UAV - Unpiloted Aerial Vehicle
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 3500; Flight Crew Type 10
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
At approximately XA:42; I arrived on location.  Upon arrival; I performed sUAS operation in support of law enforcement officers under fire from the active shooter to provide over watch of the scene until sunset. The following information was used to evaluate the decision to continue operations beyond evening Civil Twilight at XF:20 hours:  a fellow sUAS pilot and myself were within night currency on all aircraft flown (30 days); the area was flooded with light from three industrial flood lights and lights from responding armored vehicles; the aircraft met the lighting standard necessary under 14 CFR Part 107; assisting law enforcement agency had an operational night waiver under their Certificate of Authorization (COA); I have extensive education and experience in operating manned aircraft at night; and finally; the night operation did not significantly increase our Risk Assessment (RA) factor over our daytime factor. In hindsight; I should have made an emergency (Special Government Interest) request to operate at night through the FAA's Regional Operation Center (ROC).
A law enforcement UAV pilot reported operating a drone after civil twilight in violation of FAR 107.29. He and a fellow UAV operator were both night qualified and operating in support of an active law enforcement action.