Free FAA-107 Night Operations Requirements Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: For night operations, the anti-collision lights on a small unmanned aircraft must be visible for at least how many statute miles?
- 1 statute mile
- 3 statute miles (Correct answer)
- 5 statute miles
- 10 statute miles
Correct answer: 3 statute miles
According to 14 CFR Part 107, a small unmanned aircraft must have anti-collision lighting that is visible for at least 3 statute miles. The lights should have a flash rate sufficient to avoid a collision.
Question 2: For the purposes of Part 107, "night" is defined as the time between:
- Sunset and sunrise.
- 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.
- The end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight. (Correct answer)
- 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM local time.
Correct answer: The end of evening civil twilight and the beginning of morning civil twilight.
Part 107 defines night as the time from the end of evening civil twilight to the beginning of morning civil twilight, as published in the Air Almanac. This is a more precise definition than simply sunset to sunrise.
Question 3: Before a remote pilot can conduct night operations, what must they do?
- Obtain a specific night operations waiver from the FAA.
- Complete an initial aeronautical knowledge test or recurrent training covering night operations. (Correct answer)
- Log at least 3 hours of night flight time in a simulator.
- Equip the drone with infrared cameras.
Correct answer: Complete an initial aeronautical knowledge test or recurrent training covering night operations.
The FAA updated the rules to allow night operations without a waiver, provided the remote pilot completes an updated initial knowledge test or the recurrent online training that covers topics related to night operations. This ensures the pilot is knowledgeable about night-specific risks and procedures.
Question 4: Which statement is true regarding the use of vision aids for night drone operations?
- Night vision goggles (NVGs) are required for all Part 107 night flights.
- Sunglasses with yellow lenses are recommended to enhance contrast.
- The remote pilot must be able to see the drone with their own natural vision, without the aid of NVGs. (Correct answer)
- The remote pilot must not use any vision aids, relying only on unaided vision.
Correct answer: The remote pilot must be able to see the drone with their own natural vision, without the aid of NVGs.
While vision aids like binoculars can be used momentarily to scan the airspace, the remote pilot must maintain visual line of sight (VLOS) with the drone using their own natural, unassisted vision. Night vision goggles cannot be used as the primary means of maintaining VLOS.
Question 5: What is the primary reason a remote pilot should allow their eyes 30 minutes to adapt to the darkness before a night flight?
- To ensure the drone's anti-collision lights appear brighter.
- To improve night vision by allowing the rods in the eyes to become more sensitive to low light. (Correct answer)
- To reduce the risk of temporary blindness from the controller screen.
- To comply with a specific FAA mandate on pre-flight preparation time.
Correct answer: To improve night vision by allowing the rods in the eyes to become more sensitive to low light.
The human eye uses two types of cells: cones for color and detail in bright light, and rods for vision in low light. It takes approximately 30 minutes for the rods to reach their maximum sensitivity, a process called dark adaptation, which is crucial for effective night vision.
Question 6: A remote pilot flying at night may experience the autokinetic illusion, which is when a:
- stationary light appears to move when stared at for a prolonged period. (Correct answer)
- bright light is mistaken for an aircraft on a collision course.
- distant object is perceived as being closer than it actually is.
- series of ground lights is mistaken for the runway.
Correct answer: stationary light appears to move when stared at for a prolonged period.
The autokinetic illusion occurs when a static light source, such as a star or a drone's light, is stared at in the dark and appears to move or wander. Pilots must be aware of this illusion to avoid becoming disoriented or misjudging the drone's position.
Free FAA-107 Night Operations Requirements Questions and Answers
For night operations, the anti-collision lights on a small unmanned aircraft must be visible for at least how many statute miles?