UAV - Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 120; Flight Crew Total 7200; Flight Crew Type 5000
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Aircraft; Airspace Structure; Procedure
ATC cleared our UAV via a vector change to our route of flight due to active military airspace. The new route took the UAV over the populated area of a nearby large city. We are not allowed to fly the UAV over populated areas; so asked for vectors around the city. ATC then assigned a heading of 095 which would have put the UAV over the populated area of an adjacent smaller city so we again asked for another heading to avoid populated areas. They then assigned a heading of 085 to avoid overflight of the smaller city. Center continued to provide vectors around all the populated areas. Once clear; Center handed us off to Approach and recovery was made without further incident.
When the UAV's original route of flight was compromised by an active MOA; its flight crew received vectors around populated areas and to the vicinity of their recovery station.