Night flights

[flockshot]

It is legal for sure, but if something were to go very wrong, I can't help but wonder if that AMA liability insurance would run over and cover it for you?

 

[N017RW]

Amytime you’re flying a model aircraft something can go [very] wrong. This should be centric to your planning.
The AMA Safety Guidelines are published. Any flight outside those would easily disqualify their secondary loss/liability coverage.

 

[drvrbobob]

Interesting discussion, here in Australia is not permissible to fly at night, with waivers possible for Licenced pilots from CASA, our FAA equivalent. Do any other countries permit hobby fliers at night? Seems counter intuitive that it’s permitted to me

Yes, it's funny here and United states that a part 107 holder is more restricted than a hobbyist is. In theory you would think that the part 107 flyer would be more safety conscious than the average person.

 

[rvrrat14]

^ Huge TRUE statement.

 

[Wilbur]

Seems there is some confusion on this issue. It appears that it is not illegal to fly at night as a hobbyist just need appropriate anti collision lights. Seems wrong and a safety issue that night flying ok for a hobby, but if you have 107, you have to get a waiver. FAA just don't want to make it easy to make money.

That's an understatement. About drone laws in general as well.

 

[N017RW]

Generally speaking...

The flight locations and conditions for hobbyists were generally different than that of commercial types. Such as remote fields and under CBO protocols.

The commercial operators would be flying at locations not normally associated with CBOs and thus the current requirements are different.

So at first glance it appears hobbyists have more ‘rights’ but it’s due to the PAST presumption that those flights are more self-regulated by the CBOs.

 

[drvrbobob]

I agree, but I believe the simple truth for example to a Night Flight is that the hobbyist, if he has appropriate lighting observe safety rules, he can fly as much as he wants to at night as long as he flies safely. where as the commercial operator will have to get waivers to do the same thing and we know that people are doing this in the city just watch YouTube those are not commercial flights that those people are making. But the commercial operator would have difficulty in getting waivers to do the same thing, just my opinion but I suspect possibly in the future it may be easier, for the commercial operator to get waiver, lets hope so.

 

[Surferchicusa]

Folks, read FAR 101.41 and Section 336 of Public Law 112-95, there is no mention of prohibiting night flight for hobbyist drone operations. If you want to take it a step further and consider "The aircraft is operated in accordance with a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization" FAR 101.41(b) and use the AMA's safety guidelines, they too have no night flight restriction. Again, this applies to hobbyists operating in the US

Perfect! Thank you! I dated a cop for ten years, from the time he was made sergeant until he retired as a Chief. Since I live in my RV by choice, and was always being harassed by cops, even though I know all the laws & always followed them, my man always stressed the importance of asking the cops who were harassing me to please “quote the CODE & VERSE of the law they “thought” I was breaking.

This is a perfect example of knowing your code and verse to protect your ***! I will be saving the code & verse that you quoted, so thank you!

 

[Nightwolf]

possibly in the future it may be easier, for the commercial operator to get waiver, lets hope so.

I hope you're right but In reality it will probably be harder for hobbyists to fly at night. easier to add restrictions than it is to remove them

 

[RocUAV]

But the commercial operator would have difficulty in getting waivers to do the same thing, just my opinion but I suspect possibly in the future it may be easier, for the commercial operator to get waiver, lets hope so.

One part of the new FAA re-authorization bill should make it easier to get a waiver:

SEC. 533. PART 107 TRANSPARENCY AND TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENTS.
(a) Transparency.—Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall publish on the Federal Aviation Administration website a representative sample of the safety justifications, offered by applicants for small unmanned aircraft system waivers and airspace authorizations, that have been approved by the Administration for each regulation waived or class of airspace authorized, except that any published justification shall not reveal proprietary or commercially sensitive information.

So instead of guessing on what to put in a waiver application for 107.29 and waiting 30+ days for it to be rejected (rinse, lather, repeat), the FAA will have to essentially tell you what verbiage they will accept to grant the waiver. Copy / Paste / Submit.

 

[JimPierceJr]

There's no "law" prohibiting it for hobby flights.

8. Are the lights visible for 3 statute miles or more? While recreational flyers do not have a 3 statute mile requirement, Part 107 flyers do. Make sure the manufacturer does say that the light is visible for 3 statute miles or more. If you want to take things one step further, maybe print the web page out that says the light is visible for 3 statute miles or more in case an FAA inspector or police officer asks.

 

[Hendricks]

Here, in Canada, Transport Canada allows night time drone flying provided the drone is equipped with navigation lights so the orientation and position of the drone is visible.

Transport Canada had previously not allowed night time flights by drones;however, the new rules, going into effect on June 1st this year, do allow for night time flying.