Do You Have To Register Drones Now Canada

Canada Drone Regulations

According to Canada's national aviation authority, Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), flying a drone is legal in Canada, but nosotros recommend being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed beneath before doing so.

If you lot'd like to contact TCCA directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: services@tc.gc.ca / +1 800 305 2059

flying a drone in Canada

Why fly a drone in Canada? To get great aerial shots similar these!

General Rules for Flying a Drone in Canada

Notice: Canada is currently not accepting SFOC applications from visitors that are looking to fly their drone recreationally. This does non apply to visitors who are requesting an SFOC for commercial operations. This temporary restriction will be re-evaluated in Jan 2021. More information on this topic can be plant on this page.

The following rules utilize to all drone operations:

All drones that weigh between 250 thousand and 25 kg must be registered with Transport Canada. Pilots must mark their drones with their registration number before they wing.
All pilots of drones that weigh between 250 g and 25 kg must go a drone airplane pilot certificate.
Wing your drone where you can run into it at all times
Fly below 122 meters (400 feet) in the air
Fly away from bystanders, at a minimum distance of 30 meters for basic operations
Do not fly at the site of emergency operations or advertised events
Avoid wood fires, outdoor concerts, and parades
Do not wing within 5.6 kilometres (iii nautical miles) from airports or 1.9 kilometres (1 nautical mile) from heliports
Fly far away from other aircraft
Exercise not fly anywhere near airplanes, helicopters, and other drones
E'er respect the privacy of others while flying

Additional rules apply depending on your blazon of performance. The rules innovate two categories of drones operations: basic and avant-garde. The categories are based on distance from bystanders and on airspace rules.

Determine if Your Drone Operations are Basic or Advanced

If you encounter all three of these conditions, you're conducting basic operations:

Y'all fly your drone in uncontrolled airspace
You lot wing your drone more than than 30 metres (100 feet) horizontally from bystanders
Yous never fly your drone over bystanders

If you do not meet any one of these 3 conditions, you are conducting advanced operations.

If you meet whatsoever 1 of these conditions, y'all are conducting advanced operations:

Yous desire to fly in controlled airspace
Yous desire to wing over bystanders
You desire to wing within 30 meters (100 feet) of bystanders (measured horizontally)

Rules for Basic Drone Operations

In add-on to the general rules for flying a drone in Canada, pilots conducting basic drone operations must:

Pilots conducting basic operations need a Airplane pilot Certificate – Basic Operations
Be able to show your Airplane pilot Certificate – Basic Operations and proof of registration when you fly

Rules for Advanced Drone Operations

In addition to the general rules for flying a drone in Canada, pilots conducting advanced drone operations must:

Pilots conducting avant-garde operations need a Pilot Certificate – Advanced Operations. To get this certificate, they must pass the Minor Avant-garde Examination and an in-person flight review. The flight review will assess a airplane pilot's ability to operate their drone safely.
Fly with a drone that meets RPAS Safety Assurance standards. A list of drone manufacturers and models rated to exist approved for certain avant-garde operations can exist plant here.
Survey the surface area where you will wing. Take note of whatsoever obstacles, such as buildings and power lines.

No Drone Zones

"No drone zones" are areas where it may be dangerous or illegal to fly your drone. When you wing a drone for any reason yous should generally not fly:

effectually airports and aerodromes
in busy, populated areas
in national parks
over border crossings

You can only fly your drone in these areas for specific purposes past getting permission from Transport Canada. For more information on "no drone zones," see this folio on the TCAA website.

For more than information on Canada's drone laws, see this page on the TCAA website.

Know something we don't well-nigh drone laws in Canada? Transport united states an email at back up[at]uavcoach[dot]com. We are not international aviation attorneys and practice our best to keep this folio up-to-engagement for drone pilots, but the reality is that given the pace of the small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industry and how governments are responding, drone regulations in Canada can change throughout the year, and those changes tin can be hard to track. If nosotros missed something, delight accomplish out to permit us know.

Want to become a feel for the kind of footage you lot could get flying a drone in Canada? Hither you go: