Can I fly at night?

[JayTea26]

Can a hobbyist without a commercial license fly at night?

 

[iaincaradoc]

With appropriate lighting, yes.

 

[cyeung]

The FAA says: Do not fly at night unless your drone has lighting that allows you to know its location and orientation at all times. (item 6)

That means you would need at least three lights: White anti-collision light on top, Red navigation light on left, and Green navigation light on right.

Reference: Recreational Flyers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations

 

[PhantomFandom]

Can a hobbyist without a commercial license fly at night?

The anti-collision light (strobe) mentioned above must meet FAA specifications for being visible at 3 miles. This doesn't mean you can fly 3 miles out but the light must be rated for 3-mile visibility.

That means you would need at least three lights: White anti-collision light on top, Red navigation light on left, and Green navigation light on right.

The regulations do not specify the required quantity or color for the lights. Yes, standard aviation color scheme would be best as you mentioned, but not mandatory.

You could easily get away with one light if you are flying at close range where you can see the subject light for location/anti-collision and see either the drone body itself or the colored lights on the landing gear for orientation. Yes I have done this myself and it works fine at close range.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Can a hobbyist without a commercial license fly at night?

Yes , you just want to keep VLOS , you can use the landing lights if your not going to far and or add a light for more distance.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Mavic in and out of the storm
Coal

 

[PhantomFandom]

Yes , you just want to keep VLOS , you can use the landing lights if your not going to far and or add a light for more distance

That would be illegal. Per FAA regulations you must have the three-mile visibility anti-collision light. That is just to get off the ground and distance does not matter.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

That would be illegal. Per FAA regulations you must have the three-mile visibility anti-collision light. That is just to get off the ground and distance does not matter.

Here is mine: 2019 perhaps they made new changes :
Post yours if its more in depth for Hobbyist as I cannot find them.

 

[brett8883]

That would be illegal. Per FAA regulations you must have the three-mile visibility anti-collision light. That is just to get off the ground and distance does not matter.

That’s a part 107 rule for flying at civil twilight.


“Section 107.29 Daylight operation.

(a) No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during night.

(b) No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during periods of civil twilight unless the small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles. The remote pilot in command may reduce the intensity of the anti-collision lighting if he or she determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to do so.“

One more area where part 107 is stricter than the recreational exception.

The “advice” to have lighting on the drone is probably good advice but legally speaking there’s no official legal source in the Federal Register or federal law that mentions needing lights to fly under the recreational exception. The FAA reauthorization act of 2018 does not mention flying at night or needing lights. The person editing this website for the FAA probably confused the 107 and recreational rules like you did.

Even if you take the lighting to be part of the CBO requirement the FAA has said that until it comes up with the CBO requirements there is no CBO requirement.

 

[PhantomFandom]

My apologies. Flying under both Part 107 and recreational rules does make it confusing at times.

I have always made sure to fly any night flights under recreational rules since Part 107 does not allow for it, except for civil twilight and with lights.

It would only make sense that recreational flights would at the very least require the same level of lighting to fly in even darker conditions than those that are allowed for Part 107. However when dealing with the government, things don't always make sense.

In this case there is nothing in the regulations about recreational pilots needing lights for flying in darkness. Again, my mistake and my apologies.

 

[JayTea26]

Thank you all. I have a Firehouse Technologies strobe on my rear leg facing backwards and plan to purchase a red and a green for front arms Facing forward, of course. Since I do not have Part 107 yet, I’ll just follow recreational rules at night.

 

[Pushkur]

Depends what country.
Here in Thailand ,flying in the dark is not allowed ,regardless of lights or lasers.
P.s. You also need a license (2) for the mini, because it has a camera.

 

[Deleted member 114292]

Can a hobbyist without a commercial license fly at night?

Yes.
The lights on my M2 are sufficient to determine orientation just had a strobe on top.

 

[scoble08]

That’s a part 107 rule for flying at civil twilight.


“Section 107.29 Daylight operation.

(a) No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during night.

(b) No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during periods of civil twilight unless the small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles. The remote pilot in command may reduce the intensity of the anti-collision lighting if he or she determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to do so.“

One more area where part 107 is stricter than the recreational exception.

The “advice” to have lighting on the drone is probably good advice but legally speaking there’s no official legal source in the Federal Register or federal law that mentions needing lights to fly under the recreational exception. The FAA reauthorization act of 2018 does not mention flying at night or needing lights. The person editing this website for the FAA probably confused the 107 and recreational rules like you did.

Even if you take the lighting to be part of the CBO requirement the FAA has said that until it comes up with the CBO requirements there is no CBO requirement.

Can a Part 107 fly at night as recreational?

Can a recreational pilot get LAANC approval to fly at civilian twilight and/or night?

 

[Squidinc]

Does anyone know the rules for recreational night flying in Australia? I have a MA2. Haven’t tried it as yet at night but keen to take some hyperlapse video.

 

[Deleted member 114292]

Can a Part 107 fly at night as recreational?

Can a recreational pilot get LAANC approval to fly at civilian twilight and/or night?

Yes a 107 pilot can fly at night recreationally.

Yes you can fly at twilight with a LAANC approval.

No you have to get a daylight waiver to fly at night as a 107 pilot Or in controlled airspace.

 

[JayTea26]

Yes a 107 pilot can fly at night recreationally.

Yes you can fly at twilight with a LAANC approval.

No you have to get a daylight waiver to fly at night as a 107 pilot Or in controlled airspace.

I’m in USA and do not have a part 107.

 

[Deleted member 114292]

I’m in USA and do not have a part 107.

You can fly at night but not in controlled Air space even with Authorization.

 

[maverickRKJ]

Can a hobbyist without a commercial license fly at night?

well i bought some external lights for my mavic pro and there was no mention of no night flying , worth looking into

 

[brett8883]

Can a Part 107 fly at night as recreational?

Can a recreational pilot get LAANC approval to fly at civilian twilight and/or night?

If you fly as recreational that makes your flight recreational regardless if you have a 107 so yes a 107 pilot can fly recreational flights under recreational rules at any time.

LAANC doesn’t approve night flights for 107 nor recreational flights. A recreational pilot (or 107 pilot conducting a recreational flight) cannot apply for authorization to fly at night in controlled airspace full stop.

A 107 pilot conducting a flight under part 107 rules would have to get and receive a 107.28 operational waiver and then can apply for an airspace authorization through drone zone to get FAA approval to fly in controlled airspace at night citing the 107.28 waiver in the application. It is one of the more commonly approved and requested waiver combinations.

 

[Deleted member 114292]

Oh for cry-eye.
Just go read this:

Recreational Flyers & Modeler Community-Based Organizations

www.faa.gov

It's simple and easy to read.