Drone night and civil twilight operations14 CFR 107.29 Operation at night
A small unmanned aircraft may be flown at night only if the remote pilot in command completed an initial knowledge test or training under 107.65 after April 6, 2021, and the aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles. The same lighting is required during civil twilight.
By the ATIS Alerts team · Updated October 15, 2026 · Regulation text current as of October 14, 2026. A study aid based on the official regulation text, not legal advice or an FAA interpretation.
At a glance
- Night: the remote pilot in command must have completed an initial knowledge test or training, as applicable, under 107.65 after April 6, 2021 (a)(1).
- Night: lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles, with a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision (a)(2).
- Civil twilight: the same anti-collision lighting is required (b).
- Outside Alaska, civil twilight is the 30 minutes before official sunrise and the 30 minutes after official sunset (c)(1) and (c)(2); in Alaska it is as defined in the Air Almanac (c)(3).
- The remote pilot in command may reduce the lighting's intensity for safety but may not extinguish it (a)(2) and (b).
- After May 17, 2021, no one may fly at night under a 107.200 certificate of waiver issued before April 21, 2021 (d).
In plain English
Section 107.29 allows small unmanned aircraft operations at night under two conditions. First, the remote pilot in command must have completed an initial knowledge test or training, as applicable, under 107.65 after April 6, 2021 (a)(1). Second, the aircraft must have lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles with a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision (a)(2).
Civil twilight has its own paragraph. Paragraph (b) requires the same anti-collision lighting during periods of civil twilight, and (c) defines them: outside Alaska, from 30 minutes before official sunrise until official sunrise, and from official sunset until 30 minutes after official sunset. In Alaska, civil twilight is the period defined in the Air Almanac. Paragraph (b) states the lighting requirement only; the knowledge test or training condition is in (a)(1), the night paragraph.
At night and in civil twilight, the remote pilot in command may reduce the intensity of the anti-collision lighting if they determine that, because of operating conditions, it would be in the interest of safety to do so, but may not extinguish it. Paragraph (d) closes out the older waivers: after May 17, 2021, no person may operate at night under a 107.200 certificate of waiver issued before April 21, 2021, and waivers issued before March 16, 2021 that authorized deviation from 107.29 terminated on May 17, 2021.
Common mistakes
- Turning the anti-collision lights off. The intensity may be reduced for safety, but the lighting may not be extinguished (a)(2) and (b).
- Forgetting civil twilight. Anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles is required then too (b).
- Assuming any past knowledge test counts for night. The test or training under 107.65 must have been completed after April 6, 2021 (a)(1).
- Relying on an old night waiver. After May 17, 2021, a 107.200 waiver issued before April 21, 2021 may not be used for night operations (d).
The official text
14 CFR 107.29 as published on the eCFR, current as of October 14, 2026.
(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.
(b) No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during periods of civil twilight unless 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.
(c) For purposes of paragraph (b) of this section, civil twilight refers to the following:
(1) Except for Alaska, a period of time that begins 30 minutes before official sunrise and ends at official sunrise;
(2) Except for Alaska, a period of time that begins at official sunset and ends 30 minutes after official sunset; and
(3) In Alaska, the period of civil twilight as defined in the Air Almanac.
(d) After May 17, 2021, no person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system at night in accordance with a certificate of waiver issued prior to April 21, 2021 under § 107.200. The certificates of waiver issued prior to March 16, 2021 under § 107.200 that authorize deviation from § 107.29 terminate on May 17, 2021.
Test yourself
Practice questions from our free FAA written test prep that cite 14 CFR 107.29.
Part 107 Drone
To operate a small unmanned aircraft at night under part 107, the aircraft must have:
- A. lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles, with a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision.
- B. a strobe visible for at least 1 statute mile.
- C. position lights only.
- D. a lighted beacon and an operable transponder.
Show answer
A. lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles, with a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. Anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles. The remote pilot may reduce its intensity if operating conditions make that safer, but may never turn it off. Night operations have needed no waiver since April 2021.
More Part 107 Drone practice →Part 107 Drone
Besides equipping the aircraft with anti-collision lighting, what must a remote pilot have done to operate at night?
- A. Completed an initial knowledge test or recurrent training that covers night operations, after April 6, 2021.
- B. Obtained a night waiver under 14 CFR 107.205.
- C. Logged three night flights in the preceding 90 days.
- D. Filed a NOTAM for the operation.
Show answer
A. Completed an initial knowledge test or recurrent training that covers night operations, after April 6, 2021. The 2021 rule replaced the night waiver with a training requirement. Pilots certificated before that date satisfy it by completing the updated recurrent training, which is the free online course.
More Part 107 Drone practice →Part 107 Drone
Civil twilight, for the purposes of part 107, generally means the period:
- A. 30 minutes before official sunrise and 30 minutes after official sunset, everywhere except Alaska.
- B. one hour before sunrise and one hour after sunset.
- C. from sunset to sunrise.
- D. 15 minutes either side of sunrise and sunset.
Show answer
A. 30 minutes before official sunrise and 30 minutes after official sunset, everywhere except Alaska. Thirty minutes either side of sunrise and sunset everywhere except Alaska, which uses the Air Almanac definition. Since the 2021 rule, the practical significance is reduced: operations are permitted in both twilight and full darkness with anti-collision lighting, but the definition still appears on the test.
More Part 107 Drone practice →
Questions pilots ask
Can I fly a drone at night under Part 107?
107.29(a) allows night operations when the remote pilot in command has completed an initial knowledge test or training under 107.65 after April 6, 2021 (a)(1), and the aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles with a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision (a)(2).
What lights does a drone need at night?
Lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles, with a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision (107.29(a)(2)). The remote pilot in command may reduce its intensity in the interest of safety but may not extinguish it.
What is civil twilight for drone pilots?
Outside Alaska, the 30 minutes before official sunrise and the 30 minutes after official sunset (107.29(c)(1) and (c)(2)); in Alaska, the period of civil twilight defined in the Air Almanac (c)(3). Anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles is required during civil twilight (107.29(b)).
Can I still use an old night waiver?
Not one issued before April 21, 2021 under 107.200: after May 17, 2021, no person may operate at night in accordance with such a waiver (107.29(d)). Waivers issued before March 16, 2021 that authorized deviation from 107.29 terminated on May 17, 2021.