Which of the following statements correctly reflects how you should handle unknown visibility or cloud conditions when operating a sUAS?

Which of the following statements correctly reflects how you should handle unknown visibility or cloud conditions when operating a sUAS?

• A. You should proceed with the operation using your best judgement and stay away from clouds.
• B. You should delay the operation until visibility and cloud conditions can be determined from reliable sources.
• C. You may operate in clouds as long as you stay close to the ground.
• D. You should always operate only at night to avoid clouds.

Answer: (B)

Always check weather before flying and don’t proceed when visibility or cloud conditions are unknown. The safest and correct approach is to delay the operation until you can determine visibility and cloud conditions from reliable sources such as official weather briefings, METARs/TAFs, or approved forecast information. This lets you confirm you’ll be in visual meteorological conditions and able to maintain the unmanned aircraft in visual sight, avoiding clouds and sudden changes in weather. Why this is best: flying with uncertain weather makes it impossible to reliably see and avoid obstacles, other aircraft, and to stay within your visual line of sight. If you can’t verify the conditions, you can’t guarantee safe operation or compliance with flight rules. Trying to rely on your own judgement and staying away from clouds isn’t reliable enough because weather can change quickly and you may misjudge visibility or cloud cover. Flying in clouds or near the ground is unsafe and generally prohibited for sUAS operations, and there’s no valid reason to default to night operations to “avoid clouds”—night flying requires additional training, equipment, and permissions and doesn’t solve the underlying visibility issue.

Always check weather before flying and don’t proceed when visibility or cloud conditions are unknown. The safest and correct approach is to delay the operation until you can determine visibility and cloud conditions from reliable sources such as official weather briefings, METARs/TAFs, or approved forecast information. This lets you confirm you’ll be in visual meteorological conditions and able to maintain the unmanned aircraft in visual sight, avoiding clouds and sudden changes in weather.

Why this is best: flying with uncertain weather makes it impossible to reliably see and avoid obstacles, other aircraft, and to stay within your visual line of sight. If you can’t verify the conditions, you can’t guarantee safe operation or compliance with flight rules.

Trying to rely on your own judgement and staying away from clouds isn’t reliable enough because weather can change quickly and you may misjudge visibility or cloud cover. Flying in clouds or near the ground is unsafe and generally prohibited for sUAS operations, and there’s no valid reason to default to night operations to “avoid clouds”—night flying requires additional training, equipment, and permissions and doesn’t solve the underlying visibility issue.