Can You Fly a Drone at Night in Canada? Lighting Rules and Safety

Yes — you can fly a drone at night in Canada under the standard rules, as long as the drone is properly lit. Night flying is treated as a normal part of basic and advanced operations, not a special operation, but it brings extra challenges.

The lighting requirement

Section 901.39 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations requires that a drone flown at night carries lighting that allows the pilot (and any visual observer) to see the drone and determine its orientation, with or without night-vision goggles, and that the lights are turned on. Built-in position lights may be enough on some drones; on others, an add-on strobe or navigation lights make the aircraft much easier to follow.

All the other rules still apply

• Keep the drone in visual line of sight — at night, that’s harder.
• Stay below 122 m (400 ft) above ground.
• Respect distances from bystanders, airports and heliports.
• Get NAV CANADA authorization for controlled airspace (Advanced certificate needed).
• Don’t fly over advertised events such as fireworks shows without an SFOC — see advertised events.

Why night flying is harder

Night flying checklist

1. Do a daylight site survey of the exact area — see site survey guide.
2. Check that all lights work and are switched on.
3. Set the return-to-home altitude above every obstacle.
4. Bring a headlamp with a red-light mode for checklists.
5. Use a visual observer if possible.
6. Keep flights short and land with extra battery reserve.

Respect neighbours

A buzzing drone with flashing lights over homes at night draws complaints quickly. Choose locations away from residences and respect privacy — see drone privacy in Canada.