Ever use black tape to cover your lights?

There are no requirements that an RC be equipped with navigation lights. Hearing a quad from a few hundred feet away when you are outside in relative quiet isn't exactly the same as being able to clearly spot it from 5+ miles or more indoors or out regardless of ambient noise. Should I find a situation where I choose to douse the lights for clandestine flight I wouldn't be flying any higher, nor in any area, where I wouldn't fly in broad daylight. As a white Phantom & its lights are pretty much invisible in bright sunlight against a bright sky beyond a few hundred meters could you point out exactly how this is an "unsafe" practice.
If you can't see the risk involved in fully blacking out your orientation lights during a night flight and how that will be perceived in an investigation if there's an incident, I don't know what to tell you. You're on your own. Just remember the the guy from last year whose drone got away from him and it came down in a loaded stadium. He didn't mean to do that and he was lucky to get community service and not more. You know what you're doing. Good luck to you.
 
Did I make up 1123? No, lol. The question was asked about how safety zones are established. The guidelines put forth in 1123 are followed. As far as the faa, fireworks companies submit a letter for approval to the FAA, stating the time and duration of the display and max shell size, among other things.

No, I did not ask if 1123 was made up. I was asking if the part about the NFPA contacting the FAA was made up because I researched your link to the NFPA and could not find any reference to them contacting the FAA for any reason. Do you work for the NFPA or do you have bonafide evidence that they contact the FAA? Please provide it if you do. Not to be mean here, I am just saying, I don't see the relevance due to the NFPA already having all sizes and types of fireworks defined in the rules and regulations. Thanks.
 
First dousing the lights isn't something I do on a regular basis but on occasion I have. It isn't about "sneaking around" it's about maintaining a low profile & not calling unnecessary attention to yourself. I don't walk around with my Glock openly strapped to my side either.

Day or night, beyond close VLOS range the same thing applies should you lose connection with the aircraft. Sometimes they are difficult to find when you have the exact GPS coordinates! Nor is anyone less likely to see a drone dropping in at night than on a bright sunny day. Day or night in most cases the aircraft will return home on its own.

If you need to be sneaking around in the dark (or in the day for that matter) obvious question is are you flying somewhere you shouldnt be?

Yeah sure- the video downlink and map are all you need when all is good, loose connection and good luck finding your aircraft. More importantly anyone it is likely to cause injury to will have no chance of seeing it before it may be too late. Other aircraft included.

Not worth the risk for a bit of fun.... just my opinion.
 
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No, I did not ask if 1123 was made up. I was asking if the part about the NFPA contacting the FAA was made up because I researched your link to the NFPA and could not find any reference to them contacting the FAA for any reason. Do you work for the NFPA or do you have bonafide evidence that they contact the FAA? Please provide it if you do. Not to be mean here, I am just saying, I don't see the relevance due to the NFPA already having all sizes and types of fireworks defined in the rules and regulations. Thanks.
NFPA has nothing to do with the FAA.
 
Fortunately I don't fly over loaded stadiums. ;)

If you can't see the risk involved in fully blacking out your orientation lights during a night flight and how that will be perceived in an investigation if there's an incident, I don't know what to tell you. You're on your own. Just remember the the guy from last year whose drone got away from him and it came down in a loaded stadium. He didn't mean to do that and he was lucky to get community service and not more. You know what you're doing. Good luck to you.
 
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I tend to approach flying UAV's as a GA pilot where safety is ALWAYS paramount. I (...and I don't know any pilot who would) turn off the navigation lights on a 172 for any reason...mostly because I'm in the aircraft. I'm no psychiatrist but flying unnamed aircraft probably doesn't create the same sense of urgency about ones safety, as it would when you're actually flying the aircraft..too bad, it should cause the safety of others should be as important. The FAA will want to know that UAV pilots feel that way going forward
 
Thats what I thought and I doubt that the NFPA does contact them and there is no reason for them to do so. That is my humble opinion. Thanks, just asking.
You're confused. The fireworks company contacts the faa, both in pre planning and a few hours before the display. The faa is mostly concerned with Max shell height, location and time of and duration of the display. If you can't see the correlation between explosives entering into the Nas and manned aircraft potentially flying through those areas, I'm not sure what else to say.
 
You're confused. The fireworks company contacts the faa, both in pre planning and a few hours before the display. The faa is mostly concerned with Max shell height, location and time of and duration of the display. If you can't see the correlation between explosives entering into the Nas and manned aircraft potentially flying through those areas, I'm not sure what else to say.

Yes you are right about that, you did say it was the fireworks company. I misspoke when I said the NFPA. I just want some proof as I have not found anything anywhere. But, everything about the size and types of explosives are written in the code. It does not seem to be an issue to the FAA. It would make more sense for the NFPA to notify the FAA (because the NFPA is most concerned) that a particular fireworks display would be taking place at a certain location. I'm trying to learn something here, so if you have some information for me that I can look up or read, it would be much appreciated. Thanks.
 
Verley's crime was he apparently flew his Solo outside of a permitted area. I assume the freedom-loving folks in New York have a law where you can only fly in an "approved" area? But how exactly would Verley's story be different were the Solo's lights off?

On a related note I had to chuckle at Penetta's statement that she thought "It might have been a bomb. I thought OK it's over!" So the ditz thought a little Solo was packing a bomb? And you wonder WHY people might prefer discretion?

Hypothetically you could lose control of your Phantom on ANY flight, day or night, legal or illegal, lights or no lights, etc. What if your Phantom went rogue, traveled 5 miles before smashing through a hospital maternity ward window, & hacked several innocent newborns to bits? :eek:

Generally I try to avoid topics like this one because I find the "stay-within-the-lines" mindset annoying. Phantoms aren't like RC of old where one was limited to flying within a few hundred feet over a small area with pure visual reference & no feedback from the aircraft. Some folks just crack me up. For the sake of the hobby, folks with these excessive fears should sell their Phantom, get a Micro-Quad, & fly in the living room. No one will know, no one will get hurt, & its completely safe short of crashing into your eye. Its the only responsible & 100% (well almost) safe thing to do!

 
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1:00 am was when Verley was arrested & charged. He turned himself in after losing his Solo & reading accounts of the crash. The crash itself appears to have happened earlier during the tennis match. Remember this is the same media that has been demonizing drones for several years so every incident is a momentous event & often taken totally out of proportion. The match was temporarily suspended because a small drone crashed into an unoccupied section of the grandstands. Wonder if they called in SWAT & the bomb disposal crew? Did they blow up the Solo to make sure it wasn't a live bomb?

Funny, I guess we all make mistakes. The writer of the story said that at a night game, 1:00a.m. at night. Interesting. The story itself makes as much news as when a plane crashes into a home, or lands on a roadway, or the country. Life happens.
 
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First dousing the lights isn't something I do on a regular basis but on occasion I have. It isn't about "sneaking around" it's about maintaining a low profile & not calling unnecessary attention to yourself. I don't walk around with my Glock openly strapped to my side either.

Day or night, beyond close VLOS range the same thing applies should you lose connection with the aircraft. Sometimes they are difficult to find when you have the exact GPS coordinates! Nor is anyone less likely to see a drone dropping in at night than on a bright sunny day. Day or night in most cases the aircraft will return home on its own.
I understand the art of minimising unnecessary attention and avoiding conflict, I suspect it's a skill we all develop in the interests of individual pursuit and the hobby generally.

I fly places I know others won't. I choose my timing and home point carefully and on occasion return several times before it's suitable to fly or I might sit and wait until people move on from my chosen launch point etc.

I wouldn't tape my lights though. Imagine you had an incident and there was some form of investigation. Taping the lights could be seen as intent to conceal your presence and depending on the facts and circumstances may be an issue. Sort of like turning off your headlights when running from coppers.
 
First dousing the lights isn't something I do on a regular basis but on occasion I have. It isn't about "sneaking around" it's about maintaining a low profile & not calling unnecessary attention to yourself. I don't walk around with my Glock openly strapped to my side either.

Day or night, beyond close VLOS range the same thing applies should you lose connection with the aircraft. Sometimes they are difficult to find when you have the exact GPS coordinates! Nor is anyone less likely to see a drone dropping in at night than on a bright sunny day. Day or night in most cases the aircraft will return home on its own.
Oh and it's a long shot but I suspect a lot who enquire here about taping up lights etc probably shouldn't and those who have an experience educated risk assessed reason to do so wouldn't need to ask for advice.
 
Thats what I thought and I doubt that the NFPA does contact them and there is no reason for them to do so. That is my humble opinion. Thanks, just asking.

Unless you are taping over your nav lights with ELECTRICAL TAPE... (the NFPA being the governing body that writes the National Electric Code)...
And YES, I'm being facetious......
 
I think you may have misread that article. He said in the article, if you are "on" his property. True! But not flying overhead. Read it again and if you feel I'm wrong, please let me know. Thanks.
I feel you're wrong. If YOU, the pilot, are outside of the property, and your UAV IS ON OR ABOVE privat property, that can still be trespassing, if you do not heed the rules of the owner. Obviously not 400' high, but within a reasonable height that the owner disapproves. You asked...
 
I am not going to debate the correctness or not of masking your lights. However, as an electrician, I would recommend AGAINST black tape. It will leave an almost UNREMOVABLE residue. If you feel that you must tape off your lights, I would recommend a dark colored PHASE TAPE. This is the exact same electrical tape, except it is colored in order to color-code wires, and for SOME reason, does not have the black adhesive residue. We use it to tape things together that we don't want any black residue left after removing the tape.
Not that I black my lights out, but wrap the tape with the sticky side outwards. No residue on the lens... Just saying :cool:;)
 

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