City lights from above at night are among the most striking drone subjects, but night flying adds rules, risks, and technical challenges that daytime flying does not. Legal requirements change after dark in many countries, obstacle visibility drops to near zero, and camera settings that work in daylight produce black frames or noisy mush at night. Night photography is worth doing, but only with preparation that daytime flying can sometimes skip.

This guide covers the three things you must get right: permission, settings, and safety, in that order.