Anti-Collision Lighting Location

[Big Bro]

I've posted a video on youtube about anti-collision lighting and where to best place them. It's my understanding that the requirements for drone anti-collision lighting are that the small unmanned aircraft lighting has to visible for at least 3 statute miles and have a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. I've had a couple of people comment that the strobe HAS to be mounted on top of the drone. I haven't been able to get these commenters to cite regulations to such and I haven't found any regulations stating that myself, but I certainly don't want to mislead anyone. So, I'm here to ask the experts. Are there any FAA requirements that say your anti-collision light has to be mounted on the top of the aircraft?

 

[MV Greg]

My understanding of the regulation is that it doesn't state where to mount the anti-collision lights, but seeing as how most aircraft would be above the drone, it would make sense to mount it on top to ensure the greatest visibility to those aircraft.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Just logical and rpesenting the arguments to back it up... but surely common sense more or less dictates that if there is only one strobe then it has to be on the top.
As with post #2 there would be the presumption that a manned aircraft would, in general, be above a drone. Yes I believe that in the USA in rural areas it maybe/is legal for some planes to be below 500ft AGL and, if in such an area and if correct, then 2 strobes might be required. But a side mounted strobe will leave a lot of airspace 'uncovered'/unilluminated.
If 'they' got real nit-picky I suppose the requirement would be for 6 strobes with the forward facing one either on the top or bottom of a drone or for two strobes that give real hemispherical or better cover on oppsite faces of the drone.

 

[Vic Moss]

I've posted a video on youtube about anti-collision lighting and where to best place them. It's my understanding that the requirements for drone anti-collision lighting are that the small unmanned aircraft lighting has to visible for at least 3 statute miles and have a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. I've had a couple of people comment that the strobe HAS to be mounted on top of the drone. I haven't been able to get these commenters to cite regulations to such and I haven't found any regulations stating that myself, but I certainly don't want to mislead anyone. So, I'm here to ask the experts. Are there any FAA requirements that say your anti-collision light has to be mounted on the top of the aircraft?

There is no requirement for strobe location in 14 CFR 107.

107.29 (2) simply states that you can fly at night under 107 if, "(2) The small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles that has a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision."

There are some Part 91 anti-collision requirements for manned aircraft, but we don't fly under Part 91.

But common sense dictates that you put the strobe(s) where they can best be seen by manned aircraft that are flying above you. And that would be on the top. All of my drones have velcro on the top to mount strobes.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

If its Anti - Collison than it goes on top so overhead planes have a fighting chance of seeing you in there way.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water.

 

[Big Bro]

There is no requirement for strobe location in 14 CFR 107.

107.29 (2) simply states that you can fly at night under 107 if, "(2) The small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles that has a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision."

There are some Part 91 anti-collision requirements for manned aircraft, but we don't fly under Part 91.

But common sense dictates that you put the strobe(s) where they can best be seen by manned aircraft that are flying above you. And that would be on the top. All of my drones have velcro on the top to mount strobes.

This is my understanding as well. Thanks for verifying! Although, in order to collide with your drone, a manned aircraft would have to be at the same altitude as your drone, not above it. This being the case, wouldn't lights fore and aft be more effective for anti collision?

 

[Aerophile]

Manned aircraft will be moving very fast relative to your drone, and will most likely be well above it.

Yes, technically, manned aircraft can descend below 500' AGL in places where there are no people, structures, vessels, etc. -- in other words, way out in the middle of nowhere -- but getting that low when it's dark out is pretty suicidal (unless landing) - you can't really see trees or anything on the ground that doesn't have a light on it -- in fact, it's easy to get disoriented if there's nothing lit up nearby. And it's impossible to know exactly how high you are above the terrain (the world isn't perfectly flat anywhere, there are hills, trees, rocks, and other things to fly into). Flying around in the dark at 500' AGL (in an airplane) is complete insanity.

Put the bright strobe on the top. If you want to make it visible to the side, front, back, great -- add other strobes facing those directions. More light won't hurt.

I put the bright white strobe on top, a smaller red and green one on the right and left sides, and just because I can, a blue one on the rear - helps me keep it in view, helps me know which way it's facing, and looks cool.

It does add a few extra grams but the little CREE strobes are amazingly bright.

 

[Vic Moss]

This is my understanding as well. Thanks for verifying! Although, in order to collide with your drone, a manned aircraft would have to be at the same altitude as your drone, not above it. This being the case, wouldn't lights fore and aft be more effective for anti collision?

It's not the manned pilot's responsibility to not collide with your drone, it's yours to not collide with them.

The 3SM strobes are for them to know you're there.

I know that doesn't make sense, but that's how it is.

 

[Gary FL]

I've posted a video on youtube about anti-collision lighting and where to best place them. It's my understanding that the requirements for drone anti-collision lighting are that the small unmanned aircraft lighting has to visible for at least 3 statute miles and have a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. I've had a couple of people comment that the strobe HAS to be mounted on top of the drone. I haven't been able to get these commenters to cite regulations to such and I haven't found any regulations stating that myself, but I certainly don't want to mislead anyone. So, I'm here to ask the experts. Are there any FAA requirements that say your anti-collision light has to be mounted on the top of the aircraft?

In the Federal Register (86 FR 4314) the FAA states: "The purpose of anti-collision lighting is not for the remote pilot to maintain visual line of sight and see the orientation of their small unmanned aircraft, but for the awareness of other pilots operating in the same airspace." Since the purpose of the lighting is to make the UAS visible to other aircraft, and because other aircraft normally operate above the altitude of UAS, there is a strong argument that the lighitng must be on the top of the UAS.

 

[Big Bro]

In the Federal Register (86 FR 4314) the FAA states: "The purpose of anti-collision lighting is not for the remote pilot to maintain visual line of sight and see the orientation of their small unmanned aircraft, but for the awareness of other pilots operating in the same airspace." Since the purpose of the lighting is to make the UAS visible to other aircraft, and because other aircraft normally operate above the altitude of UAS, there is a strong argument that the lighitng must be on the top of the UAS.

In that same document the FAA states: "This rule does not include any prescriptive design criteria for anti-collision lighting. However, no provision of this rule precludes the placement of anti-collision lights on the top of a small unmanned aircraft." I think this clearly indicates that anti-collision lighting does not have to be placed on top.

 

[lookout]

Typically a part 91 flight has anti collision in as many strategic places as possible. Top, bottom, on the wing sides and even the tail. Practically on all sides.

 

[Pawpaw Woody]

I've posted a video on youtube about anti-collision lighting and where to best place them. It's my understanding that the requirements for drone anti-collision lighting are that the small unmanned aircraft lighting has to visible for at least 3 statute miles and have a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. I've had a couple of people comment that the strobe HAS to be mounted on top of the drone. I haven't been able to get these commenters to cite regulations to such and I haven't found any regulations stating that myself, but I certainly don't want to mislead anyone. So, I'm here to ask the experts. Are there any FAA requirements that say your anti-collision light has to be mounted on the top of the aircraft?

I have mine on top and bottom just to be safer all around.

 

[Firejay27]

It doesn't really matter where you mount your stobe because the regulation says it has to be visible from 3 miles away. Its up to you to decide if you've mounted it in a way that it might not be visible. I personally mount one on top and one on the bottom. I've seen those mounts that hook to the arms of the drone but then you only see it if its facing you.

 

[Heavydpj]

... Are there any FAA requirements that say your anti-collision light has to be mounted on the top of the aircraft?

No, there aren't.
Like everyone else, I place a white on the top (for them). I also place strobes on the front and back so I can keep track of flight attitude as well (for me).

 

[lookout]

I turned on the quad at night time and those DJIs have quite a light show on some of them. Can be quite bright if you're the only light out there. And that's just the status light that comes with it. Maybe I don't need a separate light.

See some car lights from a few miles away even if they reach you but they can't see you. You can see the headlights farther than what they can see with them. Terrain gets in their way limiting what they can see.

 

[mooncusser]

I turned on the quad at night time and those DJIs have quite a light show on some of them. Can be quite bright if you're the only light out there. And that's just the status light that comes with it. Maybe I don't need a separate light.

See some car lights from a few miles away even if they reach you but they can't see you. You can see the headlights farther than what they can see with them. Terrain gets in their way limiting what they can see.

I don't believe the built-in lights meet the legal requirement of visibility to a distance of 3 SM. That's a whole different level of brightness.

 

[lookout]

I don't believe the built-in lights meet the legal requirement of visibility to a distance of 3 SM. That's a whole different level of brightness.

Hmmm...you think American Airlines going over at 33,000 will be able to see me? Quick! A plastic toy 3 miles below us. Do something. Obviously it would be for the ones lower down, but even then at 5,000' there's not much of a factor. It would have to be more for quads to avoid each other.

I'm not quite sure what we need a 3SM light for when we can't even fly above 400' day or night. Still not supposed to be in their airspace. It would have to be red on the left and green on the right, but there's hardly any distance as far as wingspan on the quads. Helicopter is just a red strobe on the tail. It sounds good on paper, but I'm not sure about the practicality here.

 

[mobilehomer]

Hmmm...you think American Airlines going over at 33,000 will be able to see me? Quick! A plastic toy 3 miles below us. Do something. Obviously it would be for the ones lower down, but even then at 5,000' there's not much of a factor. It would have to be more for quads to avoid each other.

I'm not quite sure what we need a 3SM light for when we can't even fly above 400' day or night. Still not supposed to be in their airspace. It would have to be red on the left and green on the right, but there's hardly any distance as far as wingspan on the quads. Helicopter is just a red strobe on the tail. It sounds good on paper, but I'm not sure about the practicality here.

How about a Cessna 172 at 600 ft? I get these all the time.

 

[Aerophile]

The built-in lights are not bright, and they do not meet the FAA requirements for flying after dark (they're not even close).

Why do you have to put approved light on your drone to fly it at night. Because the regulations say you do.

Don't like it, write your congressperson. The rules are rules, and they apply to everyone, even those who wish they didn't.

 

[lookout]

How about a Cessna 172 at 600 ft? I get these all the time.

Is that an open area or in the city?

The quads are small, slow and somewhat unpredictable with no radio contact. It's kind of like a bicycle sharing the road with the motorists. If they are expecting this 3SM bright light on a quad to be or act like a regular aircraft, I'm thinking there's going to be some confusion. They might confuse the flying plastic for a tall tower maybe.

Unless jet liners have a higher standard some of them with their lights can be seen way up there. It's usually way smaller, but can still be seen.