Canadian Licences

[Blackfish67]

Really new to the drone world. I have taken & passed the Canadian basic drone licence. I have a YouTube channel that is not related to drones but I m planning on using drone footage I shoot on my channel. My question is, is the basic licence all I need or do I need the advanced in order to make money with a drone in Canada? I believe in the USA you need Part 107 if you make money from your YouTube channel & use a drone. (Not monitized on YouTube YET)

Thanks
Jer from Hawaii North

 

[JavaJack]

Really new to the drone world. I have taken & passed the Canadian basic drone licence. I have a YouTube channel that is not related to drones but I m planning on using drone footage I shoot on my channel. My question is, is the basic licence all I need or do I need the advanced in order to make money with a drone in Canada? I believe in the USA you need Part 107 if you make money from your YouTube channel & use a drone. (Not monitized on YouTube YET)

Thanks
Jer from Hawaii North

I’m pretty sure you need an advanced license if you are making money. Here’s a website that addresses everything to do with flying drones in Canada. The Transport Canada website can be difficult to navigate. There are questions from operators near the end, some specifically asking about selling photos and video using a basic license and the answer is no. I’ve always had an advanced, a lot of liability insurance because I shoot at mine sites, advertised events like broadcast football games which require an SFOC, etc. Drone Laws in Canada [Updated September 4, 2024]

 

[RAC DJI]

As far as I understand the law in Canada there is no connection between recreational and commercial operations as far as making money from your drone activities. The need for an advanced license is strictly to do with what type of drone your flying (sub 249g or below or 250g and above) or where you intend to fly it.

 

[Papa Beach]

Really new to the drone world. I have taken & passed the Canadian basic drone licence. I have a YouTube channel that is not related to drones but I m planning on using drone footage I shoot on my channel. My question is, is the basic licence all I need or do I need the advanced in order to make money with a drone in Canada? I believe in the USA you need Part 107 if you make money from your YouTube channel & use a drone. (Not monitized on YouTube YET)

Thanks
Jer from Hawaii North

Find your category of drone operation

Categories of operations for drones

tc.canada.ca

 

[Robert Prior]

I’m pretty sure you need an advanced license if you are making money. Here’s a website that addresses everything to do with flying drones in Canada. The Transport Canada website can be difficult to navigate. There are questions from operators near the end, some specifically asking about selling photos and video using a basic license and the answer is no. I’ve always had an advanced, a lot of liability insurance because I shoot at mine sites, advertised events like broadcast football games which require an SFOC, etc. Drone Laws in Canada [Updated September 4, 2024]

This is not true. There is no connection between commercial operation and the level of license you need.

An advanced license is necessary for certain types of flying, and not having one can limit what you can do, but you can even make money without a license by sticking to sub-250 g drones (and obeying the Canadian Aviation Regulations).

The weight of your drone, distance from bystanders and airspace rules define your category. The rules do not treat people who fly drones for fun or for business differently.

Find your category of drone operation

Categories of operations for drones

tc.canada.ca

 

[Blackfish67]

Thank You for the information very helpful. Plan on getting my advanced license but down the road ways. Need to at least buy a drone and fly it first

 

[PhoebeSnow]

From my understanding of the Canadian regs for flying - I was under the impression they were quite onerous requiring you to cordon off an area, have multiple observers & assistants, etc. It was much more than simply just launching your drone and taking videos. That is one reason I purchased a mini for our trips to Canada. We go there to bike and take videos in remote wooded areas where the trails are located. There are few, if any, other individuals around.

 

[Robert Prior]

From my understanding of the Canadian regs for flying - I was under the impression they were quite onerous requiring you to cordon off an area, have multiple observers & assistants, etc. It was much more than simply just launching your drone and taking videos. That is one reason I purchased a mini for our trips to Canada. We go there to bike and take videos in remote wooded areas where the trails are located. There are few, if any, other individuals around.

They aren't that onerous. There are regulations governing things like horizontal separation from bystanders which would make cordoning of your launch/landing zone a good idea in some circumstances, and an assistant to keep people from bothering the pilot can be useful (but isn't required). The rules are VLOS might require visual observers depending on your flight profile.

If you aren't Canadian the regulations require you to get a Special Flight Operations Certificate before flying here, which is a bit onerous. The exception being if you are flying a sub-250 g drone, so you made the right choice for your trip.

Foreign pilots and operators must have a valid Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) for Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) to fly a drone for any purpose (recreational, work or research).

You are considered a foreign pilot or operator if you are not a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or a corporation incorporated by or under federal or provincial law.

As a foreign drone pilot, you need a Canadian drone pilot certificate to operate in Canada even if you are authorized in your home country.

Get permission to fly a drone as a foreign pilot or operator

Get permission to fly a drone as a foreign pilot or operator

tc.canada.ca

 

[Robert Prior]

Thank You for the information very helpful. Plan on getting my advanced license but down the road ways. Need to at least buy a drone and fly it first

A mini would be easier from the regulatory perspective.

Check out the NRC map for flight restrictions. There aren't too many near Nanaimo but enough that with a larger drone you will be restricted without that advanced license.

Drone site selection tool - National Research Council Canada

nrc.canada.ca

I use Drone Pilot Canada to log flights and maintenance. As a bonus, its map integrates the NRC map and NOTAMs so I can plan my flights easily.

Drone Pilot Canada

dronepilotcanada.com

 

[DanJ]

A mini would be easier from the regulatory perspective.

Check out the NRC map for flight restrictions. There aren't too many near Nanaimo but enough that with a larger drone you will be restricted without that advanced license.

Drone site selection tool - National Research Council Canada

nrc.canada.ca

I use Drone Pilot Canada to log flights and maintenance. As a bonus, its map integrates the NRC map and NOTAMs so I can plan my flights easily.

Drone Pilot Canada

dronepilotcanada.com

The Drone Pilot app is a Godsend. It automatically tells you when you are in a restricted area or what kind of license you need if it's semi-restricted.
I recommend it for flying in Canada.

 

[Robert Prior]

The Drone Pilot app is a Godsend. It automatically tells you when you are in a restricted area or what kind of license you need if it's semi-restricted.
I recommend it for flying in Canada.

You can get a lot of that from the NRC map, but having that, the NOTAMs (which again you can get, but a separate web site) and the DJI flight restrictions (yet another web site) all in one map is wonderful. Soooo much more convenient.

 

[DanJ]

You can get a lot of that from the NRC map, but having that, the NOTAMs (which again you can get, but a separate web site) and the DJI flight restrictions (yet another web site) all in one map is wonderful. Soooo much more convenient.

Thank you for the info.
I find that I usually don't even use the app as my drone will usually tell me that I am in some sort of restricted airspace before I even launch.

 

[Robert Prior]

Thank you for the info.
I find that I usually don't even use the app as my drone will usually tell me that I am in some sort of restricted airspace before I even launch.

Actually, the drone is quite happy letting you launch in restricted airspace. DJI's geofencing doesn't align with Transport Canada's regulations very well.

For example, around Sechelt (in BC) DJI will stop me flying near the airport, which legally I can do (as long as I exercise due care and attention) but does nothing to stop me flying near the hospital helipad (which I can't do without an advanced license and permission).

In Toronto DJI will let me fly in the Pearson ATC zone without even a warning, when again I would need an advanced license and permission.

Compare DJI restrictions with Transport Canada ones: