INSPECTOR GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 4800 MARK CENTER DRIVE ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA 22350-1500 MAR 0 4 2015 Ref: FOIA-2015-00487 Mr. Steven Aftergood Federation of American Scientists 1725 DeSales Street NW, Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 Dear Mr. Aftergood: This is in response to your March 30, 2015, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for a copy ofDODIG-2015-097, Evaluation of DoD Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for Support to Civil Authorities. We received your request on March 30, 2015, and assigned it case number FOIA-2015-00487. The Office ofthe Deputy Inspector General for Intelligence and Special Program Assessments conducted a search and located the enclosed documents. I determined that some redacted portions of the records are exempt from release pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(6), which pe1iains to information, the release of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Mr. Pa\ll R. Polk, Initial Denial Authority for the National Geospatial-Intelligence . Agency, determined that some redacted p01iions are exempt fi·om release pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(3), which pertains to nondisclosure provisions contained in other Federal statutes. In this case, the Federal statute which prevents disclosure is 50 U.S.C. § 3142, which exempts from disclosure operational files of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Colonel Christian Rofrano, Chief Counsel at theNational Guard Bureau, determined that some redacted p01iions of the document are exempt from release pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(7)(E), which petiains to records or information that would reveal techniques and procedures for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions or that would disclose guidelines for law enforcement investigations or prosecutions if disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law. In view of the above, you may consider this to be an adverse determination that may be appealed to the Department of Defense, Office oflnspector General, ATTN: FOIA Appellate Authority, Suite 1OB24, 4800 Mark Center Drive, Alexandria, VA 22350-1500. Your appeal, if any, must be postmarked within 30 days ofthe date of this letter and should reference the file number above. I recommend that your appeal and its envelope both bear the notation "Freedom of Information Act Appeal." Sincerely, Mark Dorgan Acting Division Chief FOIA, Privacy and Civil Liberties Office INTEGRITY * EFFICIENCY* ACCOUNTABILITY* EXCEllENCE Mi~~ion Our mission is to provide Independent, relevant, ami timely ovcrsi[Jht of the Depc;rtment ofDe[ense tlw( support$ the Warf!ghter; promotes accountclbtlit,y, integrity, amJ effidency; .advises the Secretmy of Defense and Con,qress; and Informs tile public. Vi~ion Our vision is to be a model oversight orgcmtzatlon in tlw Federal Govemment by Jeacling change, speCiking truth, and prO/noting eXcC?llence-a diwrse organization workit~,q together as orw professional team, ri!co,(Jnlzed as leadl!t~~ lwour field. F!ll' more inflll'llHJ\Ion about whlstlcQiower protec.Uon, please se.e the inside bad( cpvet: FOR OFFICI/'J.L USE ONLY (U) Recommendations 0Jl Objective (!l)purobjcctiv~wast6de~e.~mh\~Whether • (FBHB) We recommend that USD (P) establish a. stm\dardized .·I.Jh~ liotici.~$ •. ~.~~ .Ptoce.dyr~~ fo.r ~sing l)ol) formal approval process for UAS support to domestic civil UAs ••.~.!l ~lt"?~,~~~~ w~essi9!J. ~lljliOJ~tlon. authorities. an.~ ~i$~~mlratloJi·att~vitie$ compl)'·witl) · ap~I!C<lble !~ws, regul~tions, and ~ational • (F9\J9j We recommend that USD (P) addr·ess the concerns of p~IIci~"'for prov!dl~gs~ppoit ~ ·d.0triestic . civil ~4.t;l)otltie~. ·· ·· ·· Military SeJvice/National Guard Bureau UAS experts that policy ambiguity is potentially degrading UAS training and operaUonal ·cv) Fir~tu~g readiness, M ll<!P i$(ullY..~mpllantwitlilaws, • (FBIJBj We also recommend that the USD (P) fo1'mally charter regt~l~~ons.o~~4~~ti9n~i.p~llcie~.fqr oAs s~pport~o dnmeS\lc civil authorities, the Domestic Imagery Working Group. ,.,·.··. --' ·- - •\' ,____ ,_ -_-_.--\:_: ,.-_, __ ,_ • (!JJ l.lnltsi>Perati.n~\l(l~st!)Id us (U) Management Comments and Our !lta.r,y;h!!et1!eyundemamttbe Am!ific:l\r!I>Ublic'sll'l!itlliiate Response ~oMetnlrab9\itc!0llibettles.an\l (U) The Assistant Secretary ofDefense for Policy, Homeland Defense & privacy n~htS,they dotlqt•.o~.er.it.e Global Security concurred with our recommendations, and no further .ww~ any qtlferentlyfrl'liJ) tnarined comments are required. Please see the Recommendations Table on the platf(lr~ )Yitll slmllarcapabilities. next page. FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY FOR OFFICIAL USE ONlrY Recommendations Table ' ' t\11 ReC!lmmenaatmns ' ' No Additional ' , ' anagemt!nt l<eg)l1r11Jg Gomment Comments,Reguired ; ' ' Under Secretary of Defense for Polley FOR OFFJCIAb USE ONbY FOR OJZFIClAb USS ONh-Y INSPEC1'0R llF.NP.IlAL OEPARTM~NT Ol' lllli'F.NSil 4900 MARK CENTER DRIVE ALF.XANI>RIA. VIRGINIA 22350-150(} March 20, 2015 MEMORANDUM FOR SECRBTARY OF DEI'ENSB UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR POLICY SUBJECT: (UJ llvaluationofDoD's Usc of Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Support to Civil Authorities (Report No. DODIG·2015·097) (U) Tho Ooputy IG. Intelligence and Special Program Assessments (I SPA) Is providing this report for your information and use. (U) We considered management commentsona draft of this report when preparing tho final report. Comments from the Office ofAssistant Secretary ofOefense for Policy, Homeland Dofenso & Global Socurity wore responsive for all recommendations. (U) We appreciate the courtesies e~tended to the staff. Please direct ques~om to n.e at (703) 699--DSN 664Jiiao...... t(703) 699-J>SN 499- PQR OFPIGIAb YSB QNb¥ POR OFPICil'.l, USB ONL-Y Contents (U) Introduction (U) ObJecdve ....................................................... ,. .................................................................................................................................... , 1 (U) Background ............................................................................................ ,.. ,, .. ,, ........................................................... ,, .. ,..... ,............. 1 (U) Scope and Methodology ............................ _ ........................................................................................................................... 2 (U) Finding ........................................ ~···~·············~~~······&········ 3 (l'900} DoD Is Fully Compliant with Laws, Regulations, and National Policies for UAS Support to Civil Authorlttes ........ ,,N,,,,, ... ., .............. ,, .. ,,,,,.,,,.,,,..,,,,,.,.,.,.,,.,,,,.,.,,,.,,.,, .. ,,,,,N,.,.,., .. ,.,,.,, .. ,,~ ............ ~ •• ,, ..... , .......................................................... 3 (UJ StatutotY Envlt·otunent for Umploymont oflloD UAS In Domestic Operations ..................................................... 3 (U) Office of the SecretatY of Defense Unmanned Aircraft System Policy and Guidance ............................................ ! (U) Military Service and National Guard Bureau Implementation and Execution of DoD UAS Policy .................. 2 (U) DoD UAS Support to Civil Authoritlos Evonts ............... ,.................................. ,.... ,............................................................. 3 (l'900} DoD Does Not Have a Standardized Approval Process for UAS Support to Domestic Civil Authorities .............. ,........... ,............................................................................................................. ,............................................ 4 (l'900} Setvice and National Guard UAS Experts ~i<pressed Concern that l'ollcy Ambiguity Is Potentially Deg•·adln g UAS Trafnlng and Operational Readiness. .... ~ .......................... -..... ~ ........... ,_ .. ~ ............................. 5 (U) Impact ofDoD UAS Polley on Processing, Exploltallon, and Dissemination for DSCA ......... ,............................... 6 (U) The Domestic lmagetY Worldng Group ....................................................................................... ,..... ~ ................................ 7 (U) Concluslon ............... - ...... __ .,,,,, .... _,,, ........................................................................................................... :........................... 8 {FOOet Reconirnendations, Management Comments, and Our Response ............................... ~ ................. ,....................... 0 (U) Management Comments ....................... .' ....................... 10 Asslstaltt Secretary o( Defense for Policy ""''""""""'""'"'""""""'""'"'""'"""'""""'""'""""'"""'""""'"'"'"'"'""""'"'"""""""10 Appendixes*········~·,·~··········~················································ 17 (U) DoD Offices VIsited .................................................................................................................................... .,,,,,,,.. ,., .. ,,. ............. 17 (U) Unit's VIsited and Location ,.............................................................................. ~ ..................................................................... 18 (U) Use or Computer· Processed Data ........ ,... _,,.,,,,.,, __ .,,, ............... -................ ,.. _,,,, ...................... ,_,.,,,M ............ ~ ......... ~ ............. lB (U) P rlor Coverage '""'"""'"""'""'""'"'"""""'"""'"""'"""'"""'"""'""""'""""""'""""'"'""""'""""'""'"'"""""'"""' ......................... 18 {U) Acronyms and Abbreviations .........................................