--- description: "A quick overview of UAV night flight: learn about common UAV hazards, aerial cinematography, regulatory requirements, and how to get started with your UAV training." title: UAV Night flight image: https://blog.fmctraining.com/hubfs/Night%20Flight%201.png --- [![FMC](https://blog.fmctraining.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/FMC-Community/images/fmc-logo-white-960.png?width=154&height=28&name=fmc-logo-white-960.png)](https://www.fmctraining.com/) [Courses](https://www.fmctraining.com/courses) [Conferences](https://ppw-conference.com/) [Free webinars](https://www.fmctraining.com/online-training/upcoming-classes) [FMC Forward](https://blog.fmctraining.com/blog) [Community](https://info.fmctraining.com/community) [Get the FMC Weekly](https://info.fmctraining.com/community#weekly) 2 min read # UAV Night flight A quick overview of UAV night flight: learn about common UAV hazards, aerial cinematography, regulatory requirements, and how to get started with your UAV training. ![](https://blog.fmctraining.com/hubfs/MagazinePost2-1.jpg) [**Douglas Spotted Eagle**](https://blog.fmctraining.com/blog/author/douglas-spotted-eagle)March 30, 2018 ![Night Flight 1.png](https://blog.fmctraining.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Night%20Flight%201.png?width=1600&height=900&name=Night%20Flight%201.png) ![Night Flight 1.png](https://blog.fmctraining.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Night%20Flight%201.png?width=632&name=Night%20Flight%201.png) Night-flying drones is an incredible, exhilarating experience, whether for broadcast, news-gathering, or just plain fun flight. However, night flight also carries with it some specific responsibilities and regulatory requirements. For example, it is not legal for any commercial pilot to fly after civil twilight (approximately 30 minutes after sunset) without an FAA-granted waiver. Without training, the 107.29 waiver may be difficult to achieve. Aside from the regulatory requirement for training or demonstration of training when applying/requesting a 107.29 waiver, there are standards for best-practices when flying UAS at night. Several of the most publicized and notorious drone incidents in the nation have occurred during night flight. **UAV Hazards** For example, the greatest “danger” to operations during night flight endeavors, is **light pollution**. Avoiding light pollution, or at the least minimizing light, ensures pilot’s eyes are in proper physiological condition for night flight ops. Another concern during night-flight operations is **hazards**, and how difficult they are to observe, particularly during UAS flight No off-the-shelf UAS offers adequate night lighting requirements, whether a 107 (Commercial) or hobbyist (AMA) operation. Lighting is required. ![Night flight 2.png](https://blog.fmctraining.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Night%20flight%202.png?width=628&name=Night%20flight%202.png) **How does a pilot avoid polluting the eye with brightly lit aircraft?** Products such as the lighted launch/land pads from Hoodman, on-aircraft lighting systems from FoxFury, or HUD displays from Brother all assist in reducing risk/increasing safety in these environments. There are manuals available that can help those interested to better understand these issues, and how to best avoid them, but nothing beats live-training with industry experts. **Think you are ready for your UAV training?** FMC and Sundance Media Group are organizing a practical, [Night Flight UAV](https://nab18.mapyourshow.com/7_0/sessions/session-details.cfm?ScheduleID=310&_ga=2.35857056.1063199933.1522088488-1955738866.1514917850) Field Workshop during **NAB Show** in Las Vegas. Attendees will not only learn the ins and outs of best practices for night flight, but also how to petition the FAA for a night flight waiver. Following the in-class training, attendees will be flying UAS in pitch-dark conditions with an instructor and airboss. This is a rare experience, one any news-gathering, broadcast, production, or journalism professional or agency won’t want to miss.  [![Learn more. ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4023639/8ce3c55e-bb80-4575-9fe7-2eb7a3de32bb.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4023639/8ce3c55e-bb80-4575-9fe7-2eb7a3de32bb)   Share Copy link ![](https://blog.fmctraining.com/hubfs/MagazinePost2-1.jpg) Written by **[Douglas Spotted Eagle](https://blog.fmctraining.com/blog/author/douglas-spotted-eagle)** Douglas is a Founder and Primary Instructor at Sundance Media Group. He is a giant in the video and audio industries, having received Grammy, Emmy, DuPont, Peabody, and many other awards. Douglas is a primary instructor and industry consultant for Sundance Media Group and VASST, authoring several books and DVDs and serving as an advisor and guide for videographers, software manufacturers and broadcasters. He is a frequent (and dynamic!) speaker and consults on UAV cinematography, public safety implementation of UAS, commercial and infrastructural UAV applications, UAV risk management, night UAS flight, aerial security systems, and 107 training to ensure pilots clearly understand the FAA laws. One email, every Thursday ### Get the FMC Weekly The new full session on our YouTube channel, the next free live webinar and one article worth your time. One email a week. Unsubscribe anytime. ### [From FMC Post Production World Las Vegas, April 3 to 7, 2027 Hands-on post-production training at NAB Show, from the instructors you see on our channel. 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