Flying at night

black_magic100 · Jun 9, 2018

Is the only way to fly legally at night is to have proper lighting and an FAA waiver assuming it is 30 minutes after twilight or before?

FlyGuy8675309 · Jun 9, 2018

black_magic100 said:
Is the only way to fly legally at night is to have proper lighting and an FAA waiver assuming it is 30 minutes after twilight or before?

Commercial or recreation flight?

black_magic100 · Jun 9, 2018

FlyGuy8675309 said:
Commercial or recreation flight?

Recreation. I do have my part 107 though so I can fly under commercial.

FlyGuy8675309 · Jun 10, 2018

black_magic100 said:
Recreation. I do have my part 107 though so I can fly under commercial.

No rule restricts recreational night flying. Following AMA Safety Rules:
"Night flying requires a lighting system that provides the pilot with a clear view of the model’s attitude and orientation at all times. Hand-held illumination systems by themselves are inadequate for night flying operations and must be supplemented with other lighting systems."

The Mavic's stock lighting system will allow you see it quite far.. well past a mile when it's totally dark. I think I measured it to be good to about 7,000 feet away.

Many people put additional lights on for safety, visibility and coolness.

Here's a couple of my light set-ups:

FlyGuy8675309 · Jun 10, 2018

FlyGuy8675309 said:
No rule restricts recreational night flying. Following AMA Safety Rules:
"Night flying requires a lighting system that provides the pilot with a clear view of the model’s attitude and orientation at all times. Hand-held illumination systems by themselves are inadequate for night flying operations and must be supplemented with other lighting systems."

The Mavic's stock lighting system will allow you see it quite far.. well past a mile when it's totally dark. I think I measured it to be good to about 7,000 feet away.

Many people put additional lights on for safety, visibility and coolness.

Here's a couple of my light set-ups:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

ps. As you are a 107 holder, I suggest keeping a log book of your flights and make sure you log your night flights as recreational flying under 336.

black_magic100 · Jun 10, 2018

FlyGuy8675309 said:
ps. As you are a 107 holder, I suggest keeping a log book of your flights and make sure you log your night flights as recreational flying under 336.

Interesting. Didn't know this was legal in the US

black_magic100 · Jun 10, 2018

FlyGuy8675309 said:
No rule restricts recreational night flying. Following AMA Safety Rules:
"Night flying requires a lighting system that provides the pilot with a clear view of the model’s attitude and orientation at all times. Hand-held illumination systems by themselves are inadequate for night flying operations and must be supplemented with other lighting systems."

The Mavic's stock lighting system will allow you see it quite far.. well past a mile when it's totally dark. I think I measured it to be good to about 7,000 feet away.

Many people put additional lights on for safety, visibility and coolness.

Here's a couple of my light set-ups:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

I thought the mavics stock lights didn't count? Also very intrigued to know this is legal

FlyGuy8675309 · Jun 10, 2018

black_magic100 said:
I thought the mavics stock lights didn't count? Also very intrigued to know this is legal

Yep - the Mavic's (as do most DJI and quality quads) stock lighting is more than adequate for recreational night flying as it meets the AMA Guidelines. The guys at the local airfield do night flying with planes the last Tuesday night of the month. So cool to watch!

black_magic100 · Jun 10, 2018

FlyGuy8675309 said:
Yep - the Mavic's (as do most DJI and quality quads) stock lighting is more than adequate for recreational night flying as it meets the AMA Guidelines. The guys at the local airfield do night flying with planes the last Tuesday night of the month. So cool to watch!

Did not know. Thank you friend

FlyGuy8675309 · Jun 11, 2018

black_magic100 said:
Did not know. Thank you friend

Glad to help. Have fun!

JSKCKNIT · Jun 12, 2018

black_magic100 said:
Interesting. Didn't know this was legal in the US

I saw this video a few weeks back. Pretty much sums up everything FlyGuy8675309 says.

Can You Fly a Drone At Night? | 5 Essentials to Know | Mavic Air Footage

tcope · Jun 12, 2018

Unless you are a member of the AMA, you don't need to follow their rules. You would need to comply with Section 336. The main requirement I see is maintaining VLOS and fly in a safe manner.

FlyGuy8675309 · Jun 12, 2018

tcope said:
Unless you are a member of the AMA, you don't need to follow their rules. .

This is not accurate. Read the rule: You don't need to BELONG to the AMA or other org, but you need to "Follow community-based safety guidelines and fly within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization" --
__________________________________________________________________
From Fly under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft:
(Bold and italics added for emphasis)

Fly under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft

To fly under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft you must:

Fly for hobby or recreation ONLY
Register your model aircraft
Fly within visual line-of-sight
Follow community-based safety guidelines and fly within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization
Fly a drone under 55 lbs. unless certified by a community-based organization
Never fly near other aircraft
Notify the airport and air traffic control tower prior to flying within 5 miles of an airport*
Never fly near emergency response efforts

OR

Fly Under 107

Fly Safe!

tcope · Jun 12, 2018

FlyGuy8675309 said:
This is not accurate. Read the rule: You don't need to BELONG to the AMA or other org, but you need to "Follow community-based safety guidelines and fly within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization" --
__________________________________________________________________
From Fly under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft:
(Bold and italics added for emphasis)

Fly under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft

To fly under the Special Rule for Model Aircraft you must:

Fly for hobby or recreation ONLY

Register your model aircraft

Fly within visual line-of-sight

Follow community-based safety guidelines and fly within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization

Fly a drone under 55 lbs. unless certified by a community-based organization

Never fly near other aircraft

Notify the airport and air traffic control tower prior to flying within 5 miles of an airport*

Never fly near emergency response efforts

This has been beat to death in prior threads... I'll just mention the highlights...

I don't see where it states you need to follow AMA rules... I only see CBO. Next you will argue that the FAA has only confirmed the AMA as a CBO at this time. This still does not mean that they are the only CBO. So your statement is incorrect at this point. It makes absolutely no sense that someone needs to follow rules of the AMA when they are not required to know anything about them. Next you may argue that they need to follow _any_ national CBO. Well, people can feel free to follow the rules of the National Drone Association. Our rules... we don't have any rules. problem solved. Where in Section 336 does it show that this is not possible? So there again, we don't need to follow AMA rules as you stated.

What that portion of Section 336 _really_ means is that it allows CBO's to make up rules for their _members_ and not be in violation of Section 336. Otherwise they would be governing public airspace which is against US Code.

So, you don't need to follow AMA rules unless you are a member. If you think you need to follow "a" CBO, simply follow the rules of the National Drone Association as stated above. You also don't need to be a member of the AMA (as confirmed by the FAA).

FlyGuy8675309 · Jun 12, 2018

tcope said:
This has been beat to death in prior threads... I'll just mention the highlights...

I don't see where it states you need to follow AMA rules... I only see CBO. Next you will argue that the FAA has only confirmed the AMA as a CBO at this time. This still does not mean that they are the only CBO. So your statement is incorrect at this point. It makes absolutely no sense that someone needs to follow rules of the AMA when they are not required to know anything about them. Next you may argue that they need to follow _any_ national CBO. Well, people can feel free to follow the rules of the National Drone Association. Our rules... we don't have any rules. problem solved. Where in Section 336 does it show that this is not possible? So there again, we don't need to follow AMA rules as you stated.

What that portion of Section 336 _really_ means is that it allows CBO's to make up rules for their _members_ and not be in violation of Section 336. Otherwise they would be governing public airspace which is against US Code.

So, you don't need to follow AMA rules unless you are a member. If you think you need to follow "a" CBO, simply follow the rules of the National Drone Association as stated above. You also don't need to be a member of the AMA (as confirmed by the FAA).

I bet you tell cops you aren't "driving" you are "traveling". Really, the rules are so simple and spelled out --- but you do what you want --- I'll follow the VERY simple and clear rules and stay legal and safe.

serpa4 · Jun 16, 2018

I see nothing in your quote of the FAA that says anything about AMA or being a member of the AMA. Those three letters are not mentioned anywhere. The AMA is not the only CBO.

Fly for hobby or recreation ONLY
Register your model aircraft
Fly within visual line-of-sight
Follow community-based safety guidelines and fly within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization
Fly a drone under 55 lbs. unless certified by a community-based organization
Never fly near other aircraft
Notify the airport and air traffic control tower prior to flying within 5 miles of an airport*
Never fly near emergency response efforts

skiptv · Jun 17, 2018

The only Community Recognized Organization is currently the AMA. So even though you dont have to be a member of the AMA, you have to follow their rules in your community, which may include only being allowed to fly at an AMA field, "and not just anywhere you want" Additionally to fly at an AMA field you must be a member. So you are out flying down your street, for fun and a cop comes up and he asks what you are doing, and you say flying for fun, and he knows the law, he might say that you cannot fly for fun on your street and need to go to the AMA field. However if you say you are flying commercially and have a 107 and are following the FAA rules and regulations, he can not stop your flight. Community rules are much stricter for model aircraft.

Classic flyer · Jun 17, 2018

tcope said:
This has been beat to death in prior threads... I'll just mention the highlights...

I don't see where it states you need to follow AMA rules... I only see CBO. Next you will argue that the FAA has only confirmed the AMA as a CBO at this time. This still does not mean that they are the only CBO. So your statement is incorrect at this point. It makes absolutely no sense that someone needs to follow rules of the AMA when they are not required to know anything about them. Next you may argue that they need to follow _any_ national CBO. Well, people can feel free to follow the rules of the National Drone Association. Our rules... we don't have any rules. problem solved. Where in Section 336 does it show that this is not possible? So there again, we don't need to follow AMA rules as you stated.

What that portion of Section 336 _really_ means is that it allows CBO's to make up rules for their _members_ and not be in violation of Section 336. Otherwise they would be governing public airspace which is against US Code.

So, you don't need to follow AMA rules unless you are a member. If you think you need to follow "a" CBO, simply follow the rules of the National Drone Association as stated above. You also don't need to be a member of the AMA (as confirmed by the FAA).

That's right...RULES ARE FOR EVERYONE BUT ME...lol

tcope · Jun 17, 2018

skiptv said:
The only Community Recognized Organization is currently the AMA.

That is incorrect. It's the only one mentioned by the FAA. This does not mean it is the only one. If it were, Congress would have stated AMA, not CBO.

skiptv said:
So even though you dont have to be a member of the AMA, you have to follow their rules in your community

Nope. The AMA has no power over non-members.

serpa4 · Jun 17, 2018

I'd like to see the FAA make a single private company mandatory...
Like the government say EVERYONE will have only Farmers insurance and no one else. Same as good ol Trump saying it is mandatory to have health insurance and only ONE company is legal, Premera Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alaska. That surely won't cause any legal issues will it? Don't call me Surely.
I'm sure AMA would love it though $$$