Narrative:

At approximately XA30 CST, I overheard 1 of the air traffic data assistants approve operations for a military controled, unmanned aerial vehicle, in class east airspace in the neighboring sector, from surface to 8500 ft. The data assistant then advised the radar controller that the unmanned aerial vehicle was out there. The radar controller was moderately busy, but acknowledged that the unmanned aerial vehicle was airborne. I observed the unmanned aerial vehicle's non-tagged data block in the other controller's airspace, indicating he was operating above the nfj class D surface area. So, I tagged the data block with unmanned aerial vehicle, and flashed the newly tagged data block at the other controller. After 2 or so mins, the other controller accepted the flashing unmanned aerial vehicle data tag. I do not believe the other controller was completely aware that the unmanned aerial vehicle would be flying through his airspace from surface to 8500 ft with no radio. I was trying to help him maintain awareness that the unmanned aerial vehicle was operating in his airspace. At approximately XA51 CST, I observed the neighboring approach control aiming an IFR civilian aircraft at 4000 ft towards the area the unmanned aerial vehicle was operating in. I tried to warn the other controller verbally, but was unable to get his attention. So, I flagged down a supervisor, and showed him the pending conflict. The supervisor walked down to inform the controller, but by then, the conflict alert had activated between the PA44 and the unmanned aerial vehicle. They were both 3 NM southeast of nfj. The PA44 was at 4000 ft, and the unmanned aerial vehicle was descending out of 4200 ft. The controller turned the PA44 away to the southwest and issued traffic. The unmanned aerial vehicle was not in radio contact. FAA order 7610.4J, chapter 12, section 9 spells out the requirements that must be met for remotely operated aircraft to be operated outside restr or warning areas. None of these criteria were met when the unmanned aerial vehicle was allowed to enter the class east airspace. Pensacola TRACON management claimed the controller 'approved' the unmanned aerial vehicle operations. I advised them that neither he nor they had the authority/authorized to approve the operation. That authority/authorized rests with the FAA southern region air traffic division. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that the military and FAA have since established policies and practices in which the unmanned aerial vehicle will operate. Reporter advised that interagency coordination is being finalized to prevent a similar occurrence and to insure timely coordination of such special events.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: P31 CTLR ALERTS SUPVR TO DEVELOPING CONFLICT OF A PA44 AND A MIL UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE (UAV) IN ANOTHER CTLR'S AIRSPACE. ACTION INSUFFICIENT TO STOP CONFLICT.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA30 CST, I OVERHEARD 1 OF THE AIR TFC DATA ASSISTANTS APPROVE OPS FOR A MILITARY CTLED, UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE, IN CLASS E AIRSPACE IN THE NEIGHBORING SECTOR, FROM SURFACE TO 8500 FT. THE DATA ASSISTANT THEN ADVISED THE RADAR CTLR THAT THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE WAS OUT THERE. THE RADAR CTLR WAS MODERATELY BUSY, BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE WAS AIRBORNE. I OBSERVED THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE'S NON-TAGGED DATA BLOCK IN THE OTHER CTLR'S AIRSPACE, INDICATING HE WAS OPERATING ABOVE THE NFJ CLASS D SURFACE AREA. SO, I TAGGED THE DATA BLOCK WITH UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE, AND FLASHED THE NEWLY TAGGED DATA BLOCK AT THE OTHER CTLR. AFTER 2 OR SO MINS, THE OTHER CTLR ACCEPTED THE FLASHING UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE DATA TAG. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE OTHER CTLR WAS COMPLETELY AWARE THAT THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE WOULD BE FLYING THROUGH HIS AIRSPACE FROM SURFACE TO 8500 FT WITH NO RADIO. I WAS TRYING TO HELP HIM MAINTAIN AWARENESS THAT THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE WAS OPERATING IN HIS AIRSPACE. AT APPROX XA51 CST, I OBSERVED THE NEIGHBORING APCH CTL AIMING AN IFR CIVILIAN ACFT AT 4000 FT TOWARDS THE AREA THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE WAS OPERATING IN. I TRIED TO WARN THE OTHER CTLR VERBALLY, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET HIS ATTN. SO, I FLAGGED DOWN A SUPVR, AND SHOWED HIM THE PENDING CONFLICT. THE SUPVR WALKED DOWN TO INFORM THE CTLR, BUT BY THEN, THE CONFLICT ALERT HAD ACTIVATED BTWN THE PA44 AND THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE. THEY WERE BOTH 3 NM SE OF NFJ. THE PA44 WAS AT 4000 FT, AND THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE WAS DSNDING OUT OF 4200 FT. THE CTLR TURNED THE PA44 AWAY TO THE SW AND ISSUED TFC. THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE WAS NOT IN RADIO CONTACT. FAA ORDER 7610.4J, CHAPTER 12, SECTION 9 SPELLS OUT THE REQUIREMENTS THAT MUST BE MET FOR REMOTELY OPERATED ACFT TO BE OPERATED OUTSIDE RESTR OR WARNING AREAS. NONE OF THESE CRITERIA WERE MET WHEN THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE WAS ALLOWED TO ENTER THE CLASS E AIRSPACE. PENSACOLA TRACON MGMNT CLAIMED THE CTLR 'APPROVED' THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE OPS. I ADVISED THEM THAT NEITHER HE NOR THEY HAD THE AUTH TO APPROVE THE OP. THAT AUTH RESTS WITH THE FAA SOUTHERN REGION AIR TFC DIVISION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT THE MIL AND FAA HAVE SINCE ESTABLISHED POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN WHICH THE UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE WILL OPERATE. RPTR ADVISED THAT INTERAGENCY COORD IS BEING FINALIZED TO PREVENT A SIMILAR OCCURRENCE AND TO INSURE TIMELY COORD OF SUCH SPECIAL EVENTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.