COA Extensions

[R Martin]

So with the advent of LAANC, COA approvals have been shifted from the local centers back to headquarters for those of us serviced by federal contract towers. I have tried to contact the group to inquire about the status of my recent COA applications to no avail. But I was informed that it is possible to final for an extension of your existing COA in the interim pending approval of the new COA:

Thank you for contacting the FAA's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Support Center.



Dear Sir:


The UAS COA Online System provides applicants with an electronic method of requesting a COA. Applicants will need to obtain an account in order to access the online system. You should be able to view your request in the COA portal and/or the drone zone for a current status.


https://faadronezone.faa.gov/#/


Please email the FAA/UAS office at [email protected] with any questions or for more information regarding Certificates of Waiver or Authorization.


Requests to extend airspace authorizations that expire on or after June 30, 2017 should be sent to [email protected] no less than (30) days prior to the expiration date of your original authorization. Title your email "Part 107 Authorization Extension Request [201X-XSA-XXX-P107 or 201X-P107-XSA-XXXX]" and include the responsible person/organization name, location (closest airport identifier), the length of time the extension is requested (up to 6 months), and your original granted authorization. Changes to your original authorization must be submitted as a new authorization request. Questions about this process should be sent to [email protected]


JDL


Please follow up with any further inquiries at [email protected]. Additional information is also available at https://www.faa.gov/uas/.


We appreciate your feedback. Please select: UAS Safety and Integration Division AUS-400.


Maybe this will help a few of you caught between a rock and the FAA until your situation gets sorted out.

 

[R Martin]

Update: Asked for a 6 month extension. Received a 15 month extension within roughly 24 hours.

 

[Moosewax]

Thank you for posting this R Martin. This is the kind of nuanced info not easily available to the public that can be so valuable for all of us trying to jump through all the correct hoops and maintain FAA compliance.

 

[R Martin]

Thank you for posting this R Martin. This is the kind of nuanced info not easily available to the public that can be so valuable for all of us trying to jump through all the correct hoops and maintain FAA compliance.

This all came about as a result of the webinar series the FAA is putting on this summer about waivers. I've called headquarters direct, contacted the UASCenter via email and by phone, called the local office that used to process my authorizations...in short, this has been a two-three week ordeal being bounced between different entities in the FAA.
A posted question in the webinar led to an email which led to a 24-hour response from someone in headquarters. And a direct email address for authorization extensions that I was completely unaware of previously. It is far easier to renew/extend an authorization that it is to file for a new one.

 

[Dave Pitman]

+1 Thanks for sharing that @R.Martin. I was not aware of that avenue either.

 

[AIA.AI]

Looks like the link you provided for extension request is currently down.

 

[R Martin]

Looks like the link you provided for extension request is currently down.

It is an email address. Copy and paste it into the header of your email.

 

[R Martin]

Received the second extension for my other COA this morning. A 48 hour turn around is not bad. The extension adds another 15 months to my COA. My next question was at what point do I need to file for a new COA vs requesting extensions? I will hopefully have an answer to that by Monday. The FAA added a provision that was not on the last that requires me to check the UASFM site to ensure no changes to altitude or airspace have been made prior to each flight, and if I need to operate higher than the published limits, I need to file for a new COA.

 

[AIA.AI]

Vital info, appreciate you sharing it @RMartin

 

[dronecyclops]

Thank You @RMartin very helpful

 

[R Martin]

So after this new development, I asked when I should file for an extension if I hold a current COA and when should I file for a new COA? The answer was,

"If the location is in LAANC you have to request new authorization however, if it’s not in LAANC submit an email to [email protected] and request extension."

So the moral here is if you are served by an FCT that is not participating in LAANC, request an extension 30 days or sooner before your COA expires for by email and include the responsible party name (your name), the location (the ICAO airport designator), and the length of the extension (6 months) and send the extension request to [email protected]

 

[Florida Drone Supply]

So after this new development, I asked when I should file for an extension if I hold a current COA and when should I file for a new COA? The answer was,

"If the location is in LAANC you have to request new authorization however, if it’s not in LAANC submit an email to [email protected] and request extension."

So the moral here is if you are served by an FCT that is not participating in LAANC, request an extension 30 days or sooner before your COA expires for by email and include the responsible party name (your name), the location (the ICAO airport designator), and the length of the extension (6 months) and send the extension request to [email protected]

Thank You for all this information.

 

[Vernon Fowlkes]

Since this thread is a year old now, in case someone else should come across it as I did looking for instructions on how to extend a COA, I thought I'd post that I followed these instructions and found that the FAA is no longer granting Part 107 Authorization extensions. A copy of the email I received follows The good news is my FAA correspondent told me there is no longer a Part 107 backlog and most requests are turned around in 24 hours or so. I'll test that assertion out very soon. (The airspace I'm working with is a Class D airspace with no LAANC.)

***
Good afternoon Mr. Fowlkes,

My name is Justin Rhodes and I am the lead for UAS in the FAA’s Eastern Region. Last fall the processing of all P107 Drone Zone applications was transferred from AJV-115 (FAA HQ) to the FAA’s Service Centers (my office). I regret to inform you that we do not provide extensions for P107 COAs. That said, there is no longer any sort of backlog of P107 applications so almost all requests are being worked in under 24 hours. Please apply for a new P107 COA via Drone Zone (manually processed) or, if available, LAANC (automated processing).

Thanks for your understanding. We will work diligently to process your request as quickly as possible.

Justin T. Rhodes
Federal Aviation Administration
ESA Operations Support Group, Tactical Team AJV E-23
UAS, Commercial Space, & Emergency Response

 

[R Martin]

Since this thread is a year old now, in case someone else should come across it as I did looking for instructions on how to extend a COA, I thought I'd post that I followed these instructions and found that the FAA is no longer granting Part 107 Authorization extensions. A copy of the email I received follows The good news is my FAA correspondent told me there is no longer a Part 107 backlog and most requests are turned around in 24 hours or so. I'll test that assertion out very soon. (The airspace I'm working with is a Class D airspace with no LAANC.)

***
Good afternoon Mr. Fowlkes,

My name is Justin Rhodes and I am the lead for UAS in the FAA’s Eastern Region. Last fall the processing of all P107 Drone Zone applications was transferred from AJV-115 (FAA HQ) to the FAA’s Service Centers (my office). I regret to inform you that we do not provide extensions for P107 COAs. That said, there is no longer any sort of backlog of P107 applications so almost all requests are being worked in under 24 hours. Please apply for a new P107 COA via Drone Zone (manually processed) or, if available, LAANC (automated processing).

Thanks for your understanding. We will work diligently to process your request as quickly as possible.

Justin T. Rhodes
Federal Aviation Administration
ESA Operations Support Group, Tactical Team AJV E-23
UAS, Commercial Space, & Emergency Response

I got the same response basically. The FAA rep told me I "should" receive a 30-day renewal notification via Drone Zone prior to the actual expiration. I set a reminder on my calendar just to be sure I don't miss it.

 

[R Martin]

The new new method of extension is to file via the FAA portal FAADroneZone
Attach your existing COA to the application and make sure to save the completed application itself. That needs to be attached to the new COA you received to be valid. Turn around time is approximately a week in my recent experience.