So can we legally fly at night (USA)

[Duke846]

Yes/no part 107? I am now truly confused.
(

 

[JDawg]

Yes/no part 107? I am now truly confused.
(

Yes. I think. Maybe?

 

[TR Ganey]

@sar104 can answer better than I but as I understand it a hobbyist can legally fly at night. Don't take what I say and run with it because I am new to drones. Wait for one of the experienced guys or gals to chime in.

 

[JDawg]

@sar104 can answer better than I but as I understand it a hobbyist can legally fly at night. Don't take what I say and run with it because I am new to drones. Wait for one of the experienced guys or gals to chime in.

That is how I understand it. From what I can tell I have more freedom for what I can do without a 107.

 

[MiniPalourde]

Part 336 doesn't say anything about night flying, but the AMA guidelines state that "night flying requires a lighting system that provides the pilot with a clear view of the model’s attitude and orientation at all times".

The Mavic has multiple LEDs, which provides the pilot with a clear view of the aircraft's orentation and altitude. So yes, you can fly at night with a Mavic (this is for hobbyists).

 

[sar104]

@sar104 can answer better than I but as I understand it a hobbyist can legally fly at night. Don't take what I say and run with it because I am new to drones. Wait for one of the experienced guys or gals to chime in.

For recreational flight you are supposed to follow the AMA guidelines. On the subject of night flying those say:

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.​

​

So it's allowed, with appropriate equipment.

 

[ac0j]

Uh Oh!
Dont forget to have the "INTENT" of a hobby flight!
Because one of the privileges of the part 107 is that you CANNOT fly at night without certification and a special waiver.

 

[ColinF]

Yes/no part 107? I am now truly confused.
(

For 107’s, you can fly 30 minutes before dawn, and 30 min after sunset if you add anticollision strobes that can be seen 3 miles. To fly after those periods you need an FAA waiver.

As to hobbyists, there are many different opinions, and with the hobbyist exception repealed with the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act, it is even more confusing. Hopefully the FAA will release guidance soon.

 

[Duke846]

Because now the 107 guy cannot fly at night?
Maybe interpreting doing 107 stuff cannot fly at night.
Surly the guy with the license isn’t more restricted than the guy just walking out of best buy with a mavic zoom. ( I did buy my zoom at best buy).

 

[sar104]

Because now the 107 guy cannot fly at night?
Maybe interpreting doing 107 stuff cannot fly at night.
Surly the guy with the license isn’t more restricted than the guy just walking out of best buy with a mavic zoom. ( I did buy my zoom at best buy).

Flying at night under Part 107 requires an FAA waiver.

 

[Duke846]

Flying at night under Part 107 requires an FAA waiver.

So the only advantage of 107 is basically work.
Day only unless the faa grants you a wavier.
Guess I will stay a hobbyists. Probably make more money teaching how to fly this thing anyway.

 

[terradriller]

So the only advantage of 107 is basically work.
Day only unless the faa grants you a wavier.
Guess I will stay a hobbyists. Probably make more money teaching how to fly this thing anyway.

You can fly at night for recreation but not under part 107 without the waiver. It really is confusing i dont see the difference but that's the rules as I understand them.

 

[Duke846]

Well when in doubt just fly at night on the weekend.
We all know the government doesn’t work weekends/holidays/ etc etc

 

[dawgpilot]

So the only advantage of 107 is basically work.
Day only unless the faa grants you a wavier.
Guess I will stay a hobbyists. Probably make more money teaching how to fly this thing anyway.

107 lets you fly <5 mi near uncontrolled airports without having to contact each one of them. (you only have to worry about controlled airspace) In some airspace areas, recreational rules would require contacting dozens of airports/helipads/seaports. I find this a pretty solid benefit to part 107.

 

[STUFF2C]

As I understand it... with a 107 you can also fly under hobbiest as long as you are not paticipating in a money making endevor. I log my flights as both 107 and hobbiest. So... If I was to fly at night it would have to be a non profit flight... YES???

 

[ColinF]

107 lets you fly B] airspace) In some airspace areas, recreational rules would require contacting dozens of airports/helipads/seaports. I find this a pretty solid benefit to part 107.

With a 107 you can fly in most controlled airspace now using LAANC. It is great. You enter your flight plan etc and you get an instant text authorization from the Tower. AirMap has it as a feature.

 

[dawgpilot]

With a 107 you can fly in most controlled airspace now using LAANC. It is great. You enter your flight plan etc and you get an instant text authorization from the Tower. AirMap has it as a feature.

Yeah, agree LAANC is great, I just wish it covered every airport/controlled airspace area. There are quite a few areas where I want to fly that haven't joined LAANC yet (I believe due to having contract towers versus FAA-run towers). For the non-LAANC areas, you have to apply for authorizations via the FAA DroneZone site and they can take up to several months to be approved.

 

[ColinF]

Yeah, agree LAANC is great, I just wish it covered every airport/controlled airspace area. There are quite a few areas where I want to fly that haven't joined LAANC yet (I believe due to having contract towers versus FAA-run towers). For the non-LAANC areas, you have to apply for authorizations via the FAA DroneZone site and they can take up to several months to be approved.

That’s true. It’s not everywhere yet. I’ve never done a manual request. It is crazy it takes months for non automated authorization.

 

[terradriller]

As I understand it... with a 107 you can also fly under hobbiest as long as you are not paticipating in a money making endevor. I log my flights as both 107 and hobbiest. So... If I was to fly at night it would have to be a non profit flight... YES???

That is correct

 

[crlmjohnson]

I pass my part 107 test on the 19 Nov 2018.
Daylight-only operations, or civil twilight (30 minutes before official sunrise to 30 minutes after official sunset, local time) with appropriate anti-collision lighting.