Governmental Body/Entity: California Fire Services Type of Drone: Insight A-20 Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: Shasta, California Stated objective/purpose of COA: To deploy the Insight A-20 in support of wildland fire defense in California for the 2008 fire season. The Insight A-20 utilizes the Insight Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with transponder and radar directional control from a command vehicle using certified pilots and a fail-safe control to either land or return the vehicle to home base in the case of loss of communications. Effective Dates: July 3, 2008 - August 3, 2008 Comments: "Emergency status" certification; Cal Fire wants to use a drone for "aerial reconnaissance to help battle" forrest fires, possibly during a specific weekend (see "COA_SPECIAL_CIRCUM_DOC.doc"). Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/california-department-forestry-drone-records |
Governmental Body/Entity: City of Herrington, KS Type of Drone: CQ-10A Snowgoose Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Herrington, KS Stated objective/purpose of COA: The CQ-10A is scheduled to fly this May 2011 as part of the City of Herington Kansas proposed Mega Disaster UAS Response Force (MDURF) proposal pending with the US Department of Homeland Security (See Congressman now Senator Moran's letter to DHS Secretary Napolitano dated March 19th, 2010). Currently we are working to fly the CQ-10A in support of the Japan disaster relief crisis where the goal is to have all three operational as soon as possible. The Air Worthiness Release certificate issued by the City of Herington under the Public Use Aircraft law will remain valid with scheduked inspections conducted by the Kansas State University UAS Department who acts as the City of Herington UAS Technical inspection agent under the Kansas UAS Network MOA dated May 2008. THE GOAL OF THIS COA IS TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SURPLUS CQ-10As AS A HOMELAND SECURITY PLATFORM. CURRENT EFFORT IS TO PREPARE THE AIRCRAFT FOR POSSIBLE DEPLOYMENT TO JAPAN WITH A RAIOLOGICAL SENSORs TO BE MOUNTED IN JAPAN with the following goal to support the 2011 Hurricain season. Effective Dates: May 26, 2011-May 25, 2012 Comments: This is a parafoil system (like a parachute) and is billed as the "World's First Production Cargo UAS" (see "COA_SYSTEM_IMAGE.jpg" Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/city-herrington-kansas-%E2%80%94-drone-records |
Governmental Body/Entity: Cornell University Type of Drone: University Built (One-Third Scale Piper Cub) UAS Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: Aurora, NY Stated objective/purpose of COA: The purpose of the proposed UAV flights in this COA is to develop and use experimentally, a system to vertically profile the atmosphere from 300 ft agl to 3000 ft agl. The UAV payload will be instrumentation to continuously measure temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction as the UAV spirals vertically from 300 ft agl to 3000 ft agl and back down to 300 ft agl. The UAV will maintain a GPS controlled circle with a 1500 ft diameter utilizing a Micropilot 1028 autopilot. The climb rate will be 150 ft/min and the duration of the flight will be approximately 40 min. This system will replace the release of helium filled balloons with radio equipped weather packages and the use of tethered blimps utilized to lift weather instrumentation into the lower atmosphere. An UAV mounted system is superior because the helium filled free flying balloons rise through the lower 3000 ft of the atmosphere too quickly for accurate weather data. The tethered blimps have a FAA imposed altitude restriction of 1000-1500 ft due to their danger to aircraft and the inability of the operators to react quickly enough to avoid full scale aircraft. In contrast, a UAV mounted system can spiral up to 3000 ft in a relatively short time period, yielding high quality weather measurements and can quickly be diverted to avoid full scale aircraft which enter into the area of UAV flights. Effective Dates: 3/1/2010-2/28/2011 Comments: Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/cornell-university-drone-records |
Governmental Body/Entity: U.S. Dept of Energy Type of Drone: Raven RQ11A/B Wasp Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Butte, ID Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Idaho National Laboratory (INL)--a multi-purpose US Dept. of Energy Laboratory--carries out a variety of research and development using small, under 65 lb unmanned aircraft flying in class G airspace over its controlled access boundary, and based at a dedicated UAS paved runway. The INL has maintained FAA approved UAS operations via the COA process since 2004, and has accumulated hundreds of flight hours. This COA application covers flight of Aervironemt Raven RQ11A/B type unmanned fixed wing airplanes, using an electric power plants of approximately 0.6kW HP. Typically Raven RQ11A/B flights occur five days each month in clement weather, and only occasionally during winter. A typical flight day will have two to six flights of about 50 minutes duration each. Flights are day VFR. Effective Dates: 11/2/2010-11/1/2011 (DOE has various COAs from 2007-2011 and notes that it has had COAs since 2004) Comments: The COA notes "US DOE INL has several UA operations proposed in the depicted operations area." (see "COA_STATUS_DOCUMENT.pdf" at p. 6) Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/department-energy-national-energy-technology-lab |
Governmental Body/Entity: Eastern Gateway Community College Type of Drone: Nano Shrike III UAS Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Jefferson, OH Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Eastern Gateway Community College (EGCC) intends to provide training in the operation of UAS including the use and integration of UAS payload systems as a safe and effective tool for law enforcement, emergency responders and other government agencies. EGCC is one of 30 Ohio community colleges and universities selected as sites for terrorism training under the Ohio Homeland Security Training Alliance. The EGCC UAS training program will be included as a course offered to emergency service professionals. The EGCC UAS program will provide emergency service professionals access to standardized training which will include simulated UAS operations, scenario based flight training and best practices and procedures. As Emergency service administrators become more familiar with UAS applications, they will have access to relevant and practical training, reducing the need of individual COA requests. The frequency of flight is anticipated to be five or less days a week. Effective Dates: 6/29/2011-6/28/2012 Comments: Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/eastern-gateway-comm-college-steubenville-oh |
Governmental Body/Entity: Mississippi Dept of Marine Resources Type of Drone: Draganflyer X6 Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Jackson, MS Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) would like to use a small (2.5 lb) remote-controlled helicopter camera to perform very low-level (less than 50 feet AGL) photo reconassaince in uninhabitated open march areas. The purpose of the flights would be to aid in early detection of new populations of a Federally listed Noxious Weed, giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta) that has become increasing problematic in the South producing significant harm to the environment and economy. Operations of the Draganflyer X6 would take place in class G airspace during daylight hours. The small electric helicopter would launch and recover from the deck of an MDMR survey boat at various places in Pascagoula River when water depths become too shallow to continue surveying by boat. Aircraft would be flown at an elevation of 5-20 feet AGL and no further than 1000 feet horizontal distance from the survey boat. The purpose of launching the UAV is to take very low level photos of the marsh. Effective Dates: 9/1/2011-8/31/2012 Comments: Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/mississippi-department-marine-resources |
Governmental Body/Entity: Nicholls State University Type of Drone: CyberBug-B Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: Off coast of Terrebonne, LA Stated objective/purpose of COA: Nicholls State University will conduct UAS Surveys on the coast of Louisiana and its barrier islands to further scientific research and development. Effective Dates: June 8, 2009 - June 7, 2011 (one renewal) Comments: Geological surveying and testing; Suspended on May 27, 2010 from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico; reinstated on Sept. 21, 2010 Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/nicholls-state-university-louisiana |
Governmental Body/Entity: Ohio University Type of Drone: AUAV-Galah Unmanned Aircraft System Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Belpre, OH Stated objective/purpose of COA: Ohio University seeks to engage in research that will aid the FAA in the safe introduction of small UAS into the national airspace system. In the upcoming year, we seek to investigate detect, sense-and-avoid (DSA) requirements and technologies that are suitable for use in small UAS. In addition, we seek to investigate safety considerations in low-cost UAV guidance, navigation and control (GN&C) systems for small UAS. The objective is to provide the FAA with independent research from a non-profit organization that will be useful in the development of small UAS policy and certification criteria. Effective Dates: 9/2/2011-9/1/2012 (COAs issued from 2008-2011) Comments: Ohio University's Avionics Engineering Center planned to "conduct operations with a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) RC model aircraft. We will be flight testing sensors that may be able to provide detect, sense and avoid (DSA) capability for small UAS." Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/ohio-university |
Governmental Body/Entity: Otter Tail County Geographic Information Systems Type of Drone: Crop Cam plane Status: Disapproved General Location of Drone Activity: Otter Tail County, MN Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Otter Tail County G.I.S. Dept has been using a Crop Cam plane system for photography andsearch and rescue mission. (Per John Page FAA sept 2006) This plane will be flown for Engineeringand mapping. This plane will also be flown for Municipality projects as requested via themunicipality. This plane will be flown for adjoining Governmental bodies as requested for LawEnforcement needs such as Search Warrant info and Search and Rescue. This is a 6lb plane usedfor G.I.S. and photography. It is flown under perfect weather conditions with 4 person crew. Thecrew consist of 3 trained Pilot in Command and 4 trained observers. 2 man teams at each end ofthe flight pattern. Effective Dates: Application Cancelled. Comments: Mapping purposes; it looks like there were consistent failures to meet FAA standards for a COA - Otter Tail couldn't meet minimum requirements for pilot or observer & FAA said this presented an "unacceptable risk" to the National Airspace System. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/otter-tail-county-gis-dept |
Governmental Body/Entity: Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), Texas A&M University Type of Drone: AirRobot AR-1 00 Draganflyer X6 Draganflyer X8 Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: College Station, TX Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of the program is to conduct research into the use of SUAS for emergency response. Specific research topics include: CONOPS, team processes, semi-autonomous pilot assistance technologies for Search And Rescue operational use of small UAS in cluttered, urban environments, and evaluation State and Federal emergency responders. Operations of the Draganflyer X8( http://www.draganfly.com/uav-helicopter/draganflyer-x8/specifications/) from the off-airport Texas A&M Disaster City emergency responder training facility adjacent to Texas A&M's Easterwood Field. Operations are to be less than 200' AGL, and not leave the geographic bounds of the Disaster City facility as demarcated in Flight Ops Area. The primary research objectives for the research will be examining mixed human:robot team processes, CONOPS procedures, and pilot assistance semi-autonomy technologies. Effective Dates: Various COAs from 2007-2012 Comments: testing of small UASs in "cluttered, urban environments" Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/texas-am-texas-engineering-experiment-station |
Governmental Body/Entity: Texas State University - River Systems Institute Type of Drone: AggieAir UAS Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: San Marcos, TX Stated objective/purpose of COA: "Our UAS (AggieAir) is a multispectral remote sensing platform built at Utah State University and being deployed at Texas State University. Aerial images from AggieAir can be used for water management applications, such as irrigation, habitat mapping, etc. The focus is on natural resource applications in unimproved areas. The waypoint defined in the flight operations denotes a Private owned farm where we will fly our UA. We plan to use this area to tune and test our UA at most 3 times a week with four hours of flight time. These flights could take place from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm depending on the sunrise/sunset and the wind speed. Effective Dates: 9/20/2011-9/19/2012 Comments: natural resource management. Drone looks like a glider Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/texas-state-university |
Governmental Body/Entity: U.S. Dept of Agriculture Type of Drone: BAT 3 UAS Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Tombstone, AZ Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this project is to acquire digital imagery from the UAS for rangeland vegetation mapping, rangeland inventory assessment and monitoring. The UAS is capable of flying at elevations that allow for mapping of vegetation and soil patterns not feasible with piloted aircraft. The project is a collaboration between USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Jornada Experimental Range and the USDA ARS Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed and Southwest Watershed Research Center. Operation of the BAT 3 UAS at 700 ft AGL for the purpose of image acquisition. The UAS will be launched/recovered from a remote field location approx. 7 miles NE of Tombstone, AZ. The flight area will be flown 3 times over a period of 3 days. Effective Dates: 2008-2011 Comments: USDA has COAs covering 2008-2011 for various parts of the country and various types of drones. The most recent one is missing. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/usda-agricultural-research-service-drone-records |
Governmental Body/Entity: U.S. Dept of Energy Type of Drone: Guided Systems Technologies Inc. SiCX-12 Mongoose helicopter Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Casper, WY Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center, Wyoming Stated objective/purpose of COA: The purpose of the research flights is Airborne Sampling and Monitoring for the purpose of: 1) Collecting data to monitor fugitive methane emissions, 2) Collecting data to monitor fugitive carbon dioxide emissions, 3) Conducting atmospheric sampling, and 4) Research and Development of sensors to support proof of concept using small UAS rotorcraft. Effective Dates: August 17, 2010 - August 16, 2011 Comments: Emission testing, atmospheric sampling Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/department-energy-national-energy-technology-lab |
Governmental Body/Entity: U.S. Forest Service Type of Drone: Raven (RQ – 11A, RQ – 11B) Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: Missoula, MT Stated objective/purpose of COA: Operational readiness testing for upcoming R & D tests related to Wildland fire fighting. General flights will be no more than one half mile from ground control station at around 500 feet AGL. Effective Dates: March 13, 2008 - ? Comments: R&D Testing for drones to fight wildfires; There appears to be approval of guidance for operations of unmanned vehicles in a memo dated 3/13/08 Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/usda-forest-service |
Governmental Body/Entity: Utah State University, College of Natural Resources Type of Drone: AggieAir Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Cache County, UT Stated objective/purpose of COA: Our UAS (AggieAir) is a multispectral remote sensing platform built here at Utah State University. Aerial images from AggieAir can be used for water management applications, such as irrigation, habitat mapping, etc., in addition to municipal applications such as surveying a city or road. The waypoints defined in the flight operations denote a university owned farm where we want to fly our UA. We plan to use this area to tune and test our UA at most 3 times a week with four hours of flight time. These flights could take place from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm depending on the sunrise/sunset and the wind speed. Effective Dates: June 9, 2011- June 8, 2012 Comments: Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/utah-state-university |
Governmental Body/Entity: University of Colorado, Boulder Type of Drone: NexSTAR miniature UAS Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Pawnee National Grasslands, CO Table Mountain, CO Stated objective/purpose of COA: The NexSTAR miniature UAS, owned and operated by the Research & Engineering Center for Unmanned Vehicles (RECUV) at the University of Colorado, is a very small 9-lb unmanned aircraft that RECUV will use to advance research in the areas of in situ sampling of meteorological conditions using UAS and in the study of ad hoc wireless networks with UA acting as communication relays. Effective Dates: May 12, 2010-May 11, 2011 Comments: Sampling of meteorological conditions Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/university-colorado-drone-records |
Governmental Body/Entity: University of Colorado, Boulder; Research & Engineering Center for Unmanned Vehicles Type of Drone: Tempest miniature UAS Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Kit Carson County Airport, CO Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Tempest miniature UAS, owned and operated by the Research & Engineering Center for Unmanned Vehicles (RECUV) at the University of Colorado, is a very small 11-lb unmanned aircraft that RECUV will use to advance research in the areas of in situ sampling of meteorological conditions using UAS. The waypoints defined in the flight operations denote a university owned farm where we want to fly our UA. We plan to use this area to tune and test our UA at most 3 times a week with four hours of flight time. These flights could take place from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm depending on the sunrise/sunset and the wind speed. Effective Dates: 2008 - 2012; renewals each year Comments: There were a large number of changes to the grant of this COA each year from 2008 - 2011. U of CO is also flying drones out of Flagler Airport, CO Limon Municipal Airport, CO Morris Private Airport, CO Yuma Municipal Airport, CO, Colorado Plains Regional Airport, CO Jackson Airfield, CO Holyoke Airport, CO Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/university-colorado-drone-records |
Governmental Body/Entity: University of Connecticut Type of Drone: Maxi-Joker3 Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Groton, CT Stated objective/purpose of COA: The program is supported by University of Connecticut and offers an educational research platform for unmanned aerial vehicles. The UAV platform will support research in the areas of vision based tracking and path planning algorithms. All flights of the Maxi-Joker3 UAS will be conducted in Class G airspace at or below 400 feet AGL. All flights will be conducted at University of Connecticut Horse Barn Hill. See attached map for further information. Operations will be limited to daytime and within VFR. Visual contact will be always maintained by the PIC and/or Observer. Effective Dates: 8/24/2011-8/23/2012 Comments: "The Maxi Joker 3 has become the workhorse of the radio controlled aerial photography world. Being electric, the Maxi Joker 3 offers exceptionally smooth and vibration-free performance. The Maxi Joker 3 helicopter is designed for carrying payload and scale flying." Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/university-connecticut-drone-records |
Governmental Body/Entity: University of Florida Type of Drone: NOVA UAS Mako UAS Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Cedar Keys and Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuges, FL Stated objective/purpose of COA: NOVA UAS operations in Dixie and Levy county in support of ongoing aerospace, geomatics, ecological and aquatic research.Operations of the NOVA UAS in Class "G" airspace at or below 1000 ft AGL. The aircraft will operate from on-site takeoff/landing locations directly next to the PIC and co-located Observer. If the operation is from a watercraft, the PIC and Observer remain co-located on the same watercraft. The ground station and UAS will be located within the area called out in the Flight Operations Area/Plan, and the UAS will remain within the 1 mile line of sight limitation of that Observer. The UAS will be performing parallel path search tracks at constant altitudes. The time of each flight shall not exceed one hour, with no more then six flights during normal daylight hours. Effective Dates: April 1, 2011- March 31, 2012 Comments: COA Application notes: "The F.A.A. traditionally cannot authorize flights over bird or wildlife sanctuary's due to disturbing the wildlife iaw title 50 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 27.34. However, we are proposing to fly over these very sites to, among other things, conduct population studies of these birds. Attached is a statement from the refugee manager of the areas of interest stating that he is aware of our intentions to fly, and supports the research. " US Dept of Interior noted in a letter in response to questions regarding bird disturbance on the University of Florida's UAS COA application: the project "combines aeronautical engineers, remote sensing specialists, photogrammetrists, statisticians and wildlife biologists specifically to address assessment of wildlife populations and habitats." The NOVA sUAS is a 13 lb fixed-wing UAV with a 9 ft wingspan. Built with hybrid composite construction, the rugged and waterproof aircraft is hand-launched and amphibiously landable. The NOVA is driven by a brushless electric drive unit powered with rechargeable lithium-polymer batteries that yield a duration of 1.5hrs. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/university-florida |
Governmental Body/Entity: University of Michigan Type of Drone: Flying Fish UAS Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, MI Douglas Lake, MI Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Flying Fish UAS is designed to perform persistent surveillance on open water by gathering data as a drifting surface buoy that periodically repositions via flight. The dynamically-stable airframe supports an avionics package with autonomous control capability backed by an R/C pilot with override authority and a ground-based observer. Flying Fish maintains a preset watch area, defined by center coordinates and a radius, through flight/drift cycles. Flights will be conducted during daytime VFR conditions below 400 feet AGL in the Class G airspace region specified in this CoA application. Effective Dates: August 11, 2009 - August 10, 2010 Comments: Meterological study/sampling; There were three of these granted for various areas in MI. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/university-michigan |
Governmental Body/Entity: University of Michigan Type of Drone: YellowTail UAS Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: Jackson, Michigan Academy of Model Aeronautics Field, MI Stated objective/purpose of COA: The YellowTail UAS is designed to study persistent solar powered flight. The dynamically-stable airframe supports an avionics package with autonomous control capability backed by an R/C pilot with override authority and a ground-based observer. YellowTail maintains a preset flight plan, defined by center coordinates and a radius, and circles the center coordinates throughout its entire flight. Flights will be conducted during daytime VFR conditions below 400 feet AGL in the Class G airspace region specified in this COA application. Effective Dates: December 29, 2009 - December 28, 2010 Comments: "Persistent solar powered flight" testing Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/university-michigan |
Governmental Body/Entity: University of Michigan Type of Drone: Funtana X100 UAS Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: Jackson, Michigan Academy of Model Aeronautics Field, MI Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Funtana X100 UAS is a fixed wing aerobatic airframe available as a commercial-off-the-shelf model. We augment the airframe with an avionics package providing autonomous control capability backed by an R/C pilot with full override authority. Flights will be conducted during daytime VFR conditions below 400 feet AGL in the bounds of the airspace region used by the existing Jackson, Michigan Academy of Model Aeronautics R/C field as specified in this CoA application. Effective Dates: March 18, 2010 - March 17, 2011 Comments: Testing of new drone models Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/university-michigan |
Governmental Body/Entity: University of Wisconsin - Madison Type of Drone: radio controlled airplane made by U of W Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: Iowa, WI Stated objective/purpose of COA: A camera will be mounted to a radio controlled airplane to obtain low altitude images of a river restoration project. The aircraft will be piloted using visual line of sight and an observer. A temperature assessment of the stream will be collected within a 0.25 mile radius at three sites in Wisconsin at an altitude of less than 1000 ft above ground level. Data will be used in support of a project by UW-Madison researchers studying restoration practices and its hydro-ecological impacts. The goal of this research project is to map stream-aquifer interactions using temperature signals to improve the understanding of watershed health and water quality. The use of radio controlled airplanes provides valuable data that could not otherwise be collected. Effective Dates: February 8, 2008 - February 7, 2009 Comments: Academic study/geological restoration Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/university-wisconsin-drone-records |
Governmental Body/Entity: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Type of Drone: SPAARO UAV Boomerang III Aeroscout B1-100 autonomous helicopter Rascal UAS Senior Telemaster UAS Bergen Intrepid Gasser R/C Helicopter Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: above agricultural research fields at Virginia Tech's Kentland Farm, Blacksburg, VA Stated objective/purpose of COA: We request a COA for to fly Virginia Tech's SPAARO UAV in Class G airspace over university-owned farmland at or below 400 feet AGL. This is a 55 pound fixed-wing platform that was described in our expired COA 2009-ESA-32-COA. Flights will support an internally (Virginia Tech) sponsored research collaboration with Dr. David Schmale, a plant pathologist who studies the aerial transmission of plant disease. The UAV will be equipped with a device that captures airborne plant pathogens. Flights will occur directly above agricultural research fields at Virginia Tech's Kentland Farm. All flights will be conducted below 400 feet AGL and within 1,500 feet (horizontal) of two ground-based pilots (primary and backup) and one observer. The UAV will remain in the line-of-sight of the pilots and observers at all times. All flights will be conducted during daylight hours, in fair weather. Each flight will last no more than one hour. In sampling mode, the UAV will operate autonomously, using a Piccolo II autopilot. The primary pilot may assert manual control via the Piccolo's 900 MHz control link and the backup pilot may assert control using a separate 2.4GHz R/C control link. The observer will scout the airspace for conflicting aircraft before and during each flight. The pilots and observer will each have passed the Class 2 medical exam and the pilots will also have passed the written exam for the private pilot's license. All observers will be trained in the required sections of FAR Part 91. All flights under this COA will be conducted in the specified area at Virginia Tech's Kentland Farm with the SPAARO System described in this application. Effective Dates: 10/21/2011-10/20-2012 Comments: Various COAs for various types of drones from 2009-2012 Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/virginia-poly-tech-drone-records |
Governmental Body/Entity: Washington State Dept of Transportation Type of Drone: Yamaha RMAX Type II helicopter Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: Okanogan, WA Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is submitting this application to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to obtain a Certificate of Authorization (COA) to test fly a Remotely Operated Aircraft (ROA). The application will be for a one-year demonstration project that will evaluate the cost effectiveness and utility of a ROA for avalanche control and search and rescue operations. Effective Dates: February 27, 2007 - April 9, 2007 Comments: Avalanche preparedness/COA Restricted to Uninhabited Areas Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/washington-state-dept-transportation |
Governmental Body/Entity: Georgia Tech Research Institute Type of Drone: Quarter-Scale Piper Cub UAV CropCam UAS Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: 7220 Dobbins Patrol Road Southeast Smyrna, GA Stated objective/purpose of COA: UAS will fly over rural farmland and woodlands to evaluate aerial imaging and mapping systems. Images collected will be transmitted to the ground to evaluate imager and communications electronics. This aircraft has flown safely under two prior COA's (2010-ESA-22-COA-R and 2009-ESA-54). Effective Dates: 11/29/2011-11/28/2012 Comments: Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/georgia-tech-research-institute |
Governmental Body/Entity: Orange County Sheriff's Office Type of Drone: Information Withheld Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Orange County, FL Stated objective/purpose of COA: Information Withheld Effective Dates: Comments: Orange County Sheriff's Office arbitrarily redacted almost all important information about its drone program Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/orange-county-sheriff-drone-records | |
Governmental Body/Entity: Arlington Police Dept Type of Drone: Leptron Avenger Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Arlington, TX Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Arlington Texas Police Department (APD) has established a small unmanned aircraft system program (the Program) to assist in its law enforcement mission. This initial COA application is for the limited purposes of training and evaluating the Leptron Avenger (the aircraft), a sUAS equipped with a camera system that provides real-time video for use by incident command. Once the APD has completed its training and evaluation of the aircraft, it is our intention to file for an E-COA or a broader COA to use the aircraft to provide situation awareness within specific dedicated law enforcement missions in defined geographic areas. Such missions may include critical incident surveillance, search and rescue, forensic photographs and videography at police-secured locations, and assistance in intelligence gathering for narcotic missions. The aircraft will not be utilized for routine patrol Effective Dates: January 27, 2011 through January 26, 2012 excluding February 4-7, 2011 or anytime a NOTAM is issued restricting any aviation activities related to the Super Bowl or other major events renewed for 1/27/2012-1/26/2013 Comments: APD has withheld information on whether they are using "light out," VFR, IFR, Day or Night operations, as well as info on how the drone flies (speed, turn rate, descent rate, etc) (see "COA 2011.xls," "AIRCRAFT_SYSTEM.pdf"(some of this is visible if you copy the text from the pdf and pasteit into a new document). APD has also tried to withhold information on where it flies the drone (see "COA_STATUS_DOCUMENT2.pdf" at p.10) but the boxes are removable. "The aircraft is an electric helicopter equipped with a sophisticated autopilot and video sensors." According to mfr, drone can be outfitted with turret mounted cameras or can carry "commercial off-the-shelf cameras" like the Sony Handi-Cam and the Nikon D5000 DSLR. The drone can also be outfitted with "FLIR and night vision, [and] SAR and LIDAR packages available." "http://www.leptron.com/corporate/products/avenger /specs.php. FLIR is an infrared/ thermal imaging technology. SAR is a type of radar. According to wikipedia, "LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging, also LADAR) is an optical remote sensing technology that can measure the distance to, or other properties of, a target by illuminating the target with light, often using pulses from a laser." Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/arlington-police-department |
Governmental Body/Entity: City of Houston, Texas Police Department Type of Drone: Insitu Insight UAS Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: Houston, TX Stated objective/purpose of COA: FAA has announced a plan to initiate a data gathering program for UAV operations in the National Airspace System. The City of Houston has been selected as one of two test sites for this program. The city has chosen the Insitu Insight UAS as the test vehcil for this exercise. Prior to commencing the actual FAA project, Houston city leaders and government officials have asked for an inflight demonstration of the Insight in a remote area outside Houston city limits. Effective Dates: October 12, 2007 - October 17, 2007 Comments: "High level demonstration" for Houston city and federal officials. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/houston-texas-police-dept |
Governmental Body/Entity: DOJ / Queen Anne County Sheriff's Dept Type of Drone: WASP II Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Queen Anne County, Maryland Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Queen Anne's County Office of the Sheriff will be working closely with the US Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security and the Navy in implementing a UAS unit for the Sheriff. The unit will be a WASP II. ALl operators will be trained at Eglin Air Force Base. The operators will be licensed pilots or have at least completed an FAA written pilot knowledge test. The WASP II will be used for survelliance missions in close proximity to the operator. For example, search Farm fields for marijuana (the operator would be stationed on the farm and would use the WASP to see the crop growth from the air), conducting search and rescue in remote areas (QA's county has a state park. Searching the river and coves can be difficult because of the high grasses. An aerial view would be of significant help), survelliance of people of interest (watching open drug market transactions before initiating an arrest), providing aerial observation of houses when serving warrants. All of these missions are currently not be adequately served and the opearation of a WASP would provide low cost assistance. Effective Dates: June 1, 2010 - May 31, 2011; July 5, 2011 - July 4, 2012 Comments: Drug enforcement operation surveilance Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/doj-queen-anne-county-sheriffs-office |
Governmental Body/Entity: Gadsden Alabama Police Department Type of Drone: Wasp III Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Gadsden, AL Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Gadsen Police Department is involved in multi-agency efforts for narcotics enforcement (Etowah County Drug Enforcement Unit) and tactical operations (Joint Special Operations Group). Both entities operate on a county-wide basis. In response to the need for situational awareness and intelligence, the DEU and JSOG have established an unmanned aircraft system program. The UAS will not be used for routine patrol but only in response to a specific dedicated law enforcement mission in a defined area. DEU personnel will use the UAS for covert surveillance of drug transactions and develop video evidence of such activities. JSOG personnel will use the UAS for pre-operational planning and surveillance, maintaining operational security, and obtaining evidentiary video. The UAS team may also use the UAS for other missions that meet the mitigating criteria of the COA and for which the UAS team has determined that the operation may be safely conducted in the National Airspace. The sUAS team will be responsible for evaluating the mission parameters and ensuring that all flights comply with FAA regulations and COA mitigation steps. All operators will be trained by a manufacture representative or qualified pilot as set forth in this COA application. Effective Dates: February 22, 2011 - Present? (seems to be missing actual FAA COA doc) Comments: Drug Enforcement Purpose - Cites "no frequent use"; No PDF copy of COA -- All of the other COA files came with a PDF copy Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/gadsden-alabama-police-dept |
Governmental Body/Entity: Georgia Tech Police Department Type of Drone: Hornet Micro from Adaptive Flight, Inc Status: Disapproved General Location of Drone Activity: Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA Stated objective/purpose of COA: Georgia Tech Police Department will use the small (approximately 2 lb.) electric helicopter UAS, called the Hornet Micro from Adaptive Flight, Inc., at special events (but will not fly over crowds). It will also be used during day-to-day law enforcement operations to respond to areas before a police officer would to quickly place "eyes on the target or crisis area," regular air patrol functions, and serve as a crime prevention tool. In addition to providing direct benefits to the security of the Georgia Tech campus, it is intended that this project will provide valuable lessons learned for the use of small and quiet electric VTOL UASs for law enforcement nationwide. Effective Dates: Requested: 2009; DENIED Comments: This one cited "day to day" use; reasons for denial to the right. This looks like a good instance of giving some overall guidance over what FAA's concerns are and where the tensions lie. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/georgia-tech-police-dept |
Governmental Body/Entity: Hays County Emergency Service Office, Texas Type of Drone: Spectra AP flying wing UAS Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: San Marcos, TX Stated objective/purpose of COA: UA asset to be utilized in search and rescue, law enforcement and fire support and in disaster mitigation. Effective Dates: August 10, 2007 - August 12, 2007; August 1, 2009 - July 31, 2010; September 15, 2010 - September 14, 2011 Comments: Law enforcement surveillance assistance Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/hays-county-kansas-emergency-service-office |
Governmental Body/Entity: Miami-Dade Police Dept Type of Drone: Honeywell Micro Air Vehicle Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Miami-Dade County, FL Stated objective/purpose of COA: To test and train with the use of Honeywell Micro Air Vehicle in supporting police tactical teams in the urban Miami-Dade County area. Operation of a Honeywell MAV in class G airspace at or below 400 feet AGL. The operation will launch, operate and recover within the fenced in boundries of an abandoned group of buildings located in the Everglades. The flights will occur in day VFR conditions for the purpose of training and testing the MAV to develop safety and operations procedures. COA for 2011-ESA-4: Due to the nature of its intended use the Miami-Dade Police Department is requesting the ability to utilize the Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) up to and including 300' AGL in . This would enable the MAV to show an aerial view of most residences from overhead. It would enable the on scene tactical commander to view all four sides of a structure in real time and allow him to make decisions based on this information. This would increase his situational awareness and safety to officers while reducing radio transmissions. This altitude would also avoid any potential conflicts by providing a level of separation between the MAV and other Air Traffic. The pilot and/or Observer are to maintain line of sight contact and visual observation of the MAV while in flight and remain within 2000 feet laterally of the MAV. The request for this increased distance is that the MAV Program was intended in situations where a subject was either known or suspected to be in possession of a long gun where utilization of traditional aviation assets would pose an increased risk to the aircrew and aircraft. This distance is easily achievable by a skilled gunman with a rifle and/or a scope but would give the aircrew additional flexibility in site selection. In urban areas this additional distance would not be necessary but with some of the more rural areas of MDC the added distance would provide more options for the MAV crew. The MAV will not be intentionally flown over non-hostile personnel or vehicles, nor used in vehicle pursuits or operated from a moving vehicle and/or aircraft. Effective Dates: 2011-ESA-56: 9/23/2011-9/22/2012 2011-ESA-4: 7/1/2011-6/30/2012 (but it looks like Miami-Dade has had COAs since at least 2008) Comments: The "COA Status Document" for notes that "This COA is for training and testing of pilots and UAS at the designated operations training area only. Operational approval within the confines of Miami-Dade County is not permitted under this COA." The "COA Status Document for 2011-ESA-4 notes "The MAV UA operations are prohibited within the incorporated city limits of Miami, near, around or over any high-rise buildings, or populated beach line areas and will not over-fly outdoor assemblies of people or heavily trafficked roadways." Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/miami-dade-police-department |
Governmental Body/Entity: Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Type of Drone: ShadowHawk UAS Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Conroe, TX Stated objective/purpose of COA: The ShadowHawk" UAS will be used to assist in public safety and search and rescue operations and will be acquired and maintained by the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management. The UAS will be used to enhance and support tactical operations in the rural areas of Montgomery County. SWAT and narcotics operations will utilize camera and FLIR systems to provide real time area surveillance of the target during high risk operations. The ability to provide this aerial view will tremendously enhance officer safety. In addition, a large section of north western Montgomery County is covered by a national forest. Numerous times throughout the year, persons become lost in this wooded area. The ability to use this vehicle to search large areas quickly using the attached technology equipment will improve the resolution of these SAR operations. Effective Dates: December 20, 2010 - December 19, 2011; December 20, 2011 - December 19, 2012 Comments: For Rural Areas: "Assist in public safety and search and rescue operations" and "SWAT and narcotics operations" utilization. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/montgomery-county-texas-sheriffs-office |
Governmental Body/Entity: North Little Rock Police Dept Type of Drone: Rotomotion SR30 UAS helicopter Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Little Rock, AR Stated objective/purpose of COA: Operation of the Rotomotion SR30 UAS helicopter in the National Airspace System over unpopulated areas of Lonoke County, Arkansas. The objective is to gather data regarding operation of UAS helicopters in the National Airspace System for future UAS helicopter operations in support of local law enforcement. Operation of the Rotomotion SR30 UAS helicopter below 400' AGL. All flight operations will be conducted south of Interstate 40. This is an unpopulated area of a company owned park consisting of parking areas and recreational areas. The operation will launch/recover from a fenced recreational area. Operations will be conducted only when the recreational areas are not in use. Flights will be conducted during daylight hours during optimal weather conditions. Flights will be limited to line of sight distances. Flight durations will not exceed sixty minutes in length. Flight crews will demonstrate flight planning, flight plan execution, change in flight path upon command by the observer to avoid simulated aircraft traffic, and recovery of the aircraft to the planned landing point. Emergency proceedures including manual control of the aircraft, recovery to a pre-planned emergency recovery point, and loss link proceedures will also be demonstrated. Effective Dates: May 17, 2011-May 16, 2012 (COAs from 2008-2012) Comments: "The Rotomotion SR30 is a small, economical, short endurance UA. Utilizing a helicopter platform, the SR30 houses one or two cameras in a pan/tilt camera mount. The system is designed to track objects of interest even when the helicopter nose is pointed away from the object. The SR30 can carry day zoom cameras, infrared cameras, or both simultaneously. As purchased, the aircraft is equipped with both day and infrared cameras. The aircraft is capable of fully autonomous flight with auto-takeoff and landing. Manual control is provided by a 2.4 GHz safety controller." ("North-Little-Rock-PD-2011_AIRCRAFT_SYSTEM.DOC") Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/north-little-rock-police-department-arkansas |
Governmental Body/Entity: Ogden Police Dept Type of Drone: VIPAR (Vertical Integrated Patrol And Reconnaissance) Status: Disapproved General Location of Drone Activity: Ogden, UT Stated objective/purpose of COA: Ogden City Police seeks nocturnal surveillance of potential high-crime areas of Ogden, UT. Pursuant to this, Ogden Police has partnered with the Utah Center for Aeronautical Innovation and Design (UCAID) at Weber State University to design and supply a lighter-than-air vehicle to be known as VIPAR (Vertical Integrated Patrol And Reconnaissance), which will be equipped with low-light camera(s) and used to patrol a limited area of the city at night time. Operation of the Ogden Police Department UAS is in Class G airspace at or below 400 feet AGL. Some of the airspace Ogden Police intends to fly within is Class D airspace during daytime when KOGD control tower is in operation; however the airspace downgrades to Class G at nighttime, the time when the airship will be flying. The operation will launch/recover to/from a department of public safety building in Ogden. Flights are expected to take place nightly between 00:00 and 05:00 local. Flights will take place only in VFR conditions. Effective Dates: Not effective as of 9/8/2011 (application disapproved) Comments: Police wanted to use a blimp drone to conduct surveillance over high-crime areas for five hours at night. FAA disapproved the application. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/ogden-police-department-utah |
Governmental Body/Entity: Polk County Sheriff's Office Type of Drone: EasyStar UAS Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Bartow, FL Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Polk County Sheriff's Office UAS program will evaluate the practicality and functionality of a small UA. Safety will be the first and foremost objective during the evaluation of the UA. Secondly, whether or not deployment of the UAS will be practical in our rural environment. Thirdly, will the craft be functional in the roles of surveillance, search and rescue, officer safety and augmentation of the pre-existing aviation unit's roles. Effective Dates: August 6, 2009 - August 5, 2010 Comments: Rural area surveillance, search/rescue Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/polk-county-florida-sheriffs-dept |
Governmental Body/Entity: Seattle Police Dept Type of Drone: Draganflyer X6 Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Seattle, WA Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of our program is to create a higher standard of safety for members of our community by utilizing the Draganflyer X6 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in support of numerous Law Enforcement related functions which could include but are not limited to: 1) Crash site related to interstate transport of hazardous materials 2) Crash site related to railroad transport of hazardous materials 3) Search & Rescue operations 4) Tactical support of Law Enforcement operations The aircraft will be used for flight training, operational testing and payload testing. The operation will launch, remain within, and recover from City of Seattle controlled and owned property. Duration of each flight will be approximately 15 minutes, will not exceed a ceiling of 400 feet AGL, and the same location will be used throughout the year long COA for training purposes. The city property mentioned above provides an ideal controlled atmosphere for training. The training ground contains hilly terrain, non-occupied vehicles, and buildings. The COA approved area will aid in training without risk to people, property or wildlife. Effective Dates: 4/15/11-4/14/12 Comments: the Draganflyer can be outfitted with various cameras, including: • 10MP (Mega-Pixel) Digital Still Camera with Remote Controlled Tilt, Zoom & Shutter • 1080p HD (High Definition) Video Camera with Remote Controlled Tilt • Thermal FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) Camera with Remote Controlled Tilt • Low Light (0.001lux) Dusk/Dawn Black & White Video Camera with Remote Controlled Tilt Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/seattle-police-department |
Governmental Body/Entity: Texas Dept. of Public Safety Type of Drone: Wasp Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: Hidalgo County, TX Stated objective/purpose of COA: The Texas Department of Public Safety will be operating the WASP UAS aircraft to support critical law enforcement operations in South Texas to wit; 26.20 18.76N 98.28.11.22W / approximately 16 nautical miles NW of the KMFE VOR on the 300 degree radial with safety being an absolute priority throughout the mission. This mission is law enforcement sensitive.................. Effective Dates: 7/15/2010-7/14/2011 (but TxDPS had COAs from 2008-2011) Comments: Texas DPS reported it canceled its drone program due to problems with the technology Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/texas-department-public-safety |
Governmental Body/Entity: DARPA Type of Drone: Black Hawk Parafoil Modified Cloud Dancer Powered Parafoil UAV with Autopilot Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Gainsville, TX Stated objective/purpose of COA: Unanned flight of 400 pounds or less Modified Black Hawk Manned Powered Parafoil with Autopilot and a gas power system of 38 horsepower in order to develop flight algorithms and elements of mission capabilities for Army contract for DARPA Program. Boeing is prime contractor with Robotek Engineering as subcontract UAV operator at/near remote private airstrip RoboTek TX81. Daytime only 8 minutes or less unmanned flight operations of the Modified Black Hawk Unmanned Powered Parafoil at or below 1200' AGL. The launch and recovery to/from Robotek TX81. Purpose of flights for autopilot maneuvering, guidance, navigation and control development. Effective Dates: 11/12/2008-11/11/2009 Comments: DARPA appears to be modifying recreational parafoils for use as unmanned aircraft. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/darpa-drone-records |
Governmental Body/Entity: Mesa County Sheriff's Office Type of Drone: CLMax Engineering Falcon Unmanned Ariel Vehicle Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Mesa, CO Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of our program is to create a higher standard of safety for members of our community by utilizing the CLMax Engineering Falcon Unmanned Ariel Vehicle in support of numerous Law Enforcement related functions which could include but are not limited to: Crash site related to interstate transport of hazardous materials Crash site related to railroad transport of hazardous materials Search & Rescue operations Reconnaissance in support of Law Enforcement operations Effective Dates: 9/12/2011-9/11/2012 Comments: Mesa County has withheld significant information about how it wants to use its drone (see 2011 "COA_STATUS_DOCUMENT_redacted.pdf") Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/mesa-county-sheriff | |
Governmental Body/Entity: Customs & Border Protection (CBP) Type of Drone: Predator and ?? Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Grand Forks, ND Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: Comments: Still waiting for records. (Note that at this point, the FAA has only confirmed that CBP is flying drones, and has not yet told the public where those drones are being flown. However, from a Los Angeles Times article in December 2011, we know that CBP has drones in this location.) | |
Governmental Body/Entity: U.S. Navy Type of Drone: Unknown Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Bethesda, MD Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: Comments: Still waiting for records. (Note that at this point, the FAA has only confirmed that the Navy is flying drones. The agency has not yet said where those drones are being flown. This is the location of the Navy's offices in Bethesda, MD, and may or may not be where the Navy is flying drones.) | |
Governmental Body/Entity: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) Type of Drone: Unknown Status: Expired General Location of Drone Activity: 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20230 Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: Comments: Still waiting for records. (Note that at this point, the FAA has only confirmed that NOAA applied for a COA to fly drones. This is the location of NOAA's headquarters in Washington.) |
Governmental Body/Entity: US Army Type of Drone: Unknown Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Pentagon, Washington DC Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: Comments: Still waiting for records (Note that at this point, the FAA has only confirmed that the Army is flying drones, and has not yet told the public where those drones are being flown. This is the location of the Army's headquarters in Washington DC.) |
Governmental Body/Entity: DHS - Science & Technology Type of Drone: Unknown Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: U.S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, D.C. 20528 Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: Comments: Still waiting for records. (Note that at this point, the FAA has only confirmed that DHS S&T is flying drones, and has not yet told the public where those drones are being flown. This is the location of S&T's main office in Washington DC.) |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-CSA-54-COA Type of Drone: MQ-1 Predator Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Curry, NM Stated objective/purpose of COA: This is a renewal of COA 2010-CSA-11 due to expire September 20, 2011. Minor changes include; moved lost link orbit(VOLVO)to a different location within R-5104A, changed names of lost link/holding areas, and added Local Operating Procedures reference 27 SOG/OI 11-201, Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Flying Operations dated May 11, 2011. This COA provides a corridor to get the MQ-1 Predator from Cannon AFB Class D airspace to R-5104A during day-light hours using several ground observers. This is the ONLY means of getting the RPA to training airspace. Training is of vital importance to ensure Air Force Special Operations MQ-1 Predator pilots are proficient and capable of integrating with other Special Operating Forces so they can deploy rapidly anywhere in the world. RPA are invaluable DoD assets in the Global War on terrorism and is of utmost importance to the National Security. Anticipated use of this corridor is approximately twice per day (Monday-Friday). Actual time in the corridor for each use is approximately 20 minutes. . . . Every effort will be made to ensure the local flying community in and around Cannon AFB is aware of UAS activities. As a minimum, a blanket NOTAM will be requested, ATIS will be updated daily describing UAS activities, Effective Dates: 12/30/11-12/29/12 Comments: The COA was amended to allow multiple Predator flights. (see "COA_STATUS_DOCUMENT2.pdf" Many of the documents in this file are the same as the docs for 2011-CSA-56. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-CSA-56-COA Type of Drone: MQ-9 Reaper Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Curry, NM Stated objective/purpose of COA: This is a new COA for the MQ-9, however, it uses the same airspace and procedures in 2011-CSA-54 (Cannon MQ-1 COA) except altitude requested is 4000' AGL vs. the 3000' AGL requested in the MQ-1 COA. This COA provides a corridor to get the MQ-9 Predator from Cannon AFB Class D airspace to R-5104A during day-light hours using several ground observers. This is the ONLY means of getting the RPA to training airspace. Training is of vital importance to ensure Air Force Special Operations MQ-9 Reaper pilots are proficient and capable of integrating with other Special Operating Forces so they can deploy rapidly anywhere in the world. RPA are invaluable DoD assets in the Global War on terrorism and is of utmost importance to the National Security. Anticipated use of this corridor is approximately twice per day (Monday-Friday). Actual time in the corridor for each use is approximately 20 minutes. Altitude of the corridor is 4000' AGL (8300' MSL). Operations within the corridor will be conducted during VMC and during daylight hours. . . . In-addition; programs that have proven successful in educating the local flying community such as the Cannon Midair Collision Avoidance (MACA) and the Pilot Controller Liaison Programs will continue and will emphasis the proposed RPA activities. The corridor operations are within the Cannon AFB RAPCON airspace and will be controlled by USAF Air Traffic Controllers. Effective Dates: 10/15/2011-10/14/2012 Comments: Air Force seems worried about potential for mid-air collisions and other problems in this location. It sounds like the authorized flight corridor is in an area where there are private or civil manned aircraft flights. (see "COA_SPECIAL_CIRCUM_DOC4.pdf") This document notes that "8 incidents [involving Predators] occurred over a period of 79,177 flying hours. Further analysis of these incidents reveals that all occurred in congested airspace. 4 HATRs were attributed to task saturation of air traffic controllers, 2 were attributed to poor radio coverage, and 2 were attributed to UAS pilot error. Of the two pilot errors, both occurred during inclement weather that would have precluded operations in a non-combat environment." (see p. 8) This document also has a risk assessment table on p. 8. "VISUAL_OBSERVER3.pdf" is a 37-page training presentation for visual observers. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-ESA-17-COA Type of Drone: Aqua Puma Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Chesapeake, VA Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this COA is to designate a UAS operational area to ensure Special Operations Forces (SOF) are able to maintain proficiency and conduct operator qualification training. The Puma UAS operational area is defined as a 2.5 NM radius of the center of NALF Fentress' runway, in Class E Airspace at or below 1000' AGL. All Puma operations will remain within Visual Line of Site of the PIC and/or observer with a lateral distance of no more than .5 NM. The areas of operation will be over the military airfield and the surrounding unpopulated land. Flights will be conducted during daylight hours approximately three days a week. Effective Dates: 10/3/2011-10/2/2012 Comments: This COA is for a UAS called the "Aqua Puma." (see "AIRCRAFT_SYSTEM.doc") Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-ESA-18-COA Type of Drone: Puma-AE Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Virginia Beach, VA Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this COA is to ensure Special Operations Forces (SOF) are able to maintain proficiency and conduct operator qualification training. Flights will be conducted five days a week, approximately 12 one-hour flights per day from Sunrise to Sunset in VMC conditions. The Puma will remain within visual line-of-sight horizontally and 700 or 1000 feet vertically (based on operating in area A or B) of the operator and/or observers at all times. Boats will be used by operators/observers during off-shore operations. Effective Dates: 10/3/2011-10/2/2012 Comments: "The Puma-AE Air Vehicle can be launched and recovered in minutes without special equipment on unprepared terrain, including water, mud, snow, and dirt. The system employs a self-stabilizing Air Vehicle configuration with stability augmentation avionics, and provides ease of control and steady video imagery. Air and ground components are lightweight and easily configured for transport. The Puma-AE Air Vehicle is battery-powered and has low visual, acoustic, and thermal signatures. The Puma-AE Air Vehicle flies for 120 minutes on rechargeable Lithium Ion (Li-ion) battery pack." (see "TSO.pdf") This COA includes a presentation that shows how the puma is launched and some of its capabilities: see "AIRCRAFT_SYSTEM_Redacted.pdf" Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-ESA-19-COA Type of Drone: Raven Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Virginia Beach, VA Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this COA is to ensure Special Operations Forces (SOF) are able to maintain proficiency and conduct operator qualification training. Flights will be conducted five days a week, approximately 12 one-hour flights per day from Sunrise to Sunset in VMC conditions. The Raven will remain within visual line-of-sight horizontally and 700 or 1000 feet vertically (based on operating in area A or B) of the operator and/or observers at all times. Boats will be used by operators/observers during off-shore operations. Effective Dates: 10/3/2011-10/2/2012 Comments: |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-ESA-20-COA Type of Drone: Wasp Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Virginia Beach, VA Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this COA is to ensure Special Operations Forces (SOF) are able to maintain proficiency and conduct operator qualification training. Operational flights of the Wasp UAS will be conducted by trained and qualified US Special Operations Command personnel. Effective Dates: 10/3/2011-10/2/2012 Comments: The Wasp Air Vehicle transmits live airborne video images and location information to a Ground Control Station (GCS) This capability enables operators to navigate, search for targets, recognize terrain and record all information for analysis. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-ESA-21-COA Type of Drone: Scan Eagle Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Virginia Beach, VA Stated objective/purpose of COA: This COA is to continue the Fort Story Scan Eagle UAS operations area (land and water) to ensure Special Operations Forces (SOF) are able to maintain proficiency and conduct operator maritime qualification training. Operational flights of the Scan Eagle system will be conducted by trained and qualified US Special Operations Command personnel. Scan Eagle UAS operations at Fort Story Military Reservation will be conducted 1000 feet and below over the surrounding coastal waters of Cape Henry with exception to the area underlying the KORF Class C airspace where operations are restricted below 700' AGL. The Scan Eagle will be launched from land (Ft Story) within its approved operational area on Cape Henry and the Ft. Story Military Reservation. While over land the UAS will not be operated over populated areas or within 1000 feet of Highway 60. 6-12 hour flights will be conducted five days a week (approximately one flight per day) from sunrise to sunset and in VMC conditions. Effective Dates: 10/3/2011-10/2/2012 Comments: "Insitu’s UAS (unmanned aerial system) is configured for land- or sea-based operations. . . . The A-15 and A-20 aircraft are long endurance UAV composed of five to six major modules that are replaceable at the field site. The most common payload, an inertial-stabilized camera turret, allows for the tracking of a target of interest for extended periods of time, even when the target is moving and the aircraft nose is seldom pointed at the target. The UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) is built to carry customer-supplied sensors and processors, and to provide a flexible aerial platform with power, communications, and volume for additional payloads. The aircraft is designed to handle multiple, highly persistent sensing roles, including: Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). Communications relay. Battle damage assessment (BDA) Customer-supplied sensing and surveying missions. (see "AIRCRAFT_SYSTEM.pdf") Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-ESA-42-COA Type of Drone: Raven Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Hancock, MS Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this COA is to designate a UAS operational area to ensure Special Operations Forces (SOF) are able to maintain proficiency and conduct qualification/mission training. Flights of the Raven system will be conducted by US Special Operations Command personnel. The Raven UA will remain at or below 1000' AGL, except in the Northern airspace area under the Picayune Class E airspace where the Raven will remain at or below 500' AGL. The UAS will not be operated over any populated areas as the Stennis Buffer Zone is uninhabited IAW Government easement restrictions (see attached doc in Special Circumstances section). The UA will remain in visual line of sight of the operator and/or observer at all times and NOT overfly heavly trafficked roads. Observers are qualified UAS operators and may be in chase boats. Flights will be conducted from sunrise to sunset up to three days a week, approximately 8 one-hour flights per day Effective Dates: 7/20/2011-7/19/2012 Comments: Stennis Space Center (SSC) was established in the 1960s, the United States Government purchased approximately 13,800 acres in fee simple (often referred to as the “Fee Area” in the shape of roughly a five mile square) to establish a facility for testing the large Saturn V launch vehicle stages and engines used for the Apollo program. The Government also purchased a perpetual restrictive easement in approximately 125,000 acres of land, commonly referred to as the “buffer zone,” surrounding the test facility and extending about six miles in all directions. Although most of the buffer zone is privately owned, the area is uninhabited because the Government’s easement prohibits habitable structures, including mobile homes, campers, trailers or other enclosed structures. However, the easement does not prohibit landowners from using lands within the buffer zone for activities that do not violate the easement restriction, such as timber production, grazing, haying, agriculture, fishing ponds, mineral extraction, and recreational activities. A consent agreement between NASA and the Pearl River Basin Development District allows temporary camping for the public benefit at McLeod Water Park. The agreement permits transient camping at the Park for a period not to exceed 14 consecutive days (see "COA_SPECIAL_CIRCUM_DOC.pdf") Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-ESA-43-COA Type of Drone: Puma Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Hancock, MS Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this COA is to designate a UAS operational area to ensure Special Operations Forces (SOF) are able to maintain proficiency and conduct qualification/mission training. Flights of the Puma AE system will be conducted by US Special Operations Command personnel. Puma AE UAS operations will be conducted in Class G airspace within the confines of the Stennis Space Center Buffer Zone. The Puma UA will remain at or below 1000' AGL, except in the Northern airspace area under the Picayune Class E airspace where the Puma will remain at or below 500' AGL. The UAS will not be operated over any populated areas as the Stennis Buffer Zone is uninhabited IAW Government easement restrictions (see attached doc in Special Circumstances section). The UA will remain in visual line of sight of the operator and/or observer at all times and NOT overfly heavly trafficked roads. Observers are qualified UAS operators and may be in chase boats. Flights will be conducted from sunrise to sunset up to three days a week, approximately 8 one-hour flights per day Effective Dates: 7/26/2011-7/25/2012 Comments: The Puma "transmits live airborne video images and location information to the Ground Control Station (GCS). This capability enables operators to navigate, search for targets, recognize terrain, and record all information for analysis. . . . The payload includes a five megapixel EO camera, a long-wave infrared (LWIR) camera, and an infrared (IR) illuminator in a single payload." The payload includes an IR laser to illuminate objects of interest with the aid of night vision devices" ("AIRCRAFT_SYSTEM.pdf") Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-ESA-5-COA Type of Drone: Wasp Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Hancock, MS Stated objective/purpose of COA: This COA will support SBT-22, USSOCOM. Wasp UAS operations will be conducted in Class G airspace within the confines of the Stennis Space Center Buffer Zone. The Wasp will remain at or below 500ft AGL. The UAS will not be operated over any populated areas as the Stennis Buffer Zone is uninhabited IAW Government easement restrictions The UA will remain in visual line of sight of the operator/observer at all times and NOT overfly heavly traffic roads. The Wasp will remain within 500ft vertically and 1/2 mile laterally of the operator and observers at all times. Observers are qaulified UAS operators and will be in chase boats. Flights will be conducted from sunrise to sunset up to three days a week, approximately 8 one-hour flights per day. LOST LINK will always be set to the "Go to Rally". The Rally point which is the same as the location of the Ground Control Station (GCS). When the GCS is on a boat the Rally point will be one of the boats. Effective Dates: 3/22/2011-3/21/2012 Comments: Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-28-COA Type of Drone: RQ-7 Shadow Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Pinon Canyon, CO Stated objective/purpose of COA: Request approval for RQ-7 Shadow operations for Pilot/Operator proficiency and integration training that will provide persistent organic ISR for SOF personnel in support of U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) objectives. Training will be conducted entirely within the Pinon Canyon Military Operations Area (MOA) located approximately 27 miles northeast of Trinidad, CO. Single Shadow UAS operations in the Pinon Canyon MOA will be conducted within the activated Pinon Canyon MOA and Class G airspace from the surface up to but not including 4,000 feet AGL. Operations will be conducted a maximum of 6 days a week and up to 12-hours per day in VFR conditions. Operations between the hours of sunset to sunrise will be isolated in an area within 3 NM from the Pinon Canyon AAF over the Fort Carson Military Reservation and observers will be aided with night vision goggles (NVGs); Effective Dates: 8/1/2011-7/31/2011 Comments: The RQ-7B Shadow 200 is a small tactical unmanned aerial vehicle with a 20.0 foot wingspan and 11.4 feet in length. The maximum gross weight is 425 pounds. ("TSO.pdf") Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-29-COA Type of Drone: Wasp Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Imperial Beach, San Diego, CA Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this COA is to designate a UAS operational area to ensure Special Operations Forces (SOF) are able to maintain proficiency and conduct operator qualification/mission training. Operational flights of the Wasp system will be conducted by US Special Operations Command personnel. Operations will be conducted during daylight hours, approximately five days a week, with 6 flights per day at 45-60 minutes each Effective Dates: 8/18/2011-8/17/2012 Comments: The Wasp optics package includes two color electro-optical (EO) cameras (front- and side- loo) and a removable payload with either front- and side-look Pan, Tilt, Zoom (PTZ) EO color cameras for day operations or an ingrared (IR) camera (front- or side-look, zoom) for night operations. The Wasp flies for 45 minutes on a rechargeable Li-Ion babtery pack ("AIRCRAFT_SYSTEM.doc") Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-30-COA Type of Drone: Raven Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Imperial Beach, San Diego, CA Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this COA is to designate a UAS operational area to ensure Special Operations Forces (SOF) are able to maintain proficiency and conduct operator qualification/mission training. Operational flights of the Raven system will be conducted by US Special Operations Command personnel. . . . Operations will be conducted during daylight hours, approximately five days a week, with 5 flights per day at 60-90 minutes each. Effective Dates: 8/18/2011-8/17/2012 Comments: The Raven B has two nose cones. One houses two color electro-optical (EO) cameras (front- and side- look; one houses a side-look infrared (IR camera with laser illuminator. The Raven files for 60-90 minutes on recharchable Lithium Ion battery packs. ("AIRCRAFT_SYSTEM.pdf") Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-31-COA Type of Drone: Puma Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Silver Strand Training Complex, San Diego, CA Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this COA is to designate a UAS operational area to ensure Special Operations Forces (SOF) are able to maintain proficiency and conduct operator qualification/mission training. Operational flights of the Puma system will be conducted by US Special Operations Command personnel. Effective Dates: 8/18/2011-8/17/2012 Comments: "The Puma-AE Air Vehicle can be launched and recovered in minutes without special equipment on unprepared terrain, including water, mud, snow, and dirt. The system employs a self-stabilizing Air Vehicle configuration with stability augmentation avionics, and provides ease of control and steady video imagery. Air and ground components are lightweight and easily configured for transport. The Puma-AE Air Vehicle is battery-powered and has low visual, acoustic, and thermal signatures. The Puma-AE Air Vehicle flies for 120 minutes on rechargeable Lithium Ion (Li-ion) battery pack. . . . The payload is gimbaled and gyro-stabilized, and includes a five megapixel EO camera, a long-wave infrared (LWIR) camera, and an infrared (IR) illuminator in a single payload." (see "TSO.pdf") Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-42-COA Type of Drone: MQ-1 Predator Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Nellis AFB, NV Stated objective/purpose of COA: Objective is to renew previously approved Certificate of Authorization 2010-WSA-48R for MQ-1 flights within the Creech AFB traffic pattern in Class D Airspace no further than 3 NM from the Creech AFB Control Tower. Also, for MQ-1 flights within the Desert Rock Airport traffic pattern in Class E & G Airspace no further than 3 NM from the Desert Rock Control Tower at and below 2,500' AGL. Effective Dates: 7/26/2011-7/25/2012 Comments: Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-43-COA Type of Drone: MQ-9 Reaper Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Creech AFB, NV Stated objective/purpose of COA: Objective is to renew previously approved Certificate of Authorization 2010-WSA-49R for MQ-9 flights within the Creech AFB traffic pattern in Class D Airspace no further than 3 NM from the Creech AFB Control Tower. Also, for MQ-9 flights within the Desert Rock Airport traffic pattern in Class E & G Airspace no further than 3 NM from the Desert Rock Control Tower at and below 2,500' AGL. The FAA UAS Program Office supports the Safety case already submitted Effective Dates: 7/26/2011-7/25/2012 Comments: Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-47-COA Type of Drone: Raven Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: San Bernadino, CA Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this COA is to designate a UAS operational area to ensure Special Operations Forces (SOF) may maintain proficiency and conduct operator qualification training. Operational flights of the Raven system will be conducted by trained and medically qualified US Special Operations Command personnel. These operations take place approximately three times a week, eight one-hour sorties and during daylight hours. Effective Dates: 7/20/2011-7/19/2012 Comments: Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-48-COA Type of Drone: Puma Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Simi Valley, CA Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this COA is to provide operator training, and acceptance testing and evaluation of the Puma AE, manufactured by AeroVironment Inc. Operational flights of the system will be conducted by U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for its All Environment Capable Variant (AECV) Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) requiremen Effective Dates: 7/20/2011-7/19/2012 Comments: The Puma All Environment (AE) is an all-environment, hand-launched reconnaissance and surveillance tool. The system transmits live airborne video images and location information to the Ground Control Station (GCS). It is battery-powered and has low visual, acoustic, and thermal signatures. The Puma-AE Air Vehicle flies for 120 minutes on rechargeable Lithium Ion (Li-ion) battery pack. It includes a five megapixel EO camera, a long-wave infrared (LWIR) camera, and an infrared (IR) illuminator in a single payload. ("AIRCRAFT_SYSTEM.pdf") Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-49-COA Type of Drone: Wasp Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Simi Valley, CA Fillmore, CA Taft, CA Stated objective/purpose of COA: The objective of this COA is to provide operator training, and acceptance testing and evaluation of the Wasp UAS, manufactured by AeroVironment Inc. Operational flights of the system will be conducted by U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for its Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) requirement. Effective Dates: 7/20/2011-7/19/2012 Comments: This COA, like some others, includes this: "Data collected as part of these flight operations should be made available to assist in the effort to address future airworthiness assessment of this UAS. This data includes, but is not limited to, dates of flights, flight durations, and any discrepancies noted during flights. It is the responsibility of the operator to record this data IAW paragraph 6-6 of USSOCOM DIRECTIVE 350-9." NO_CERTIFICATE_redacted.pdf Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-54-COA Type of Drone: YMQ-18A Hummingbird Unmanned Aircraft A160T Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Victorville, CA Stated objective/purpose of COA: Estimate 1-3 flights/week of mostly 1-5 hours in duration and occasional long-duration flights of approximately 12 hours. Effective Dates: 6/30/2011-5/31/2012 Comments: The A160T is a vertical takeoff and lift (VTOL) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) produced by the Boeing Aircraft Company with a maximum gross weight of up to 6,500 lbs. It's basically a very quiet helicopter capable of staying in the air for 16-24 hours at a time. http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/a160-hummingbird-boeings-variable-rotor-vtuav-03989/ It is also capable of carrying a gigapixel camera and a "Forester foliage-penetration radar" designed by DARPA. However, the Army has had a bunch of problems with the A160 crashing and may not continue the program: http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog%3A27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post%3A8933f134-8535-4016-86c8-ed18ec6f2cf5 Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-55-COA Type of Drone: Wasp (BATMAV) Small UAS Status: General Location of Drone Activity: Camp Rilea, OR Stated objective/purpose of COA: Objective is to provide operator currency for the 125th Special Tactics Squadron personnel using the Wasp (BATMAV) Small UAS. Effective Dates: 8/5/2011-8/4/2012 Comments: Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-58-COA Type of Drone: MQ-9 Reaper Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Creech AFB, Lincoln, NV Nellis AFB, Desert and Reveille MOA airspace, NV Stated objective/purpose of COA: The test is urgent and must meet deadlines for the JUON (Joint Urgent Operation Need) that is being conducting. Testing requires the aircraft be established in an orbit for extended periods focusing on a ground target. The test is not harmful to the environment or persons on the ground and does not require ordnance to be launched from the aircraft. The purpose of this operation is to test equipment that will enhance military operations and security. No ordnance will be involved in this test. The aircraft will be on station for varying lengths of time depending on test progress and requirements. The duration of the test is approximately 6 months, however in anticipation of possible unforeseen delays we are requesting the COA be approved for 12 months. Effective Dates: 8/3/2011-8/2/2011 Comments: Uses "Gorgon Stare" which Wikipedia defines as: a spherical array of nine cameras attached to an aerial drone.[1] The US Air Force calls it wide-area surveillance sensor system . . . the system is capable of capturing motion imagery of an entire city, which can then be analyzed by humans or an artificial intelligence, such as the Mind's Eye project being developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency." (see "COA_STATUS_DOCUMENT4.pdf") Reaper UAS have been operating in the United States since 2001 and have accumulated over 7,000 flight hours. Continued operation ofYMQ-9 and MQ-9 aircraft in national airspace is necessary to fulfill missions in the interest of national security. This airworthiness statement is applicable to flight operations that include training, flight test, flight test support, tactics and procedures development, functional/operational check flights and ferry flights. YMQ-9/MQ-9 development and integration testing has been performed at GA-ASI facilities in San Diego CA and Adelanto CA. Ground and flight testing have been conducted at GA-ASI facilities in El Mirage CA and Grey Butte CA. Additional flight tests, training and tactics development have been performed in restricted areas in and around Edwards AFB CA, NAS China Lake CA, Creech AFB NV, Nellis AFB NV, Utah Test & Training Range, Yuma Proving Grounds and White Sands Missile Range. Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: Air Force - 2011-WSA-60-COA Type of Drone: Raven 1988 - RQ-11A/B - Raven Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Anchorage, AK & through the Beaufort Sea north of the Arctic Circle Stated objective/purpose of COA: provide Small UAS (Raven) sensor support to the US Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Healy throughout its summer voyage (approx 41 days) through the Beaufort Sea north of the Arctic Circle. Effective Dates: 8/15/2011-8/14/2012 Comments: Note: "The Raven UAS does not have a sense and avoid system. Mid-air collision is a risk. All flight operations shall be conducted to ensure that manned and unmanned aircraft shall maintain proper separation. Airspace deconfliction shall be accomplished using local ATC procedures and procedures identified in the FAA COA Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/air-force-2011 |
Governmental Body/Entity: US Marine Corps - 2011-ESA-25-COA Type of Drone: RQ-7B Shadow Status: Active General Location of Drone Activity: Carteret, NC Stated objective/purpose of COA: The USMC has a requirement to operate its Shadow 200 UAS RQ-7B aircraft at MCALF Bogue in support of aircrew training, expeditionary site setup, and integration into large force exercises at Camp Lejeune. This requires the system to transit from 0 - 1200 ft within the class D airspace and into the R5306C restricted airspace in order to properly train squadron aircrews in the effective employment of the new system and to transit to the other adjoining restricted airspace. VMU-2 will fly an average of three (3) to four (4) training flights per day while conducting operations out of MCALF Bogue. All flights will strictly adhere to a pre-established UAV pattern within the lateral confines of the Class D airspace while using a ground/tower observer until established in the R5306C restricted airspace. Operations will be conducted Monday through Friday. Each flight will last approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. Effective Dates: 11/1/2011-10/31/2012 Comments: Docs withheld under exemption 3 (22 USC 2751) (this statute is about foreign arms sales & information subject to arms export controls. Section 2778(e) allows information to be withheld under FOIA): - 19 pages withheld from "COMMUNICATIONS.pdf" - 22 pp w/h from "CONTROL_STATION.pdf" - 1 pp w/h from "AIRCRAFT_SYSTEM.bmp" - 20 pp w/h from "LAUNCH_RECOVERY.pdf" Link to Records: https://www.eff.org/document/us-marines |
Governmental Body/Entity: Barona Band of Mission Indians Risk Management Office Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Barona Band of Mission Indians, California Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Lab Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Oak Ridge, TN Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Lorain County Community College Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Lorain County Community College, Ohio Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Socorro, NM Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Pennsylvania State University Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: University Park, PA Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: California State University, Fresno Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: California State University, Fresno Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Grand Forks County Sheriff's Office Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Grand Forks County, North Dakota Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Medina County Sheriff's Office Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Medina County, Ohio Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Northwestern Michigan College Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Traverse City, MI Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Canyon County Sheriff's Office Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Canyon County, Idaho Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Indiana State University Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Indiana State University, Indiana Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Middle Georgia College Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Middle Georgia College, Georgia Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Ohio Department of Transportation (exact location of drone flights unknown) Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: akron, OH Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. Exact location unknown until FAA releases records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Clackamas County, Oregon Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. | |
Governmental Body/Entity: King County Sheriff's Office Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: King County, Washington Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: National Institute of Standards and Technology (location(s) of drone flights unknown at this point) Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Gaithersburg, MD Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Oregon State University Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Corvallis, Oregon Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: Sinclair Community College Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Dayton, OH Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: U.S. Department of State (exact location of drone flights unknown) Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: Washington, D.C. Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. (Note that at this point, the FAA has only confirmed that DHS S&T is flying drones, and has not yet told the public where those drones are being flown. This is the location of the State Department's main office in Washington DC.) |
Governmental Body/Entity: University of California, Davis Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: 1 Shields Ave Davis, CA 95616 Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: University of California, Merced Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: 5200 Lake Rd Merced, CA 95343 Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |
Governmental Body/Entity: University of Oklahoma Type of Drone: unknown Status: unknown General Location of Drone Activity: 660 Parrington Oval Norman, OK 73019 Stated objective/purpose of COA: Effective Dates: unknown (likely applied some time between July 2011 and October 2012) Comments: Still waiting for records. |