FAA list of COA applicants

Shawn Musgrave filed this request with the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States of America.
Tracking #

2014-1308

Est. Completion None
Status
Fix Required

Communications

From: Shawn Musgrave

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I hereby request the following records:

A current list of all UAS/UAV/RPV/drone COAs, including date of application, name of applicant, waiver status and date of expiration

I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as I believe this request is in the public interest. The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.

In the event that fees cannot be waived, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Shawn Musgrave

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

From: Shawn Musgrave

Hello,

I appeal the constructive denial of this request. It has been nearly two months since I submitted it, and I have not received so much as an acknowledgement.

Please advise and begin processing this request immediately.

Thank you.

From: Federal Aviation Administration

Mr. Musgrave,

As we have explained the requested records are included in an ongoing FOIA
litigation. As we provide records to the plaintiff, we are also uploading
the records to our website at
http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/uas/

All the records you requested will be added to the website as soon as
possible.

From: Shawn Musgrave

Please provide documentation to substantiate that the documents I've requested are embargoed pending legislation. I've spoken with the plaintiffs and they have no knowledge of any such restraint, particularly since the documents I have requested cover a list of COA applicants through November 2013, rather than on the timeline released per EFF's lawsuit. The requests and subject matters being separate, there is no bar on the FAA's release of these documents.

Furthermore, the FAA has not released a list of COA applicants since April 2012. Again, my request covers the list of COA applicants as of November 2013.

Respectfully,
Shawn

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

From: Shawn Musgrave

Hello,

To date I have not received any substantive reply as to why my request for a listing of COA proponent agencies is delayed by litigation. The plaintiffs in this litigation are likewise confused to hear this claim from the FAA.

Please respond to my inquiry at your earliest convenience.

Respectfully,

Shawn Musgrave

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

From: Federal Aviation Administration

Good Afternoon Mr. Musgrave,

This message is in reference to your FOIA Request 2014-1308 requesting for
a copy of a current list of all UAS/UAV/RPV/drone COAs, including
application and expiration date, applicant name, and waiver status. Since
the scope of your request is large and voluminous, the management team in
my office has assigned a fee of $446.00 for the release of each
Certificate of Authorization (COA). I want to inform you of the fees
before proceeding with your request. Also, please be advised that there
are redacted COAs posted in the FAA website open to the public.

Since your FOIA case is still being processed, an additional 30 days
(weekday) extension from April 28, 2014 is requested to complete your FOIA
request. A new due date of June 9, 2014 is requested to complete your
FOIA case.

Please reply back and acknowledge extension.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Lizett G. Culley
Management Specialist
UAS Integration
Flight Standards Service
Phone 202- 267-8098
e-mail: lizett.culley@faa.gov

It is by believing in roses that one brings them to bloom. —French Proverb

From: Shawn Musgrave

Ms. Culley -

Please note that my request is for a list of all COA applicants, and not for COA materials themselves. Having reviewed a number of COA applications, I know that each has a unique tracking number, and that the FAA undoubtedly has a list of such applicants.

This request hardly qualifies as "large and voluminous," as you suggest. Furthermore, your office has processed in full a number of other requests that were submitted after this request, rather than processing these on a "first-in, first-out" basis per standard procedure. The excuses as to delays on this request continue to evolve, and the FAA has yet to acknowledge my January 8 appeal of constructive denial.

I respectfully insist upon a full explanation as to how the scope of this particular request for a list of COA applicants is sufficiently burdensome to prevent immediate release, as well as a formal acknowledgement of the appeal I submitted in January.

Please let me know if I can clarify these issues any further.

Best,
Shawn Musgrave
MuckRock

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thank you for your help.

From: Federal Aviation Administration

Good Afternoon Mr. Musgrave,

This message is in reference to your FOIA Request #2014-1308 requesting for a copy of a current list of all UAS/UAV/RPV/drone COAS,, including application and expiration date, applicant name, and waiver status. Since the data is voluminous, I am requesting your authorization to send you the response letter and the attachment via e-mail. Your letter is already in process, I anticipate having your response ready in about 2 weeks.

I apologize for the delay in replying to your request. A new due date of July 7, 2014 is requested to complete your FOIA case.

Please reply back and acknowledge extension. Also, please confirm your authorization to send your response and attachment via e-mail.

Thank you.

Lizett Culley
Management Specialist, AFS-82
Office of UAS Integration
Phone (202) 267-8098

From: Shawn Musgrave

Please provide an update on this request -- the estimated completion date has passed.

-Shawn

From: Federal Aviation Administration

Good Afternoon Mr. Musgrave,

I am waiting for the final signature on your response letter. We had to make some changes and resubmit your letter for final approval. I need to negotiate an extension of 20 days (weekday) from August 7, 2014. A new due date of September 5, 2014 is requested to complete your FOIA case.

Please reply back and acknowledge this extension.

Thank you.

Lizett Culley
Management Specialist, AFS-82
Office of UAS Integration
Phone (202) 267-8098

From: Shawn Musgrave

Hello,

I acknowledge this extension but once again register my protest over the FAA's failure to acknowledge whatsoever my appeal of constructive denial as submitted in January. I also note once again your office's ongoing refusal to elaborate as to how this request was originally classified as extensive or burdensome, as it is a request for a listing known to be held by the FAA UAS Integration office.

Kindly provide me with more advance notice of changes to the estimated completion date, as well.

Respectfully,

Shawn Musgrave

From: Federal Aviation Administration

A cover letter granting the request and outlining any exempted materials, if any.

From: Federal Aviation Administration

A first set of responsive documents from the agency, with more to be sent at a specified date.

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thank you for your help.

From: Federal Aviation Administration

Good Morning Mr. Musgrave,

We sent you a response letter on September 2, 2014 to your P.O. Box address in Boston, MA. Please check your pending mail to make sure you have received the letter.

Please confirm that you have received the correspondence.

Thanks.

Lizett Culley
Management Specialist, AFS-82
Office of UAS Integration
Phone (202) 267-8098

From: Shawn Musgrave

Ms. Culley -

I have received the listing as mailed on September 2. Please provide a copy of the native electronic copy of this document, which appears to be a printed out spreadsheet. In keeping with my original request, please provide all future releases for this FOIA in native electronic format, rather than via mailed printouts.

Best,
Shawn Musgrave
MuckRock

From: Shawn Musgrave

Ms. Culley and Mr. Honda -

Please advise whether an electronic copy of the COA applicant spreadsheet will be provided per the FAA's obligations under FOIA. There has already been undue delay on this request, and I would insist on prompt response.

Respectfully,

Shawn Musgrave
MuckRock

From: Federal Aviation Administration

Good Morning Mr. Musgrave,

This message is in reference to your request asking for an electronic copy of the COA applicant spreadsheet. I will be sending you an electronic copy as per your e-mail.

Thank you.

Lizett Culley
Management Specialist, AFS-82
Office of UAS Integration
Phone (202) 267-8098

From: Federal Aviation Administration

A copy of documents responsive to the request.

From: Federal Aviation Administration

A cover letter granting the request and outlining any exempted materials, if any.

From: Shawn Musgrave

Ms. Culley -

Please confirm whether this has been sent. I have yet to receive any electronic copy.

Best,
Shawn

From: Federal Aviation Administration

Good Afternoon Mr. Musgrave,

The electronic copy of the document that you requested was sent out to you last week by mail on Friday, September 19, 2014 to:

MuckRock News
DEPT MR 9201
PO Box 55819
Boston, MA 02205-5819

Please let me know when you receive your mail.

Thanks.

Lizett Culley
Management Specialist, AFS-82
Office of UAS Integration
Phone (202) 267-8098

From: Shawn Musgrave

Ms. Culley and Mr. Honda -

Please provide an estimated completion date for this request.

Best,
Shawn Musgrave
MuckRock

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thank you for your help.

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thank you for your help.

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thank you for your help.

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thank you for your help.

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thank you for your help.

From:

Good Afternoon Mr. Musgrave,

This message is in reference to your FOIA Request 2014-001308 dated November 23, 2013, requesting a current list of all UAS/UAV/RPV/drone COAs, including date of application, name of applicant, waiver status and date of expiration. We sent you a partial response letter on September 2, 2014 with a list dated from November 2, 2012 through June 19, 2014. I apologize for the delay in replying to your request. Currently, I am waiting for the response of one of our managers, who is currently on travel, regarding the remaining records from July 2007 through October 31, 2012. I need to negotiate with you an extension of 20 days (weekday) from March 13, 2015. A new due date of April 10, 2015 is requested to complete your FOIA case.

Please reply back and acknowledge to this extension.

Thank you.

Lizett Culley
Management Specialist, AFS-82
Office of UAS Integration
Phone (202) 267-8098

From: Shawn Musgrave

Ms. Culley -

I acknowledge this extension.

Thank you,
Shawn Musgrave
MuckRock

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thank you for your help.

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thank you for your help.

From: Shawn Musgrave

Hello -

I have not received any update on this request since March, when the FAA extended its estimated completion date to mid-April. Please advise.

Best,
Shawn Musgrave
Investigative reporter, MuckRock

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thank you for your help.

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thank you for your help.

From: Shawn Musgrave

Hello -

Please advise as to the status of this request. I had been told previously that it would be completed in April.

Best,
Shawn Musgrave

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thank you for your help.

From: MuckRock.com

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Nov. 23, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. You had assigned it reference number #2014-1308.

Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.

From:

Good Afternoon Mr. Musgrave

This e-mail is in reference to your November 23, 2013, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for "a current list of all UAS/UAV/RPV/drone COAs, including date of application, name of applicant, waiver status and date of expiration."

In light of the length of time that has elapsed and given the fact that we have no record of any recent correspondence with you concerning this case, we believe it is possible you are no longer interested in pursuing this issue. Please contact me via telephone at (202) 267-4529 or by e-mail at cherokee.carroll@faa.gov<mailto:cherokee.carroll@faa.gov> no later than April 27, 2016, if you remain interested in continuing with this request.

If we have not heard from you by the date listed above, this request will be considered close.

Thank you,

Cherokee M. Carroll
FOIA Analyst
Emerging Technologies Team, AJV-115
Federal Aviation Administration
L'Enfant Plaza 470
202.267.4529

From: Shawn Musgrave

Hello -

Yes, I am still interested in this request. Please note that this request dates back to November 2013, and that we currently stand a year past previous estimated completion dates.

Please provide a solid estimated date of completion for this request.

Respectfully,
Shawn Musgrave

From:

Good Afternoon Mr. Musgrave,

I have forwarded your FOIA request status to our FOIA Coordinator, Lizett Cully. As soon as I have information regarding your case, I will be sure to respond as soon as possible.

Have a great day,

Cherokee M. Carroll
FOIA Analyst
Emerging Technologies Team, AJV-115
Federal Aviation Administration
L’Enfant Plaza 470
202.267.4529

From:

Good Morning Mr. Musgrave,

I am forwarding your message to Lizett Culley (Lizett.culley@faa.gov). She will have more information for your case.

Have A Great Day,

Cherokee M. Carroll
FOIA Analyst
Emerging Technologies Team, AJV-115
Federal Aviation Administration
L’Enfant Plaza 470
202.267.4529

From:

Good Morning Mr. Musgrave:

I have submitted your response letter to the management team for their approval since June 10, 2016. I apologize for the delay and the inconvenience to you.

I hope to have a status update this week on your letter.

Please feel free to contact me at your convenience regarding the status of your case.

Thank you for your patience.

Lizett G. Culley
FOIA Coordinator, AJV-115
Emerging Technologies Team
Ph. (202) 267-8098
e-mail: lizett.culley@faa.gov<mailto:lizett.culley@faa.gov>

From:

Good Afternoon Mr. Musgrave,

I sincerely apologize for the delay in sending your reply. Your letter is currently with the management team pending approval and final signature. I hope to have your letter ready by next week. I will send you an e-mail confirmation when I am mailing your correspondence.

Thank you for your patience.

Lizett G. Culley
FOIA Coordinator, AJV-115
Emerging Technologies Team
Ph. (202) 267-8098
e-mail: lizett.culley@faa.gov<mailto:lizett.culley@faa.gov>

From:

Dear Mr. Musgrave,

My name is Dana Whitman and I am the new FOIA specialist who has been assigned your cases 2014-001308 and 2015-000889. I want to first apologize for the extremely long delay in the FOIA offcice processing your request. There were a very large number of requests and also a turnover of employees working these backlog cases.

I have been going through both your cases and there is a discrepancy on our end that I would like to clear up. I see that two responsive letters and records have been drafted for FOIA 2014-001308, by two different individuals at different times. Unfortunately, I do not feel that I can use either because the requested time frames they mention in the response letters refer to November 1, 2012 thru June 19, 2014 and July 1, 2012 thru Oct 31, 2014. Neither of these correlate to you original request of "all active" COAs.

Since it has been such a long time since your request 2014-001308, I can provide a list of all Civil and Public COAs to date. I will provide a list of public COAs back to November 1, 2012 as they would have still been active at the time of your initial request and a list of Civil COAs back to 2015. The list for Public COAs would include the COA #, Sponsor, Sponsor city/state, Status, and date entered. The list for Civil COAs would include the COA #, Status, Phase, Date submitted, and Proponent. Neither of these lists capture the COA expiration dates. To include such information, each COA would need to be physically examined and the expiration date extracted and added to the list. This would be considered the creation of a record and the agency is not required by the Freedom of Information Act to create a record for the purposes of answering a FOIA request.

Since so much time has elapsed since your initial request, many of the originally "active" COAs have expired. Are you interested in the expired ones or just "active" public and civil COAs to date?

There will be some redactions since one of the public entities will not allow us to disclose their COA number, location, or submission date.

FOIA case 2015-00889 will have responsive records from June 1, 2014 to the present as per you request.

Both of these responsive records will be sent electronically as requested

Dana Whitman/JMA-Solutions
FOIA Program Analyst
UAS FOIA Program
Emerging Technologies, AJV-115
C: 703-728-6979
__l__
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From:

Tried to send these to the two email address on the two FOIA requests but no response. I hope this reaches you so that we can answer you FOIA requests.

Dana Whitman/JMA-Solutions
FOIA Program Analyst
UAS FOIA Program
Emerging Technologies, AJV-115
C: 703-728-6979
__l__
\---@--('_')--@---/

From:

Shawn,

FOIA 2017-004690 has been completed by me.It is now out for signature. You should be getting that one shortly. Would you like it sent electronically to this email address? I am working on the other two as cited in the subject line and I can put together the lists for both requests rather quickly as I have already done the research back to November 2012. I just need to know if November 1, 2012 to the present is good for 2014-001308 and June 1, 2014 to the present on 2015-00889 as per your request. Since we are going to go to the present date, the responsive records for 2014-001308 would answer both FOIA requests if you would like to withdraw your request for FOIA 2015-00889, it's up to you. As I stated, we cannot add the expiration date. many of the COAs from 1012 to 2015 have expired. Would you like those in the list or just active ones to date?

Dana Whitman/JMA-Solutions
FOIA Program Analyst
UAS FOIA Program
Emerging Technologies, AJV-115
C: 703-728-6979
__l__
\---@--('_')--@---/

From:

Correction to second to last line 2012-2015.

Dana Whitman/JMA-Solutions
FOIA Program Analyst
UAS FOIA Program
Emerging Technologies, AJV-115
C: 703-728-6979
__l__
\---@--('_')--@---/

From: Shawn Musgrave

Hi Dana -

I agree to close out 2015-00889 if 2014-001308 covers all COAs from 2012 to present, as you wrote. I will revisit that when I receive responsive records to 2014-001308.

Please include all COAs issued — both active COAs and ones that have expired. I don't believe I received any previous statements as to your inability to include expiration dates. Previous lists I obtained myself from the FAA or ones published elsewhere have included this date. Do you mean your system does not include that or you would redact that under a FOIA exemption?

Best,
Shawn

From:

Shawn,

I checked with another member of our office that maintains the system we use to run data base queries to make certain I was not overlooking a way of generating a list that contains both active and expired COAs with an expiration date column. She confirmed that if you are looking for COAs that include those that have expired, that the list I can generate will not have an expiration date. However, there is another list that I can generate if I only search for Active COAs and that will have the approval date time-frame. So I will generate both lists for you. The expired list will not have the expiration dates but the Active list will.

Dana Whitman/JMA-Solutions
FOIA Program Analyst
UAS FOIA Program
Emerging Technologies, AJV-115
C: 703-728-6979
__l__
\---@--('_')--@---/

From:

Mr. Musgrave,

Attached you will find the Responsive Letter and records responsive to your FOIA request 2014-001308.

Thank you for you patience.

Sincerely,
Dana Whitman/Crown Consulting, Inc.
Management and Program Analyst
UAS Integration into the NAS
Emerging Technologies, AJV-115
C: 703-728-6979
__l__
\---@--('_')--@---/
[Crown Consulting, Inc. Logo]

From: Federal Aviation Administration

Hello Mr. Musgrave,

Referencing your FOIA request 2014-001308, you were seeking records for the current listing of all UAS/UAV/drone COAs up to December 2013, at the time of your FOIA request.

All of this information is located on the FAA COA site at: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/systemops/aaim/organizations/uas/coa/

We are wondering if we could close out this FOIA request. Please reply back to confirm.

Thank You,

Derek M. Honda
Senior Program Analyst
AFB-140 Flight Standards
Work: 202-267-4190
Fax: 202-267-7636
email: derek.honda@faa.gov<mailto:derek.honda@faa.gov>

From: Federal Aviation Administration

Hello Mr. Musgrave,

I am following up with you to see if you are still interested in pursuing your FOIA request. We have not received a response.

Please reply back to this inquiry. If we do not receive your reply by close of business Thursday August 23, 2018, we will assume you are no longer interested in pursuing your FOIA request and it will be closed out.

Thank You,

Derek M. Honda
Senior Program Analyst
AFB-140 Flight Standards
Work: 202-267-4190
Fax: 202-267-7636
email: derek.honda@faa.gov<mailto:derek.honda@faa.gov>

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