, 1995-2016 Just starting out here? We’ve picked out the most important stories we’ve covered here at the Undergound Bunker (2012-2016), The Village Voice (2008-2012), New Times Los Angeles (1999-2002) and the Phoenix New Times (1995-1999)
Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of L.A. attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts
Other links: Shelly Miscavige, ten years gone | The Lisa McPherson story told in real time | The Cathriona White stories | The Leah Remini ‘Knowledge Reports’ | Hear audio of a Scientology excommunication | Scientology’s little day care of horrors | Whatever happened to Steve Fishman? | Felony charges for Scientology’s drug rehab scam | Why Scientology digs bomb-proof vaults in the desert | PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer | The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill | Scientology boasts about assistance from Google | The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield