Anti-Collision Lighting Requirement for Night Operations

In plain language

When flying at night, your drone must have anti-collision lights visible for at least 3 statute miles. You can dim these lights if they interfere with safety, but you cannot turn them off completely.

Requirement as structured

The small unmanned aircraft must have lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles that has a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision.

Original regulatory text

29 Operation at night. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, no person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system at night unless— (1) The remote pilot in command of the small unmanned aircraft has completed an initial knowledge test or training, as applicable, under § 107.65 after April 6, 2021; and (2) The small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles that has a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. The remote pilot in command may reduce the intensity of, but may not extinguish, the anti-collision lighting if he or she determines that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to do so.

Applies when

country

United States

time of day

night

regulatory category

General