Oswego, New York - PRELIM INFO FROM FAA OPS OSWEGO NY UAS INCIDENT 1521E UAS SMALL FIXED WING DESERT

PRELIM INFO FROM FAA OPS: OSWEGO, NY/UAS INCIDENT/1521E/UAS (SMALL, FIXED-WING “DESERT HAWK III”), CONTROL & CONTACT LOST VCNTY SUSQUEHANNA RIVER. NOTAM ISSUED TO WARN PILOTS IN AREA. VEHICLE SHOULD’VE RUN OUT OF FUEL BY NOW.

MOR Alert for BGM Number: BGM-M-2015/07/24-0001 Type: Communication not established/maintained as expected/intended. (required ATC/pilot action/notifications) Date/Time: Jul 24, 2015 - 1910Z

A/C: (DRONE)

Summary: We got a call from an operator in Owego, NY saying they lost control of a drone they were flying and it was flying near the Susquehanna River when they last spotted it. We then got a call from a pilot who called to complain that someone from “Owego tower” called on frequency 122.8 and reported they have lost control of a drone and to watch out. The pilot actually saw the drone. According to our COA regarding the use of their drones, they executed every requirement of the COA when they lost the plane. A NOTAM was issued for UAS activity prior to departure, they called to report the loss of contact and they got on CZG frequency to provide notification to any pilots in the area as a warning. They indicated they did not recover the drone but based on the time lapse, it would have run out of fuel by now and is down somewhere. The drone is a fixed wing Desert Hawk III.