Your eyes are like a dynamic duo, with cones and rods working together to give you the full visual experience. Cones handle colors and details in bright light, while rods are your go-to for seeing in the dark and catching movement.

Cones let us see colors and fine details.

They work best in bright, well-lit conditions and perform poorly in dark, dim lighting, creating blind spots.

For drone pilots, knowing how cones work helps them see color-coded signals on control panels and pick out details in their surroundings.

*Memory Trick: Think of an ice-cream cone holding brightly colored ice-cream filled with little details of sprinkles.

Rods are very sensitive to light intensity and are key for peripheral vision and spotting movement.

They can’t see colors but excel in the dark due to their sensitivity.

Rods struggle in low light; they can get overwhelmed by too much light and need time to “reset” after bright exposure. How can rods both excel in the dark but also struggle in low light? Isn’t that a contradiction?

For drone pilots, rods help them navigate and spot obstacles and movement in low light or at night.

*Memory Trick: Think of a metal rod spanning several feet outward to your left and right, moving up and down, allowing your peripheral vision to track it.

• First: Smoking increasess carbon monoxide levels, affecting your red blood cells’ ability to carry oxygen.
• Second: Less oxygen can result in hypoxia, which negatively affects your peripheral vision and ability to see in the dark.
• Third: Even a little smoking can reduce your night vision by 20%.
• Essential Awareness: Know how smoking can significantly impact your night vision for flying in the dark.

• First:

  Skipping meals or eating late can drop your blood sugar.

• Second: Low blood sugar can make your stomach cramp up, diminish your focus, and make it hard to pay attention.
• Third: Not enough vitamin A in your diet can negatively impact your night vision, so load up on foods rich in vitamin A to keep your eyes sharp at night. Do they really mention vitamin A in the test? If not delete this.