# Can you use a drone camera at night?

**Yes, night flying and filming are legal if the drone has anti-collision lighting visible for 3 miles.** Since the FAA rule took effect on April 21, 2021, a drone may fly, and film, at night without a waiver, as long as it carries lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles (14 CFR 107.29) and the pilot has completed the updated recurrent training. The same lighting rule covers civil twilight at dawn and dusk. Recreational flyers may also fly at night with the same lighting. One thing the FAA rule does not govern is the camera: what you may lawfully record is a separate matter for state privacy and voyeurism laws. Every rule here is attributed to the FAA or the CFR, not a DEPLOY estimate.

Last verified Apr 21, 2021. 4 sources.

## Short answer

Yes. Using a drone, including its camera, at night is legal in the United States. The key rule is about how you fly after dark, not about the camera.

Before 2021, a Part 107 pilot needed a specific waiver to fly at night. The FAA rule that took effect on April 21, 2021 removed that: routine night operations are now allowed without a waiver, provided the drone carries the required lighting and the pilot has completed the updated recurrent training. Filming at night is legal on exactly the same terms as flying at night.

The lighting requirement is specific. Under 14 CFR 107.29, a drone flown at night must have lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles, with a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. The pilot may dim it for safety but may not switch it off. The same requirement applies during civil twilight, the periods just before sunrise and just after sunset. Recreational flyers may fly at night too, and the FAA still expects the anti-collision lighting and visual line of sight.

What the FAA rule does not touch is what your camera records. Whether a given night photo or video is lawful is a question of state privacy, voyeurism, and harassment law, not FAA rules. The FAA does not license the camera itself. DEPLOY cites the flight rule and links the source; it makes no recommendations.

## The rules for flying after dark

| Rule | Kind | Date | Source | Authority |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Night flying is legal without a waiver since April 2021. | FAA rule | Apr 21, 2021 | [Cornell Law (14 CFR)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/107.29) | FAA, Part 107 night operations |
| The drone needs anti-collision lights visible for 3 miles. | Federal rule | Apr 21, 2021 | [Cornell Law (14 CFR)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/107.29) | 14 CFR 107.29 (Operation at night) |
| The same lighting rule covers civil twilight. | Federal rule | Apr 21, 2021 | [Cornell Law (14 CFR)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/107.29) | 14 CFR 107.29 (Operation at night) |
| Recreational night flying also needs the lighting. | FAA rule | Apr 21, 2021 (as reported) | [FAA](https://www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_flyers) | FAA, Recreational Flyers |
| The rule governs the flight, not the camera. | Not a flight rule | Apr 21, 2021 (as reported) | [FAA](https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started) | FAA (privacy is outside FAA authority) |

## The night rules at a glance

- **Apr 21, 2021: Night flying is legal without a waiver since April 2021.** Before the 2021 rule, a Part 107 pilot needed a waiver to fly at night. The FAA rule that took effect on April 21, 2021 allows routine night operations without a waiver, provided the drone carries the required anti-collision lighting and the pilot has completed the updated recurrent training. Filming at night is legal on the same terms as flying at night. (FAA, Part 107 night operations)
- **Apr 21, 2021: The drone needs anti-collision lights visible for 3 miles.** 14 CFR 107.29 requires that a drone operated at night carry lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles, with a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. The pilot may reduce the brightness for safety but may not turn the lighting off. (14 CFR 107.29 (Operation at night))
- **Apr 21, 2021: The same lighting rule covers civil twilight.** 14 CFR 107.29 applies the identical anti-collision lighting requirement, visible for 3 statute miles, to operations during civil twilight, the periods just before sunrise and just after sunset. So dawn and dusk flights need the same lights as full night. (14 CFR 107.29 (Operation at night))
- **Apr 21, 2021 (as reported): Recreational night flying also needs the lighting.** Recreational flyers may fly at night, but the FAA still expects the drone to carry anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles, and the recreational flyer must follow the safety guidelines of an FAA-recognized community-based organization and stay within visual line of sight. (FAA, Recreational Flyers)
- **Apr 21, 2021 (as reported): The rule governs the flight, not the camera.** The FAA night rule is about safely operating the aircraft after dark, not about what the camera records. What you may lawfully film is a separate question handled by state privacy, voyeurism, and harassment laws, not by the FAA. The FAA does not license or restrict the camera itself. (FAA (privacy is outside FAA authority))

## How we know this

- [Cornell Law (14 CFR)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/107.29)
- [FAA](https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/become_a_drone_pilot)
- [FAA](https://www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_flyers)
- [FAA](https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started)

## Common questions

### Can you fly a drone at night legally?

Yes. Since April 21, 2021, Part 107 pilots may fly at night without a waiver if the drone carries anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles (14 CFR 107.29) and the pilot has completed the updated recurrent training. Recreational flyers may also fly at night with the same lighting.

### Is it legal to film with a drone at night?

Filming at night is legal on the same terms as flying at night: the drone needs the required anti-collision lighting and you follow the Part 107 or recreational rules. The FAA rule governs the flight, not the camera. What you may lawfully record is a separate question handled by state privacy and voyeurism laws.

### What lights does a drone need to fly at night?

Under 14 CFR 107.29, a drone flown at night must have lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles, with a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision. The pilot may reduce the brightness for safety but may not turn the lighting off. The drone's own navigation LEDs are usually not bright enough on their own.

### Do you need a waiver to fly a drone at night?

No, not anymore. Before the 2021 rule you needed a Part 107 waiver to fly at night. The FAA rule effective April 21, 2021 allows routine night operations without a waiver, as long as the anti-collision lighting is in place and the pilot has done the updated recurrent training.

### Does the night rule apply at dawn and dusk?

Yes. 14 CFR 107.29 applies the same anti-collision lighting requirement to operations during civil twilight, the periods just before sunrise and just after sunset. So dawn and dusk flights need the same 3-statute-mile lighting as full night.

### Can recreational flyers use a drone at night?

Yes. Recreational flyers may fly at night, but the FAA still expects the drone to carry anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles, and the flyer must keep the drone within visual line of sight and follow the safety guidelines of an FAA-recognized community-based organization.

## Keep reading

- [Which eVTOL company is closest to FAA certification?](/evtol-faa-certification-tracker.md): Drones & eVTOL
- [Is drone delivery legal?](/is-drone-delivery-legal.md): Drones & eVTOL
- [What's the best drone to buy right now?](/whats-the-best-drone-to-buy.md): Drones & eVTOL
- [What's the best drone for beginners?](/best-drone-for-beginners.md): Drones & eVTOL
- [All verified answers](/answers.md): Every standing question DEPLOY tracks.
- [Can drones see inside your house?](/can-drones-see-inside-your-house.md): What a drone camera can capture, and the privacy limits.

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