1.7 Night Operations and Civil Twilight

1.7 Night Operations and Civil Twilight

Since April 21, 2021, Part 107 remote pilots may fly at night without a waiver — provided they meet specific requirements. This was a major change from the original Part 107 rule, which required a waiver for any nighttime operation.

Definitions: Night vs. Civil Twilight

Understanding the FAA's definition of "night" is essential:

Civil Twilight:

• Morning civil twilight begins 30 minutes before official sunrise and ends at sunrise
• Evening civil twilight begins at official sunset and ends 30 minutes after sunset
• During civil twilight, there is enough ambient light to see most objects

Night (as it relates to Part 107):

• The period between the end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight
• This is when anti-collision lighting requirements apply

Important for Alaska: Alaska has special civil twilight definitions due to extreme latitude. Under §107.29, civil twilight in Alaska is defined as the period when the sun is 6 degrees or less below the horizon.

Anti-Collision Lighting Requirements (§107.29)

To fly at night under Part 107, your drone must have:

• Anti-collision lighting that is visible for at least 3 statute miles
• The light must have a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision
• The Remote PIC may reduce the intensity of the anti-collision lighting if, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to do so
• The Remote PIC may NOT extinguish the anti-collision lighting during night flight

Night Operations Training

To fly at night, the Remote PIC must have completed:

• Initial training that includes night-specific content (covered in the knowledge test), OR
• Updated recurrent training that includes the night operations module

Pilots who obtained their Part 107 certificate before April 6, 2021 must complete the updated recurrent training (which includes night operations content) before flying at night.

Night Operations Checklist

Before flying at night, ensure:

Practical Night Operations Considerations

While not specifically tested, understanding these factors helps with scenario-based exam questions:

• Loss of visual references — harder to judge distance, altitude, and orientation at night
• Night vision adaptation — takes 20-30 minutes for eyes to fully adapt; bright screens can reduce night vision
• Anti-collision light visibility — 3 statute mile requirement assumes clear conditions; fog/haze reduces effective range
• Battery performance — cold nighttime temperatures can reduce battery capacity
• Physiological factors — fatigue is more common during nighttime operations

Operations During Civil Twilight

During civil twilight (30 minutes before sunrise or after sunset):

• Anti-collision lighting is recommended but not required
• Standard visibility minimums apply (3 SM)
• Standard cloud clearance requirements apply
• Visual line of sight must be maintained