Which statement about civil twilight operations is true?

Which statement about civil twilight operations is true?

• A. The flight window can be extended into civil twilight with proper anti-collision lighting
• B. The flight window can be extended into civil twilight with no lighting requirements
• C. Civil twilight operations are never allowed
• D. The flight window can be extended into civil twilight with a special permit

Answer: (A)

Civil twilight brings lower light levels, so making your small UAS visible to others is essential. When the aircraft is equipped with anti-collision lighting and that lighting is on during the flight, the UAS becomes sufficiently visible to support operations into civil twilight. This lighting requirement is what allows extending the flight window beyond daylight into civil twilight. Without anti-collision lighting, twilight operations aren’t permitted, which is why simply saying there are no lighting requirements wouldn’t be accurate. There isn’t a separate special-permit rule to enable twilight operations when the lights are properly installed; the key factor is having and using the anti-collision lighting.

Civil twilight brings lower light levels, so making your small UAS visible to others is essential. When the aircraft is equipped with anti-collision lighting and that lighting is on during the flight, the UAS becomes sufficiently visible to support operations into civil twilight. This lighting requirement is what allows extending the flight window beyond daylight into civil twilight. Without anti-collision lighting, twilight operations aren’t permitted, which is why simply saying there are no lighting requirements wouldn’t be accurate. There isn’t a separate special-permit rule to enable twilight operations when the lights are properly installed; the key factor is having and using the anti-collision lighting.