Permissible Brief Interruptions to Visual Line of Sight

In plain language

You can briefly look down at your controller (to check battery, etc.) or scan the sky, as long as you can immediately look back and see the drone or quickly fly it back into your line of sight.

Requirement as structured

The person maintaining VLOS may have brief moments of not looking directly at or losing sight of the aircraft, provided they retain the capability to see it or quickly maneuver it back into view.

Original regulatory text

The person maintaining VLOS may have brief moments in which he or she is not looking directly at or cannot see the small unmanned aircraft, but still retains the capability to see the small unmanned aircraft or quickly maneuver it back to VLOS. These moments may be necessary for the remote PIC to look at the controller to determine remaining battery life or for operational awareness... The VLOS requirement does not prohibit actions such as scanning the airspace or briefly looking down at the small unmanned aircraft CS.

Applies when

country

United States

regulatory category

General