Database of 14 CFR Part 48 registered drones
It is a clone of this request.
| Tracking # |
2022-10356 |
| Submitted | Aug. 24, 2022 |
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Communications
From: Ben Welsh
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
A complete electronic list of all unmanned aerial systems, also known as drones, licensed under 14 CFR Part 48. These registrations are collected by the FAA's DroneZone site and not currently posted on the FAA site
https://faadronezone-access.faa.gov/#/
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, 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,
Ben Welsh
From: Federal Aviation Administration
Mr. Welsh,
This email acknowledges receipt of your FOIA request concerning a complete electronic list of all unmanned aerial systems, also known as drones, licensed under 14 CFR Part 48.
Your request has been assigned for action to the FAA office listed below:
Civil Aviation Registry
Julie Ferrell, FOIA Coordinator
405-954-3789
If you have questions regarding the status of your request, please contact the assigned FOIA coordinator. Please refer to the FOIA number above in future correspondence regarding this request.
Note: I wanted to insure you were aware of the FOIA Reading Room https://www.faa.gov/foia/electronic_reading_room/ where there is a geographic list of UAS registration.
Thank you,
Judy Shipp
FOIA Management Specialist
817-222-5059
[AFN-3 Logo]
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From: Ben Welsh
Thank you.
From: Federal Aviation Administration
Hello Ben,
I've been assigned your FOIA request No. 2022-10356 where you are requesting the following:
A complete electronic list of all unmanned aerial systems, also known as drones, licensed under 14 CFR Part 48.
Can you be more specific on what you mean by "complete list"? Exactly what data are you looking for?
Bonnie Lefko
Program Analyst
Aircraft Registration Branch, AFB-711
From: Ben Welsh
Bonnie,
I presume that all the drones registered under Part 48 via DroneZone and other intake mechanisms are stored in a database. I want an export of that database, with all columns, as a set of spreadsheets.
That make sense?
From: Federal Aviation Administration
You are correct but you can't have the entire database under FOIA. All information that falls under PII isn't releasable. That included individual names, all addresses, all phone numbers, all email addresses, all registration numbers, and all device serial numbers. If you are just looking for current registrations (cancelled and expired not included) there are 860,430 active registrations so you are looking at an approximate fee of $5,680 to $7,100 (depends on how much time I spend on it). It will take me quite a bit of time to review and remove all the PII. I estimate approximately 80 to 100 hours of my time to complete it at $71.00 per hour. I can't give an exact time frame that it will be ready since this is only a fraction of my job. If you agree to pay the approximate fee I will proceed with the request.
Bonnie Lefko
Program Analyst
Aircraft Registration Branch, AFB-711
405-954-7461
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~WRD000
From: Ben Welsh
What are the PII fields that you think aren't subject to FOIA, and what exemptions do you think cover them?
My layperson's understanding is that names and addresses of license holders are, unless there's a specific law written to protect them, presumed to be open and not shielded from the public records law. Medical license holders, concealed weapons permit holders and many other records like this are routinely released via public records requests.
From: Federal Aviation Administration
I already identified the exempted fields in my email below. The database you are asking for isn't a license holders database. It's a registration database. Exemption 6 applies.
Bonnie Lefko
Program Analyst
Aircraft Registration Branch, AFB-711
405-954-7461
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~WRD000
From: Ben Welsh
Okay. Then I ask that you simply list out the fields you want to exclude under the exemption, so it's clear what's being withheld. Then those can be omitted when you do a database export, which should be a fairly straightforward technical operation that doesn't require any manual review at all. That work for you?
From: Federal Aviation Administration
That's not how it works with the PART 48 registration database. We don't have a way to distinguish whether it's an individual or a company. The entire database has to be put in a spreadsheet and then I manually remove the PII.
Bonnie Lefko
Program Analyst
Aircraft Registration Branch, AFB-711
405-954-7461
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~WRD000
From: Ben Welsh
Rather than go through row by row, can you quickly delete the entire column? Wouldn't that make it a fast operation?
From: Federal Aviation Administration
Morning,
Are you saying you are okay with getting a spreadsheet that has all the columns that potentially contain Personally Identifiable Information (PII) removed?
Bonnie Lefko
Program Analyst
Aircraft Registration Branch, AFB-711
405-954-7461
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~WRD000
From: Ben Welsh
Yes, I just ask that you to list the withheld columns.
From: Federal Aviation Administration
A copy of documents responsive to the request.
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Responsive Documents
From: Federal Aviation Administration
A copy of documents responsive to the request.
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Responsive Documents
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 24, 2022. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #2022-10356.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Muckrock Staff
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information Act request, copied below, and originally submitted on Aug. 24, 2022. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response. You had assigned it reference number #2022-10356.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Federal Aviation Administration
The CD was mailed to you on 9/28.
Bonnie Lefko
Program Analyst
Aircraft Registration Branch, AFB-711
405-954-7461
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~WRD000