Narrative:

Aircraft X was handed off from me; local 1; to local 2. The aircraft was on a pre coordinated photo mission that would take him on north/south photo lines off the departure end. For an estimated 10 minutes I was working that aircraft on his photo routes in local 2 airspace until I was told by management to vacate him to the south and start his south runs so local 2 can resume their departures. While aircraft X was in my airspace I was able to avoid him with my departures. When aircraft X turned north to start a photo line I then asked him how close he was going to get to the RNAV departure track. He said right up to it. I then immediately started calling traffic for aircraft X to report the departing B737; aircraft Y; in sight. He then responded 'I have the departing aircraft Z in sight'; I then went back to issue him the departing aircraft Y traffic also to report. Aircraft X then reported both aircraft in sight and reported that he will maintain visual separation. I immediately called local 2 to inform him that my traffic had both your traffic in sight and was maintaining visual separation. I then observed out of the window aircraft Z dive towards the ground and made a right turn to avoid the traffic. An estimated 10 minutes had passed before I was able to be relieved from position after repeated requests due to the near midair collision situation. The map I was given for his photo mission was not to scale and was not numbered so I had no clue what actual photo track he was on at any given time. Also no stop bar had been placed in front of my departing traffic. (Stop bar: no departure traffic may depart while the stop bar is posted at the position).lack of communication was key to this scenario. Management did an absolute poor job in this situation. I repeatedly asked multiple times before this happened if we can get headings from TRACON so we can miss aircraft X and none of this ever would've happened. I was denied both times by management in charge.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATL Tower Controller reported an NMAC between departing traffic and an aircraft conducting a photo mission.

Narrative: Aircraft X was handed off from me; local 1; to local 2. The aircraft was on a pre coordinated photo mission that would take him on north/south photo lines off the departure end. For an estimated 10 minutes I was working that aircraft on his photo routes in local 2 airspace until I was told by management to vacate him to the south and start his south runs so local 2 can resume their departures. While Aircraft X was in my airspace I was able to avoid him with my departures. When Aircraft X turned north to start a photo line I then asked him how close he was going to get to the RNAV departure track. He said right up to it. I then immediately started calling traffic for Aircraft X to report the departing B737; Aircraft Y; in sight. He then responded 'I have the departing Aircraft Z in sight'; I then went back to issue him the departing Aircraft Y traffic also to report. Aircraft X then reported both aircraft in sight and reported that he will maintain visual separation. I immediately called local 2 to inform him that my traffic had both your traffic in sight and was maintaining visual separation. I then observed out of the window Aircraft Z dive towards the ground and made a right turn to avoid the traffic. An estimated 10 minutes had passed before I was able to be relieved from position after repeated requests due to the NMAC situation. The map I was given for his photo mission was not to scale and was not numbered so I had no clue what actual photo track he was on at any given time. Also no stop bar had been placed in front of my departing traffic. (stop bar: no departure traffic may depart while the stop bar is posted at the position).Lack of communication was key to this scenario. Management did an absolute poor job in this situation. I repeatedly asked multiple times before this happened if we can get headings from TRACON so we can miss Aircraft X and none of this ever would've happened. I was denied both times by management in charge.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.