Required to have anti-collision strobes on the drone - those that can be seen up to 3 miles away. Got 3 Strobon Cree strobes on Amazon then attached them to cheap landing gear so I don't need to have any tape or fastener directly stuck on the Spark for daytime flights. Here is a pic of the gear with the strobes - I've since cut off the bottom portion of the gear to just below where the strobes are to save on weight and drag when flying.I flew mine last night, I was pretty scared lol.
You can when flying as a hobbyist I believe, in uncontrolled class G airspace with proper anti-collision strobes and following daytime rules. If flying under part 107 you will need to submit a request for waiver and need approval.i don't think you are allowed to fly after sunset .
This final rule is the most simple: do not fly after dark, even if your drone has night lights. Dark is considered 30 minutes before official sunrise or 30 minutes after official sunset. This is known as civil twilight.
You can when flying as a hobbyist I believe, in uncontrolled class G airspace with proper anti-collision strobes and following daytime rules. If flying under part 107 you will need to submit a request for waiver and need approval.
I'm no expert on the laws but it was always my understanding that the anti-collision lights you need to put on are not optional for night flights and are not there for you the drone pilot, but for other aircraft that can see the lights a minimum of 3 miles away. The lights on the Spark you will not see 3 miles out.You don't need strobes, but it's a good idea. You just need to be able to see the position and orientation of the UAV. The stock lighting on DJI drones will let you get pretty far out. Again. the more lighting the better IMO.
I'm no expert on the laws but it was always my understanding that the anti-collision lights you need to put on are not optional for night flights and are not there for you the drone pilot, but for other aircraft that can see the lights a minimum of 3 miles away. The lights on the Spark you will not see 3 miles out.
i don't think you are allowed to fly after sunset .
This final rule is the most simple: do not fly after dark, even if your drone has night lights. Dark is considered 30 minutes before official sunrise or 30 minutes after official sunset. This is known as civil twilight.
This is from the FAA recreational flyer dashboard when you view your registration:
Safety Guidance
To fly under The Exception for Recreational Flyers, you must:
As you can see with the last listing of the guidance, this is post May 17, 2019 guidance and up to date.
- Register your drone
- Fly only for recreational purposes
- Follow the safety guidelines of a community based organization
- Keep your drone within the visual line of sight or use a visual observer
- Give way and do not interfere with any manned aircraft
- Get prior authorization before operating in controlled airspace
- Fly at or below 400’ in uncontrolled airspace
- Comply with all airspace restrictions
- Pass an aeronautical knowledge and safety test
No mention of restrictions of flying at night, civil twilight, Etc...
Part 107 has a night restriction.
Thanks for this. I should also add that recreational night flying is only allowed in Class G airspace. The Waiver for flying in other airspace from approved sites (AMA, etc) is only good for daylight hours.
For those looking for a nice set of lights for the Spark, check these out. I mount the red and green on the port and starboard sides and the white goes on top. I can post pics if anyone wants to see what it looks like. These lights aren't as bright as the Firehouse Arc/Arc II - but with the Sparks limited range they are perfect!
Easylight Chargable White/Red/Green LED Position Lights Ver2 Smaller for RC | eBay
Charging mode: Balance charging 0.1A charging. Micro USB charging also supports Power Bank charging, which is especially convenient for outdoor use. The aerial light is removed and put back into the attached plastic box.www.ebay.com
The other thing that concerns me a little is Spark's lack of any ultrasonic sensors, so once its dark, unless you have good ambient light on the ground, it may not be able to sense where the ground actually is... could lead to some mishaps... (as mentioned by Spark317)
In this video, I placed a flashlight on the ground near my landing spot and had no problems.Thing is with fireworks (and not to take away from your videos) its hard to find the aerial point of reference unless you can see something on the ground as well as the fireworks themselves. I've been thinking about the strobes, we are now allowed to fly here in Canada at night, they are not quite so clear on the visibility requirements as the FAA, but at least for now, I usually fly in rural settings, so there is little ambient ground light for reference... so its not all that appealing to me. The other thing that concerns me a little is Spark's lack of any ultrasonic sensors, so once its dark, unless you have good ambient light on the ground, it may not be able to sense where the ground actually is... could lead to some mishaps... (as mentioned by Spark317)