UAV - Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 8
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Chart Or Publication; Procedure
I discovered that the checklist provided by the Unmanned Arial System (UAS) mission was incomplete; but had been provided to controllers working the flight anyway. The flight had already gone through our airspace for the day and was expected back daily for five days; during daylight hours at FL270/280. The information provided by the UAS Mission Office and given to controllers working the flight did not include pilot contact information or lost link procedures; instead the following was listed: 1. Pilot Contact Info listed: Pilot contact information also put in Remarks section of filed flight plan.2. Lost Link Procedures Info listed in a reference document. The two most important pieces of information here were left out and I feel that it is very inadequate coordination. Unfortunately; due to training and inconsistent scheduling at the Mission Coordinator Desk (who is responsible for getting the correct information to the controllers on the floor); it seems to have slipped through the cracks. To further complicate the issue: I could not find the original email to see if any attachments were included that might provide more information. I suspect it may have been archived on another user's login and inaccessible from mine (another problem with OPSPROXY - see previous report regarding our facilities MOS and OPSPROXY). More importantly; when I tried to locate the Certificate of Authorization (COA) on our facilities computer; it was password protected. This means; neither the controllers working the flight; nor the MOS had access to the COAs associated with the flights: a. Pen and Ink Change and b. FAA Form 7711-1 COS along US Borders.I recommend ALL COAs pertaining to any UAS flight in ARTCC airspace must be made available to controllers and MOS at all times; without a password needed because controllers need quick easy access to information for these crucial missions. Mission Coordinators at ARTCC facilities should ensure all pilot contact information and lost link procedures are provided before a mission enters a facility's airspace and ensure it is easily accessible for controllers.
A Government UAV operated in US Domestic Airspace at FL270 and afterwords the controllers realized they were not provided with either the Certificate of Operation; Pilot Contact Information or Lost Link Procedures for that flight.