Increasingly, people across various states are spotting drones flying at night, especially in New Jersey, where many sightings have been reported over the last month. But what exactly are those lights visible in the dark? Distinguishing between them can be tricky from afar.

Since drone sightings began trending in mid-November, residents have been capturing images of the lights in the sky. Reports have surfaced in states including New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, and beyond.

While some photographs depict drones, others show typical aircraft such as helicopters and commercial planes. It’s essential to understand what type of lights to look for in order to identify what you’re seeing.

Both aircraft and drones have specific lighting systems that enhance their visibility during nighttime operations. Although the lights differ by type of vehicle, here’s a breakdown of what they typically include, as per pilotinstitute.com.

Understanding Aircraft Lights

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In-Flight Aircraft Lights

• Navigation lights: These consist of a steady red light on the left wingtip, a green light on the right, and a white light on the tail. They assist observers in determining the aircraft’s orientation. Helicopters feature a green light on the right, a red light on the left, and a white tail light.
• Anti-collision lights: Also known as beacon lights, these are red flashing lights typically found on the top of the aircraft. Larger planes may have additional lights on the underside of the fuselage, while helicopters usually have these lights on both the top and bottom of their fuselage.
• Strobe lights: Flashing white lights located on the wingtips that improve visibility. They are active during flight as well as when the aircraft is on the runway. The design of helicopters determines where strobe lights are placed.

Aircraft During Landing or Taxiing

• Landing lights: Bright white lights positioned at the nose, wings, or beneath the fuselage that are turned on when the aircraft prepares to land, illuminating the runway.
• Taxi lights: Used after landing when the plane is moving towards a gate or hangar; these aren’t as bright as landing lights but help pilots see what lies ahead.
• Runway turnoff lights: Additional lights located on both sides of the aircraft’s nose, aimed at illuminating runway exits.

Drone Operation

Most drones can be legally flown at or below 400 feet in many regions, although there are certain restrictions stipulated by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Drones flown at night, defined as starting 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, are required to have anti-collision lights that must be visible from up to 3 statute miles and must flash at a rate that prevents collisions, per federal regulations.

Drone operators may add additional lights for enhanced visibility.

Anyone flying drones for filming or news gathering must possess a drone pilot certificate and adhere to the FAA’s Small UAS Rule.

Without appropriate permissions, drone flights are prohibited in the following areas:

• In controlled airspace around airports.
• Over national security zones.
• Over military installations or significant infrastructure.
• Over national monuments.
• In airspace with Temporary Flight Restrictions.

When observing these aerial vehicles, take note of how they move. Typically, aircraft and helicopters follow a straight path, while drones can change direction rapidly or hover in place.

SOURCE: Reporting and research from YSL News Network; Reuters; pilotinstitute.com; Federal Aviation Administration; ecfr.gov