Starting at 4th level, a rogue can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does she lose her Dex bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A rogue with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action (see Combat) against her.
If a rogue already has uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge (see below) instead.
You can knock arrows and other projectiles off course, preventing them from hitting you.
Prerequisites: Dex 13, Improved Unarmed Strike.
Benefit: You must have at least one hand free (holding nothing) to use this feat. Once per round when you would normally be hit with an attack from a ranged weapon, you may deflect it so that you take no damage from it. You must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed. Attempting to deflect a ranged attack doesn’t count as an action. Unusually massive ranged weapons (such as boulders or ballista bolts) and ranged attacks generated by natural attacks or spell effects can’t be deflected.
I'm of the impression that flat-footed does not make you aware of an enemy's location, but it does make you aware of an attack itself to dodge it. This opinion comes from the wording 'cannot be caught flat-footed', and flat-footed being the literal condition of being unaware of an attack coming. If you somehow possessed Uncanny Dodge and something like Snatch Arrows simultaneously, could you react to a shuriken thrown at you from the darkness to catch it?
Let's take this a step further.
Your powerful and swift attacks can slice ranged attacks out of the air.
Prerequisite(s): Str 13, Power Attack, base attack bonus +5, weapon training class feature with a melee weapon.
Benefit(s): When a ranged attack is made against you or a target adjacent to you, you can cut the weapon (or ammunition) out of the air, deflecting the attack so the target takes no damage. As an attack of opportunity, make a melee attack roll at your highest bonus. If the result is greater than the attack roll total of the ranged attack, the attack is deflected. You must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed. Unusually massive ranged weapons (such as boulders or ballista bolts) and ranged attacks generated by spell effects cannot be deflected.
Cut From The Air deflects attacks with attacks of opportunity, and in acquiring it you have Combat Reflexes. Does this mechanical interaction cause things to differ?
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I'm of the impression that flat-footed does not make you aware of an enemy's location, but it does make you aware of an attack itself to dodge it.
Flat-footed does not make you aware of anything. I suppose you wanted to write Uncanny Dodge instead of flat-footed.
Uncanny Dodge prevents you from being flat-footed.
I doubt there is a definition of "aware of an attack" in the CRB, but if you are surprised or unable to perceive your opponents you are unaware of them, so unaware of their attacks.
Uncanny Dodge will allow you to use your full AC, but the feat requires 2 factors to be used: 1) be aware of the attack and 2) not flat-footed. As the two requirements are listed separately, they are intended to be separated things.
Uncanny Dodge doesn't make you aware, it only allows you to use your dexterity and Dodge for your AC.
If you can see (or otherwise clearly perceive) your opponent, but have not acted yet then you can use Deflect Arrows.
If your opponent's stealth beat your perception then you are not aware of the attack and cannot use the feat.
It gets much grayer if combat has started and someone turns invisible/uses stealth. You are aware of the combatant, though maybe not the precise location. This is pretty much a GM call, but should be ruled consistently.