Here we go. Darwinism in effect.

[The Editor]

Ahh I allready thought so.I know a guy who is given flighttraining in the U.K

Excellent - Put me in touch with him ..

 

[IrishSights]

Is as simple as this... In the US, if you fly at night, you are breaking the law as it stands now and risk a fine or other legal recourse. Is that too stringent? Ok, perhaps, but it is the law and disregarding it won't forward the rights of UAV pilots.

Jon, I'm in the UK so only a passing interest in the US laws.

From what I have read here some say there is no law...yet. Some like you say it is breaking the law. Is there a straight answer to this? Just curious.

If it is against the law in the US to fly at night, my 1st question (to the thread) is why so many appear to fly by their rules. To me it sounds a bit like 'I'll drive on the right hand side of the road because there are no cars coming the other way'

2nd question is to the moderators here...if it is unlawful why does the forum allow such 'night' posts without getting involved, in the interests of promoting safe flight and condemning the unlawful. If it's not illegal then the Q doesn't matter of course.

I'm not trying to start a flame war but just trying to get an understanding of it all on your side of the pond.

 

[SultanGris]

Jon, I'm in the UK so only a passing interest in the US laws.

From what I have read here some say there is no law...yet. Some like you say it is breaking the law. Is there a straight answer to this? Just curious.

If it is against the law in the US to fly at night, my 1st question (to the thread) is why so many appear to fly by their rules. To me it sounds a bit like 'I'll drive on the right hand side of the road because there are no cars coming the other way'

2nd question is to the moderators here...if it is unlawful why does the forum allow such 'night' posts without getting involved, in the interests of promoting safe flight and condemning the unlawful. If it's not illegal then the Q doesn't matter of course.

I'm not trying to start a flame war but just trying to get an understanding of it all on your side of the pond.

Think of it more like speeding slightly rather than driving on the wrong side of the road. Even if it was illegal it's not something that really matters if you use common sense and for example don't drive 100mph through school or residential zones/fly at night in the path of other aircraft, fly fpv out of visual sight or any other type of reckless behavior.

 

[Joola]

From what I have read here some say there is no law...yet. Some like you say it is breaking the law. Is there a straight answer to this? Just curious.

The FAA does not have a regulation in place that says flying a UAV at night is unlawful. They have only advised or recommend pilots not fly at night but cannot take any enforcement action unless reckless endangerment is evident. I have yet to be presented with the code section and/or regulation that explicitly outlaws this activity.

Local jurisdictions may enact laws that outlaw this sort of behavior, and it can vary from one city to the next. For example, the City of Los Angeles passed an ordinance that makes it a misdemeanor to violate any of the FAA recommendations. Starting December 2nd, flying after astronomical sunset is illegal in LA.

 

[IrishSights]

So there we seem to have it then. Flying at night explicitly is not against a law.

Glad we cleared that one up!

I suppose they could get someone on what I think you call reckless endangerment if the situation deemed.

Why do some here say there are laws when there isn't any? I would have thought with all these experienced pilots that they would know.

Ah well, a little less confused now

 

[The Editor]

So there we seem to have it then. Flying at night explicitly is not against a law.

Glad we cleared that one up!

I suppose they could get someone on what I think you call reckless endangerment if the situation deemed.

Why do some here say there are laws when there isn't any? I would have thought with all these experienced pilots that they would know.

Ah well, a little less confused now

You now also have your answer to your second question

 

[SixtyMike]

FWIW,
I fly recreationally in the US under the guidelines of Advisory Circular 91-57A as related to Section 336 of Public Law 112-95 (FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012). Nowhere does it state that I cannot fly my Inspire at night for recreational/hobby purposes. However, 14 C.F.R. § 91.13 "prohibits any person from operating an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another".

For me, flying at night (more so at dusk) comes with some risk, but I don't operate carelessly. The guy referenced in the OP's link was definitely an idiot.

Carry a copy of AC 91-57A. I handed one to a guy last week when asked about legality of flying. He was cool after reading it.
https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_91-57A.pdf

 

[Outta Control]

I love it when the operator in question said the most retarded response that he did not not know that he was doing something dangerous. <facepalm>

 

[huppe]

To anybody who's interested.it's against the law in the Netherlands to fly by night.