File property showing as empty object in request payload

Question

Using AngularJS, I'm making a post request to send an array of objects, with each object comprising of string, boolean and object values. The object represents a file uploaded by the user. Before the request, it shows as a file object (signedPoaDoc), and after a response, the data shows that a file was included in the reqeust

We are having issues in the back-end, but the back end developer is saying that the payload in the console is showing no file is being provided, but an empty object for signedPoaDoc.

html

<form name="validationForm" novalidate>
    <data-ng-init="formData.designatedStates">
        <div data-ng-repeat="states in formData.designatedStates"
              data-ng-init="formData.designatedStates.states;
                            states.signedPoaDoc"> 
            <div>
                <label for="{{states.stateName}}">{{states.stateName}}: </label>
                <div>                   
                    <input type="file" name="{{states.stateName}}"
                           data-ng-model="states.signedPoaDoc" 
                           accept="application/pdf" required>
                </div>

            </div>                          
        </div>
    </div>
</form>

JS

function removeCost(item) {
    delete item.validationCost_EUR;
    delete item.validationCost_USD;
    if(!item.signedPoaDoc) { item.signedPoaDoc = null; };
    return item;
}

function submitPoaDocuments(data) {

    var formData = new FormData();

    var designatedMap = data.designatedStates.map(removeCost);
    var extensionMap = data.extensionStates.map(removeCost);
    var validationMap = data.validationStates.map(removeCost);

    formData.append('patentID', patent.patentID);
    formData.append('designatedStates', designatedMap);
    formData.append('extensionStates', extensionMap);
    formData.append('validationStates', validationMap);
    validationService.submitPoas(formData)
    .then(
         function(response){

         }
    )
}

As you can see we assigned the signedPoaDoc property from the view via ngModel.

Question

Is this correct that no file is being provided to back end, or is this something to do with chrome and the way they display the payload?