Great tip on the auto turn off front l.e.d's ... from a veteran pilot but a newbie photographer. It's been challenging learning all the photography basics at 48..... but the Mavic sure provides the inspiration to learn. Keep up the great work!
Great video Billy!! I have a MA and haven't flown at night. Your video has certainly enlightened me on a few things. I also heard that if you use RTH that you need to do so in an area that has lot's of light. Do you know if this is the case or not? Thanks again!! 😊👍
My "obvious" tips: 1) Pick a night with as close to 0 wind as possible. I got up to 2 sec exposure time out of a mini 2 that way. 2) Repeat your shots. With longer exposure times, even slight movements in your drone can ruin otherwise perfect shots. If I find a motive I really, really like, I do 3-4 shots with 5 sec intervals. That way small gusts of wind can pass / have a brake in them.
Great videos I’m learning a lot about the Mavic & drone flying thanks to your page. 👍🏽 do you expect a Mavic 2 release soon? I want to buy my 1st drone but want to wait for that one at least for the price drop of the original haha 😆 thanks for all your hard word & dedication
Not trying to keep this going but... I think it is a good conversation :) I am studying for my 107 and yes it is clear you can NOT fly 30 minutes after sunset "commercially" without a waiver. However, it is also true that you can fly FPV at night as a Hobbyist as long as you follow the rules and guidelines. Please read and discuss. FROM www.modelaircraft.org/aboutama/faa-uas-faq.aspx Q: Am I permitted to fly first person view (FPV)? Can I fly at night? A: Yes. AMA members are still protected by the Special Rule for Model Aircraft, which is part of the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act. As long as AMA members continue to follow AMA’s safety guidelines for these activities, they can continue to fly. The guidelines listed on the FAA UAS website do not negate the modeling activities and related safety procedures established in AMA’s community-based safety program.
Flying at night is NOT seen as "illegal" according to the FAA. The FAA defers to the AMA rules for flying model aircraft in the United States. AMA rules allow for night flying as long as you have proper lighting to be able to tell the attitude and direction of the aircraft. You also must maintain line of sight.
Great information Billy as always, do you need to shut off the obstacle avoidance when you're flying at night? I have the DJI Spark, and is there a way to shut off the VPS on the bottom of the Drone so you don't get any false readings because of the darkness? Thank you in advance, Joey and happy holidays!
Keep flying sir just be safe. Glad you're putting the content out there just know this is a different world we're in and the feds have poked their head into the game. it would benefit you to get your part 107. Saves you down the road of ever having to worry about legalities and you can always turn around and make money on side jobs. Best of luck
I really appreciate your tutorials and other videos. You always get right to the point without a lot of fluff or trying to be funny like a lot of people making them do. I don’t watch tutorials for comedy I watch them to learn. Once again thanks for having so much information about drones and photography on your channel.
The cool thing about flying at night is that you can see the drone with direct VLOS at great distances. That means with bright enough lighting you can legally fly at distances FAR greater than you could in daylight. From a legal standpoint, it doesn't matter if you can see anything through your video feed. You aren't supposed to be using the video feed for situational awareness anyway. You are supposed to have direct visual contact with the aircraft. If you can see the lights - you have direct visual contact.
Thanks for offering these videos in 4K resolution. And as always, thanks for offering a very detailed video with helpful tips in a concise format. You say in under 7 minutes what would take most vloggers twice as long. It's unfortunate to see so many negative comments on here about night flying from people who don't understand FAA Part 336 and assume any video about night flight, even one such as this simply discussing the topic, falls under Part 107.
hey bro! when I fly at night or with dark ambient, is it normal that drone isn't that steady as it is when you fly in a day? like it moves by itself and doesn't stop on it's position when you just let it hover.
I'm also from Philly. south Philly. What part are you from? I'm a newbie at drone flying. It would be great to Learn some important flying/camera tips from you. Thx for your content Michael D.
Yeah I love your show man. I think you've established yourself as a great source and "expert" on drones man I literally watch your show way more than others. I would be cool on the "there are the best people in these areas," it's like I get what your saying, there maybe sketchy situations yet your not having a conversation with your friends so I would be more aware of what you say in regards to people's character.
I thought there was a setting that when you take pictures or videos the red LED shut off automatically? On my mavic Pro I always keep this toggle switch on.
just had quick question, by given the fact that the vision sensor will not work for most of time during night fly, is it necessary to have as many satellites connected as possible to ensure your flying is safe?
I have checked to see how my Mavic Pro will react to flying at night. I got a message on the controller that said the ambient light was weak. The Mavic behaved badly in that it could not hover in one place. It moved up and down erratically and side to side around the area. I did not take it any further up than about 20' since I was concerned that its behavior was not entirely predictable. Is this similar to the conditions you have seen with your night flight? Thanks for doing the video.
+Dudley Warner No problem Dudley! As for your situation with the Mavic, the VPS system was most likely turned off due to it being dark. That means that it will not use the sensors underneath to hold its position still.
I had the same thing happen last night, that's why I'm researching flying the Mavic at night. By the way, Billy, thank you for posting, regardless of the haters. Not all of your viewers are watching from the USA, so the FAA regulations are not pertinent to us. I will be moving to PA soon, however, so it is good to hear about the restrictions.
One thing I learned that almost lost my drone. iFly at 400 ft the reason why is because I was flying at 300 feet and all of a sudden this big long pole showed up 400 ft in the air it was a long red pole probably a cell phone tower or something like that.. I found at 400 feet you can clear all of those poles and not almost bumped into them.. I was watching my small screen at 5.5 in in the pole came out of nowhere just messed it.. I fly at 400 feet now just to be safe and less like you said I know the area perfectly... I don't think people realize there are lots of poles, then I for radio broadcast, cell phone towers that can go up to 500 ft.. most of them 3 to 400 feet . As always excellent video
Billy, you're an awesome youtuber and your videos are totally professional. Thank you!! One thing that keeps popping out to me in all of your videos (I've been watching them all morning) is when you say "Honestly..." You say that word at least a dozen times in this video alone. When you say "Honestly... blah blah" it somehow makes me wonder if you aren't honest all the time and then suddenly you're divulging information that you're being honest about. It's not just you who says this, alot of people say it all the time, and as someone who listens intensely, that keeps popping out like a firecracker going off next to my ear. Be impeccable to your word my man, you should never have to disclaim "Honestly" when you're speaking... this is a car salesman tactic / speech pattern that sends me running the other way questioning everything the person says when they aren't disclaiming or prefacing it with "Honestly..." when I hear it. The guy from Drone Valley does this all the time and it's kind of funny, yet sticks out like a sore thumb. Just trying to help you out bro! Keep up the fantastic work, I love your videos.
+Freakin Drone Thank you! I have heard myself say that so many times when I play my videos back and it drives me nuts. It's a habit I have to get out of. Thanks for the advice!
Billy Kyle Hey Billy, i was wondering if you fly at night with vps on or off? Just had my mavic hovering in the dark but it was really drifty and also kept losing slight altitude which is really odd. I had vps off. i was testing out my new landing gear with the lights from PGYTECH. im wondering if the extra weight has caused it? I have just performed an imu calibration so ill test it out tomorrow as its late here in the UK. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks mate, Paul.
(Not the other Mark Williams on this thread.. LOL) According to the 2012 FAA FRMA authorization act and according to FAA CFAR's, If he's flying under the "special rule for model aircraft " or part 101 (Not 107) AND IF he is flying under a flight safety program of a nationwide community based organization (CBO) like AMA, (which does allow night flights, then he doesn't need a night waiver from FAA.. ) if the purpose or the "intent" of the night flight wasn't for pure enjoyment or recreation, then yes absolutely, you need a night flight waiver from FAA under the 107 rule.. "it's a thin line to walk" however..
Hey your vids are solid appreciate the work! Just a heads up unless you have your waiver from the FAA via part 107 its illegal to fly at night. I know you'll fly safe but just a heads up.
It is not illegal to fly at night. The FAA defers to AMA rules for flying model aircraft. AMA rules allow for flying at night as long as you have proper lighting that allows you to see the attitude/direction of the aircraft and maintain visual sight of the aircraft at all times.
Here's the danger of this flight and with regards to youtube...total grey area but its there. If he reaches so many views with this video, youtube pays him. Hence him profiting from an illegal flight that was not under waiver under Part 107. Will the FAA bother? no because an incident didnt happen. But for us who are commercial pilots and wish to continue to profit using these aerial cameras...the HOBBYISTS need to fly safer than us. Their mistake impacts commercial pilots who've paid the money and played the FAA's game. If people wish to continue to pilot as hobbyist i have zero issue with that. NONE. But fly safer than a commercial pilot to not put yourself or others at risk.
Part 336 does not ban night flight for recreational use in the United States. Part 107 requires a waiver beyond twilight for commercial use. In a number of ways, night flight is safer than flight during the day. Over trees and buildings, it is much easier to maintain visual line of sight at night than during the day due to lighting. Similarly, it is also easier to see low flying aircraft at longer distances. There is often less pedestrian and vehicle traffic on the ground. Night flight is one of the instance where commercial use is more restricted than recreational use. And there's a good reason for that. Recreational use is focused primarily on the UAS and the flight itself. With commercial use, the pilot's focus is divided between the flight and the commercial application whether it's cinematography, thermal imaging, photography of public events, sky painting, etc. Commercial applications at night are likely to be at lower altitudes and run greater risk of encountering obstructions than recreational use.
He has his part 107 license and how do know he didn't have a waiver? How do you know he even flew at night? What's to say that's footage he took? He said he had very little night footage. Part 107 does allow for night flight 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset. A waiver to fly at night is a few mouse clicks away. Nobody should have to prove they have a waiver every time they get one to anybody except the faa. These people know what they are doing. Just sit back and enjoy the free entertainment. Quit worrying about what someone else might have done that you can report and waste the faa's resources on.
Many good precautions ... thanks. I would suggest only minor alternatives. Flying at pre-sunset requires NO special authorizations for night flying. An even bigger advantage is the reduced dynamic range of the scene you are trying to capture. If you want short “freeze motion” images, don’t use ND filters. If you want “blur motion” use ND filters. Then in post processing, you can use the exposure and contrast sliders to get the level of “darkness” you are trying to achieve but without having “blacks” and “whites” fall off the histogram.
It a group of us that fly at night in the Philadelphia area. You catch us on Philadelphia Drone User Group on Facebook. We just install some strobe lights.
What VaporSwift said! You also need to have a lighting system that is visible for 3 nautical miles, as well as written permission from the FAA. Just sayin.
I agree there is a fine grey line you walk while filming at night so why risk it and post videos that encourages others to take that risk. When [and it's a matter of time when] the government decides to come down on you, you're not going to win and I don't care how deep your pockets are. As long as you break the rules, the government is going to keep monitoring videos posted on YT and they're going to continue to make it harder for us to fly our damn drones in any place day or night!
So... In summary... Let me see if I have this right: If you are a hobbyist, you can fly at night provided you comply to all the other blah, blah, blah regulations. If you have your Part 107, you can fly at night ONLY if you have a waiver (from the FAA?) and you comply with all the other blah, blah, blah regulations. Do I have it right?
The FAA rules say you can fly until sundown ... in other words twilight is OK. After the sun sets is NOT OK. A tip I would share is to fly at twilight and adjust your video to suit your lighting needs in post processing. On this video (vimeo.com/193287479) I tested the Circle of Interest mode 4 times, each time trusting my drone to fly a bigger circle. In the second scene, I am flying at twilight. I could have made the final video any level of darkness I wanted using iMovie or Premier Pro. BUT ... TIP #1 is don't violate the FAA ruling that says night flying is ILLEGAL. Manned aircraft can't see drones without lights and the FAA drones not want to make separate rules for those drones with or without lights.
The FAA rules defer to the AMA. AMA rules allow you to fly at night as long as you have lights that allow you to see the attitude and orientation of the aircraft. Which also means, keep it in the line of sight.
I won't even touch the night flying conversation - I think everyone else covered that below - LOL. BUT... I do think the more important thing that you need to be careful of is your comment about flying in the shady areas of Philly. Dude, that's class B airspace and you cannot fly there as a Hobbyist. Even with my 107, I need to ask for a waiver, which can take up to 90 days. Of course I know people are still going to do it and act dumb... but be careful when saying that you fly there or promoting the idea... or showing videos of you flying there... that can be used against you (yes, the FAA is very closely monitoring TH-cam). Also, I live near Bethlehem PA (on the NJ side of the river)... and that is also within Class C airspace (Allentown airport). In either case... love the videos and ideas... just be careful or just add a 15 second clip at the start of the video stating, "I am stupid... I may be doing illegal things... do NOT do what I do... whatever you do is at your own risk, not mine. Basically, I will not be held responsible for anything stupid you do :)" I am not personally calling you stupid... but at least let everyone watching knows that what you "may" do is stupid and they should not do it. Cheers man! And if you are ever looking for a flying buddy in-between Clinton, NJ and Allentown, PA... or need a 107 pilot with you so you can charge for video or flying in otherwise restricted areas, feel free to PM me here on TH-cam.
+chazwesley99 Probably the nicest comment I've gotten on this video lol thanks for not tearing me apart. A buddy of mine lives up in Bethlehem, small world. Thanks again for the comment!
chazwesley99 I mainly fly in class B airspace. Are local flying field is even in class B airspace, but we do have a letter of expectations with the local Airport. All I do is just call the control tower and tell them I flying my drone with no issues.
chazwesley99 Not anymore. It was changed since FAA was sued at the court. As a hobbyist, I already had called the FAA twice to make sure it is verified about their regulations on recreational drone flights. I was told by 2 FAA agents that the FAA is no longer responsible on hobbyists but still on commerical drone pilots holding licenses. The hobbyists do not need to ask for their permission but notify them before starting flights. Just like my local ATC told me that only the commerical drone pilots are required to get the permission from them. That is it.
Yes it does. They defer to AMA rules which allows you to fly at night with proper lighting where you can maintain attitude and orientation of the aircraft. You must also keep it in line of sight.
It is not illegal in the U.S. to fly at night. The FAA defers to the AMA rules for flying model aircraft. AMA rules state that night flying is allowed if you have lighting that allows you to see the attitude and orientation of the aircraft. You must also keep it in line of sight. The half hour rule is for those the the 107 certification. They must get a waiver from the FAA to fly at night.
Richard Wisor that's awesome, I can totally see the orientation of my Mavic at night with those lights on it. So if I'm a hobbyist I can fly at night but if I have my certificate I can't?
You got Peter. Doesn't make sense but if you have the 107 certificate you have to get a waiver to fly at night. For the rest of us. Fly on, be careful and enjoy the flight.
It’s illegal to fly at night. You can’t fly in parks. And i downloaded an app that tells me where i can fly,all my state is mark with yellow circles telling me i can’t fly. It’s better to collect guns,hunt deer,conceal carry gun ,drones are to much trouble
Why is everyone talking about setting up picture for night flight when people are asking how to set up the Mavic itself for flying at night. What needs to be turned off and things like that.
As a hobbyist I've been flying aircraft at night for 20-plus years and never had an issue. Just because it has 4 props doesn't make it any different. As a matter of fact I can purchase aircraft specifically to fly at night with no special license and still have it register with the FAA and fly at night with no repercussions. So don't give me this crap about you can't fly your drone at night. And better yet I can see the drone better at night. I have a proper lighting system on all my aircraft for night flying which is legal to fly without any special license.
THE NEXT TIME YOU COME TO PHILLY LET ME KNOW AND WE CAN FLY TOGETHER I FEEL WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND I LIVE IN PHILLY LOL SO IF YOU NEED A FLYING PARTER LET ME NO
I'm a Commercial drone pilot and it is 100% illegal to fly at night unless you get a waiver from the FAA. You can fly for up to 30 minutes after sunset if you have the appropriate lighting. Flying at midnight probably isn't going to happen - - at least not legally.
You are absolutely correct if you are flying under the 107 certification. However, for recreational flying the FAA defers to the AMA safety code for RC aircraft which includes UAV/drones. Here is the AMA safety code concerning night flying: RC night flying requires a lighting system providing the pilot with a clear view of the model’s attitude and orientation at all times.
Flying Increased altitude isn't that similar to knowing your surroundings.. I'm still waiting for good info from you on night flying. what ??keeping your eyes on your drone at 300ft in the air in total darkness you serious.. SO BASICLY YOU HAVE NOTHING INSIGHTFUL ABOUT NIGHT FLYING TO SHARE with us..why didn't you say that earlier.. what I learned.. you don't like flying in your hometown its not safe so you bring your family member aka sister along to protect you from those knife wielding freaks that try to kill you at the dog park. then you guys try to spot your mavic at 300ft in a area you are familiar with but have your doubts so how does it work out in the end... love your vids but this one waz a stinker
Dude, I know you have no idea what drones are and we have lights on our drones. I also have STROBON Standalone strobes that can be seen up to three miles away on a clear night. So Joseph Materese you are one f****'in ignorant jerk. Go back to choking your chicken while I fly at night. th-cam.com/video/wAfTkJ32wYc/w-d-xo.html
Great tip on the auto turn off front l.e.d's ... from a veteran pilot but a newbie photographer. It's been challenging learning all the photography basics at 48..... but the Mavic sure provides the inspiration to learn. Keep up the great work!
+T Briz Thanks T!
Hi Billy, Awesome video as always!! I have a question about my MA; Can RTH be used at night? Thanks again for your awesome video's. Ray
Great video Billy!! I have a MA and haven't flown at night. Your video has certainly enlightened me on a few things. I also heard that if you use RTH that you need to do so in an area that has lot's of light. Do you know if this is the case or not? Thanks again!! 😊👍
Hey man great video I would like to know what are your camera settings on video for flying mavic at night any help will be appreciative
Awesome video man. What drone did you use for your examples for this video?
My "obvious" tips:
1) Pick a night with as close to 0 wind as possible.
I got up to 2 sec exposure time out of a mini 2 that way.
2) Repeat your shots.
With longer exposure times, even slight movements in
your drone can ruin otherwise perfect shots.
If I find a motive I really, really like, I do 3-4 shots
with 5 sec intervals.
That way small gusts of wind can pass / have a brake in them.
Great videos I’m learning a lot about the Mavic & drone flying thanks to your page. 👍🏽 do you expect a Mavic 2 release soon? I want to buy my 1st drone but want to wait for that one at least for the price drop of the original haha 😆 thanks for all your hard word & dedication
Not trying to keep this going but... I think it is a good conversation :)
I am studying for my 107 and yes it is clear you can NOT fly 30 minutes after sunset "commercially" without a waiver. However, it is also true that you can fly FPV at night as a Hobbyist as long as you follow the rules and guidelines. Please read and discuss.
FROM www.modelaircraft.org/aboutama/faa-uas-faq.aspx
Q: Am I permitted to fly first person view (FPV)? Can I fly at night?
A: Yes. AMA members are still protected by the Special Rule for Model Aircraft, which is part of the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act. As long as AMA members continue to follow AMA’s safety guidelines for these activities, they can continue to fly. The guidelines listed on the FAA UAS website do not negate the modeling activities and related safety procedures established in AMA’s community-based safety program.
Flying at night is NOT seen as "illegal" according to the FAA. The FAA defers to the AMA rules for flying model aircraft in the United States. AMA rules allow for night flying as long as you have proper lighting to be able to tell the attitude and direction of the aircraft. You also must maintain line of sight.
Great information Billy as always, do you need to shut off the obstacle avoidance when you're flying at night? I have the DJI Spark, and is there a way to shut off the VPS on the bottom of the Drone so you don't get any false readings because of the darkness? Thank you in advance, Joey and happy holidays!
Keep flying sir just be safe. Glad you're putting the content out there just know this is a different world we're in and the feds have poked their head into the game. it would benefit you to get your part 107. Saves you down the road of ever having to worry about legalities and you can always turn around and make money on side jobs. Best of luck
Good tip about awareness of one's surroundings....people take their personal safety for granted.
I really appreciate your tutorials and other videos. You always get right to the point without a lot of fluff or trying to be funny like a lot of people making them do. I don’t watch tutorials for comedy I watch them to learn. Once again thanks for having so much information about drones and photography on your channel.
The cool thing about flying at night is that you can see the drone with direct VLOS at great distances. That means with bright enough lighting you can legally fly at distances FAR greater than you could in daylight. From a legal standpoint, it doesn't matter if you can see anything through your video feed. You aren't supposed to be using the video feed for situational awareness anyway. You are supposed to have direct visual contact with the aircraft. If you can see the lights - you have direct visual contact.
Thanks for offering these videos in 4K resolution. And as always, thanks for offering a very detailed video with helpful tips in a concise format. You say in under 7 minutes what would take most vloggers twice as long. It's unfortunate to see so many negative comments on here about night flying from people who don't understand FAA Part 336 and assume any video about night flight, even one such as this simply discussing the topic, falls under Part 107.
+Brady Schickinger Thanks Brady for the comment and support!
hey bro! when I fly at night or with dark ambient, is it normal that drone isn't that steady as it is when you fly in a day? like it moves by itself and doesn't stop on it's position when you just let it hover.
May be a dumb question. But how did you get your f top (aperture) on there?
Thank you as a photographer I love night photography and new to drones
Hi Billy I have serius issues to focus at night with My Mavic, any tip to help me with this trouble, thanks!!!
Hi :) Your videos are very informative as always! Can you answer a question for me...can I fly my drone at night as a hobbyist only? Thanks!
You forgot to mention a strobe. You really should have a strobe on the ac at night. There are other people that use that airspace as well.
Cant you leave for example your nd 4 on that you canset your shutterspeed to like 8 seconds? I think the mavic could handle 8 seconds if its not windy
I'm also from Philly. south Philly. What part are you from? I'm a newbie at drone flying. It would be great to Learn some important flying/camera tips from you.
Thx for your content
Michael D.
Yeah I love your show man. I think you've established yourself as a great source and "expert" on drones man I literally watch your show way more than others. I would be cool on the "there are the best people in these areas," it's like I get what your saying, there maybe sketchy situations yet your not having a conversation with your friends so I would be more aware of what you say in regards to people's character.
I thought there was a setting that when you take pictures or videos the red LED shut off automatically?
On my mavic Pro I always keep this toggle switch on.
are there sensors that you should turn off at night?? vps
wow! thanks for making this video ! i was asking you night tips from you last video. thanks !
+owen liu No problem!
just had quick question, by given the fact that the vision sensor will not work for most of time during night fly, is it necessary to have as many satellites connected as possible to ensure your flying is safe?
I have checked to see how my Mavic Pro will react to flying at night. I got a message on the controller that said the ambient light was weak. The Mavic behaved badly in that it could not hover in one place. It moved up and down erratically and side to side around the area. I did not take it any further up than about 20' since I was concerned that its behavior was not entirely predictable. Is this similar to the conditions you have seen with your night flight? Thanks for doing the video.
+Dudley Warner No problem Dudley! As for your situation with the Mavic, the VPS system was most likely turned off due to it being dark. That means that it will not use the sensors underneath to hold its position still.
I had the same thing happen last night, that's why I'm researching flying the Mavic at night.
By the way, Billy, thank you for posting, regardless of the haters. Not all of your viewers are watching from the USA, so the FAA regulations are not pertinent to us. I will be moving to PA soon, however, so it is good to hear about the restrictions.
did you get a waiver to fly over those people??
One thing I learned that almost lost my drone.
iFly at 400 ft the reason why is because I was flying at 300 feet and all of a sudden this big long pole showed up 400 ft in the air it was a long red pole probably a cell phone tower or something like that..
I found at 400 feet you can clear all of those poles and not almost bumped into them.. I was watching my small screen at 5.5 in in the pole came out of nowhere just messed it..
I fly at 400 feet now just to be safe and less like you said I know the area perfectly...
I don't think people realize there are lots of poles, then I for radio broadcast, cell phone towers that can go up to 500 ft.. most of them 3 to 400 feet .
As always excellent video
Very good and informative tips, cheers from Brunei.
Love your videos and that you take your mom out sometimes as your spotter :-) Smart son!
Nice video! Thank you.♥️🔥
Do you have the sensors off
Those were some good, useful tips, you gained a thumbs up.
What shutter speed do normally recommend at night?
It always depends on your lighting
Billy, you're an awesome youtuber and your videos are totally professional. Thank you!! One thing that keeps popping out to me in all of your videos (I've been watching them all morning) is when you say "Honestly..." You say that word at least a dozen times in this video alone. When you say "Honestly... blah blah" it somehow makes me wonder if you aren't honest all the time and then suddenly you're divulging information that you're being honest about. It's not just you who says this, alot of people say it all the time, and as someone who listens intensely, that keeps popping out like a firecracker going off next to my ear. Be impeccable to your word my man, you should never have to disclaim "Honestly" when you're speaking... this is a car salesman tactic / speech pattern that sends me running the other way questioning everything the person says when they aren't disclaiming or prefacing it with "Honestly..." when I hear it. The guy from Drone Valley does this all the time and it's kind of funny, yet sticks out like a sore thumb. Just trying to help you out bro! Keep up the fantastic work, I love your videos.
+Freakin Drone Thank you! I have heard myself say that so many times when I play my videos back and it drives me nuts. It's a habit I have to get out of. Thanks for the advice!
Good stuff man, thank you for not taking offense to that advice. You really rock man, keep up the great work! I subscribed!
Great to have you aboard! Always glad to help. Thanks again
Hi Billy!
Hours ago try to fly my mavic pro, but moves as drunk. I do not know if it's because the sensors do not work. That is normal??
Try an IMU calibration
nice vids mate , fuck the haters though, they gotta hate .
+eye fly Lol that's true! Thanks!
Billy Kyle Hey Billy, i was wondering if you fly at night with vps on or off? Just had my mavic hovering in the dark but it was really drifty and also kept losing slight altitude which is really odd. I had vps off. i was testing out my new landing gear with the lights from PGYTECH. im wondering if the extra weight has caused it? I have just performed an imu calibration so ill test it out tomorrow as its late here in the UK. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks mate,
Paul.
Great info Billy. How long did it take you to get the FAA waiver for flying at night?
(Not the other Mark Williams on this thread.. LOL) According to the 2012 FAA FRMA authorization act and according to FAA CFAR's, If he's flying under the "special rule for model aircraft " or part 101 (Not 107) AND IF he is flying under a flight safety program of a nationwide community based organization (CBO) like AMA, (which does allow night flights, then he doesn't need a night waiver from FAA.. ) if the purpose or the "intent" of the night flight wasn't for pure enjoyment or recreation, then yes absolutely, you need a night flight waiver from FAA under the 107 rule.. "it's a thin line to walk" however..
can I fly at night if you hobbyist if you buy extra headlight or lcd rainbows Light underneath propellerson on drone
Hey your vids are solid appreciate the work! Just a heads up unless you have your waiver from the FAA via part 107 its illegal to fly at night. I know you'll fly safe but just a heads up.
+VaporSwift Media Thanks for the support and heads up!
It is not illegal to fly at night. The FAA defers to AMA rules for flying model aircraft. AMA rules allow for flying at night as long as you have proper lighting that allows you to see the attitude/direction of the aircraft and maintain visual sight of the aircraft at all times.
Here's the danger of this flight and with regards to youtube...total grey area but its there. If he reaches so many views with this video, youtube pays him. Hence him profiting from an illegal flight that was not under waiver under Part 107. Will the FAA bother? no because an incident didnt happen. But for us who are commercial pilots and wish to continue to profit using these aerial cameras...the HOBBYISTS need to fly safer than us. Their mistake impacts commercial pilots who've paid the money and played the FAA's game. If people wish to continue to pilot as hobbyist i have zero issue with that. NONE. But fly safer than a commercial pilot to not put yourself or others at risk.
Part 336 does not ban night flight for recreational use in the United States. Part 107 requires a waiver beyond twilight for commercial use. In a number of ways, night flight is safer than flight during the day. Over trees and buildings, it is much easier to maintain visual line of sight at night than during the day due to lighting. Similarly, it is also easier to see low flying aircraft at longer distances. There is often less pedestrian and vehicle traffic on the ground. Night flight is one of the instance where commercial use is more restricted than recreational use. And there's a good reason for that. Recreational use is focused primarily on the UAS and the flight itself. With commercial use, the pilot's focus is divided between the flight and the commercial application whether it's cinematography, thermal imaging, photography of public events, sky painting, etc. Commercial applications at night are likely to be at lower altitudes and run greater risk of encountering obstructions than recreational use.
He has his part 107 license and how do know he didn't have a waiver? How do you know he even flew at night? What's to say that's footage he took? He said he had very little night footage. Part 107 does allow for night flight 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset. A waiver to fly at night is a few mouse clicks away. Nobody should have to prove they have a waiver every time they get one to anybody except the faa. These people know what they are doing. Just sit back and enjoy the free entertainment. Quit worrying about what someone else might have done that you can report and waste the faa's resources on.
Many good precautions ... thanks. I would suggest only minor alternatives. Flying at pre-sunset requires NO special authorizations for night flying. An even bigger advantage is the reduced dynamic range of the scene you are trying to capture. If you want short “freeze motion” images, don’t use ND filters. If you want “blur motion” use ND filters. Then in post processing, you can use the exposure and contrast sliders to get the level of “darkness” you are trying to achieve but without having “blacks” and “whites” fall off the histogram.
Thanks for the tips
Can you turn off LED on spark?
It a group of us that fly at night in the Philadelphia area. You catch us on Philadelphia Drone User Group on Facebook. We just install some strobe lights.
Thanks great tips
I keep seeing a series of drones out of Philly flying over Delaware Co. anytime between 10:30 and 1am. sigh..... maybe one of those drones is yours...
There are bad ideas, and then there is this as a worse alternative.
night time is awesome to see!!!!!
+mikey mike - NYC Agreed Mikey
What VaporSwift said! You also need to have a lighting system that is visible for 3 nautical miles, as well as written permission from the FAA. Just sayin.
Hah, I knew the last shot was Philadelphia... would love to ask you some good spots to fly/film. I'm in south Philly.
lzyprson Center City
I agree there is a fine grey line you walk while filming at night so why risk it and post videos that encourages others to take that risk. When [and it's a matter of time when] the government decides to come down on you, you're not going to win and I don't care how deep your pockets are. As long as you break the rules, the government is going to keep monitoring videos posted on YT and they're going to continue to make it harder for us to fly our damn drones in any place day or night!
That shot at Philly LOL! Bro I live in the area totally get it. You shouldnt be doing anything in Philadelphia at night
Solid advice flying in philly or ny 😂🤗👍
Ayeee I'm from philly too
So... In summary... Let me see if I have this right:
If you are a hobbyist, you can fly at night provided you comply to all the other blah, blah, blah regulations.
If you have your Part 107, you can fly at night ONLY if you have a waiver (from the FAA?) and you comply with all the other blah, blah, blah regulations.
Do I have it right?
Nice video bro
Good info
+Todd Scarbrough Thanks Todd
The FAA rules say you can fly until sundown ... in other words twilight is OK. After the sun sets is NOT OK. A tip I would share is to fly at twilight and adjust your video to suit your lighting needs in post processing. On this video (vimeo.com/193287479) I tested the Circle of Interest mode 4 times, each time trusting my drone to fly a bigger circle. In the second scene, I am flying at twilight. I could have made the final video any level of darkness I wanted using iMovie or Premier Pro. BUT ... TIP #1 is don't violate the FAA ruling that says night flying is ILLEGAL. Manned aircraft can't see drones without lights and the FAA drones not want to make separate rules for those drones with or without lights.
The FAA rules defer to the AMA. AMA rules allow you to fly at night as long as you have lights that allow you to see the attitude and orientation of the aircraft. Which also means, keep it in the line of sight.
Night lights for night flights
Set drone for no red LEDs during video.
Thanks
I won't even touch the night flying conversation - I think everyone else covered that below - LOL. BUT... I do think the more important thing that you need to be careful of is your comment about flying in the shady areas of Philly. Dude, that's class B airspace and you cannot fly there as a Hobbyist. Even with my 107, I need to ask for a waiver, which can take up to 90 days. Of course I know people are still going to do it and act dumb... but be careful when saying that you fly there or promoting the idea... or showing videos of you flying there... that can be used against you (yes, the FAA is very closely monitoring TH-cam). Also, I live near Bethlehem PA (on the NJ side of the river)... and that is also within Class C airspace (Allentown airport). In either case... love the videos and ideas... just be careful or just add a 15 second clip at the start of the video stating, "I am stupid... I may be doing illegal things... do NOT do what I do... whatever you do is at your own risk, not mine. Basically, I will not be held responsible for anything stupid you do :)" I am not personally calling you stupid... but at least let everyone watching knows that what you "may" do is stupid and they should not do it. Cheers man! And if you are ever looking for a flying buddy in-between Clinton, NJ and Allentown, PA... or need a 107 pilot with you so you can charge for video or flying in otherwise restricted areas, feel free to PM me here on TH-cam.
+chazwesley99 Probably the nicest comment I've gotten on this video lol thanks for not tearing me apart. A buddy of mine lives up in Bethlehem, small world. Thanks again for the comment!
chazwesley99 I mainly fly in class B airspace. Are local flying field is even in class B airspace, but we do have a letter of expectations with the local Airport. All I do is just call the control tower and tell them I flying my drone with no issues.
chazwesley99 Not anymore. It was changed since FAA was sued at the court. As a hobbyist, I already had called the FAA twice to make sure it is verified about their regulations on recreational drone flights. I was told by 2 FAA agents that the FAA is no longer responsible on hobbyists but still on commerical drone pilots holding licenses. The hobbyists do not need to ask for their permission but notify them before starting flights. Just like my local ATC told me that only the commerical drone pilots are required to get the permission from them. That is it.
Nice tutorial. Keep it up
+Lonsdale SkyPixel Thanks!
Were you flying ur drone last night by the Westin hotel?
does FAA allow you to fly at night ?
Yes it does. They defer to AMA rules which allows you to fly at night with proper lighting where you can maintain attitude and orientation of the aircraft. You must also keep it in line of sight.
Richard Wisor 👍
I thought you couldn't fly any longer than a half hour before dusk? Isn't it illegal?
It is not illegal in the U.S. to fly at night. The FAA defers to the AMA rules for flying model aircraft. AMA rules state that night flying is allowed if you have lighting that allows you to see the attitude and orientation of the aircraft. You must also keep it in line of sight. The half hour rule is for those the the 107 certification. They must get a waiver from the FAA to fly at night.
Richard Wisor that's awesome, I can totally see the orientation of my Mavic at night with those lights on it. So if I'm a hobbyist I can fly at night but if I have my certificate I can't?
You got Peter. Doesn't make sense but if you have the 107 certificate you have to get a waiver to fly at night. For the rest of us. Fly on, be careful and enjoy the flight.
You are correct Daytona. I wasn't thinking of the 107 certification holders flying for recreational purposes. My mistake.
At least for amateurs flying a drone at night is illegal in Finland and I think that also in many other countries.
Won't that weigh down the aircraft?
It’s illegal to fly at night. You can’t fly in parks. And i downloaded an app that tells me where i can fly,all my state is mark with yellow circles telling me i can’t fly. It’s better to collect guns,hunt deer,conceal carry gun ,drones are to much trouble
Or, you can turn off/on the leds, with the C1/C2 buttons on the back of the controller.
Canadians need pilot license now
Ahh, you bring your mom to keep the bad people away.
Why is everyone talking about setting up picture for night flight when people are asking how to set up the Mavic itself for flying at night. What needs to be turned off and things like that.
As a hobbyist I've been flying aircraft at night for 20-plus years and never had an issue. Just because it has 4 props doesn't make it any different. As a matter of fact I can purchase aircraft specifically to fly at night with no special license and still have it register with the FAA and fly at night with no repercussions. So don't give me this crap about you can't fly your drone at night. And better yet I can see the drone better at night. I have a proper lighting system on all my aircraft for night flying which is legal to fly without any special license.
THE NEXT TIME YOU COME TO PHILLY LET ME KNOW AND WE CAN FLY TOGETHER I FEEL WHAT YOU ARE SAYING AND I LIVE IN PHILLY LOL SO IF YOU NEED A FLYING PARTER LET ME NO
simple don't unless you want FAA on ure back. safe flying.
Nice man you grew over 300% in few short weeks (btw old profile was PreacherSki)
+Rafał Maliszewski Thanks so much!!
No problem.
I didn’t know Frankie Muniz had a TH-cam channel
You realy like to be in picture.
I'm a Commercial drone pilot and it is 100% illegal to fly at night unless you get a waiver from the FAA. You can fly for up to 30 minutes after sunset if you have the appropriate lighting. Flying at midnight probably isn't going to happen - - at least not legally.
You are absolutely correct if you are flying under the 107 certification. However, for recreational flying the FAA defers to the AMA safety code for RC aircraft which includes UAV/drones. Here is the AMA safety code concerning night flying: RC night flying requires a lighting system providing the pilot with a clear view of the model’s attitude and orientation at all times.
S.
Xx
You are right about having someone with you and being safe at all times especially night (CHICAGO)! #DJIPhantom4
Ohm my God are you serious do you have actually any tips in this conversation that are going to help us fly at night
First comment: I find your channel very informative. Thanks.
+OO Thanks man! Glad to help
Shave those eyebrows my God!
Shave them completely off?
The number 3 is the key...Record that CIA, some people know...
You're saying the same things over and over can you use the GPS mode that'll cover everything as for concerns
turning the LED lights is not wise in any condition, not safe dude!
The LED lights only turn off for a few seconds when the picture is taken. You really don't want to have an image with a red tint over it.
Flying Increased altitude isn't that similar to knowing your surroundings.. I'm still waiting for good info from you on night flying. what ??keeping your eyes on your drone at 300ft in the air in total darkness you serious.. SO BASICLY YOU HAVE NOTHING INSIGHTFUL ABOUT NIGHT FLYING TO SHARE with us..why didn't you say that earlier.. what I learned.. you don't like flying in your hometown its not safe so you bring your family member aka sister along to protect you from those knife wielding freaks that try to kill you at the dog park. then you guys try to spot your mavic at 300ft in a area you are familiar with but have your doubts so how does it work out in the end... love your vids but this one waz a stinker
Dude, I know you have no idea what drones are and we have lights on our drones. I also have STROBON Standalone strobes that can be seen up to three miles away on a clear night. So Joseph Materese you are one f****'in ignorant jerk. Go back to choking your chicken while I fly at night. th-cam.com/video/wAfTkJ32wYc/w-d-xo.html
Joseph Materese complete idiot!!
shouldnt be flying at night