Getting permission as a foreign tourist to fly in Canada as of August 2019

[Greekislandlover]

Hi,

I got my SFOC to fly my drone in Canada on my upcoming holiday last night, so thought adding some info on the process I followed may be of help. I'm from the UK.

1. The folks at Transport Canada have been great! I emailed them about the process of getting permission as I was unclear how to, and they were really helpful as they realised I had researched the process and was taking it seriously.

2. As a foreign operator you cannot register your drone, and you cannot take the Canadian drone exams - you don't have government registration you need to do either task. You need to apply for an SFOC from Transport Canada.

3. TC said that I would need to get an equivalent qualification to TP15263. They sent me a list of providers who offered various courses. The one I picked was from Coastal Drone who advertised an online course that was suitable for getting the SFOC as a foreign tourist. Cost me CA89, and I spent an afternoon following the ground school and exam prep modules. At the end of it there is a link to sit the TC exam, but you cannot do this. You have the two certificates TC require available at that point.

4. Download the SFOC application from https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Corp-Serv-Gen/5/forms-formulaires/download/26-0835_BO_PX Make it clear that you have taken ground school and exam prep, make it clear you are a tourist and tell them your holiday dates and what area you will be in - I just stated BC as we are touring. Email it back to the address they give you on the form

5. What happens next is TC email you a checklist and info/advice. It's basically the same as the application form, but they ask you to attach documents. Specifically your Canadian qualifications and passport. I also included my USA drone registration. That was easier to get - it was just "Give us the money". Explain again that you are a tourist conducting basic operations where it is legal to do so, state what dates you are in Canada for. Give them any info you feel helpful.

6. If the documents are in order you get your SFOC! It only took them a couple of days for them to reply and process - it was quick but best do it in advance.

Hope this helps.

 

[JoostGT3]

Fantastic, thanks for sharing!

 

[KhrizJustTravels]

Thanks for sharing, I just sent out my second email. This time with everything they are asking for. Hopefully they approve it. I'll be visiting in a little over a week. Will probably call them next Monday if they don't respond in the next couple of days. I'll let you know how it turns out!

 

[Greekislandlover]

Thanks for sharing, I just sent out my second email. This time with everything they are asking for. Hopefully they approve it. I'll be visiting in a little over a week. Will probably call them next Monday if they don't respond in the next couple of days. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Hopefully they will get back soon!

 

[KhrizJustTravels]

Hopefully they will get back soon!

They got back to me already! That was fast. It took them over 4 weeks to reply to my initial email! Thanks for sharing your experience because it helped me so much!

 

[Mavic0202]

Hi,

I got my SFOC to fly my drone in Canada on my upcoming holiday last night, so thought adding some info on the process I followed may be of help. I'm from the UK.

1. The folks at Transport Canada have been great! I emailed them about the process of getting permission as I was unclear how to, and they were really helpful as they realised I had researched the process and was taking it seriously.

2. As a foreign operator you cannot register your drone, and you cannot take the Canadian drone exams - you don't have government registration you need to do either task. You need to apply for an SFOC from Transport Canada.

3. TC said that I would need to get an equivalent qualification to TP15263. They sent me a list of providers who offered various courses. The one I picked was from Coastal Drone who advertised an online course that was suitable for getting the SFOC as a foreign tourist. Cost me CA89, and I spent an afternoon following the ground school and exam prep modules. At the end of it there is a link to sit the TC exam, but you cannot do this. You have the two certificates TC require available at that point.

4. Download the SFOC application from https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Corp-Serv-Gen/5/forms-formulaires/download/26-0835_BO_PX Make it clear that you have taken ground school and exam prep, make it clear you are a tourist and tell them your holiday dates and what area you will be in - I just stated BC as we are touring. Email it back to the address they give you on the form

5. What happens next is TC email you a checklist and info/advice. It's basically the same as the application form, but they ask you to attach documents. Specifically your Canadian qualifications and passport. I also included my USA drone registration. That was easier to get - it was just "Give us the money". Explain again that you are a tourist conducting basic operations where it is legal to do so, state what dates you are in Canada for. Give them any info you feel helpful.

6. If the documents are in order you get your SFOC! It only took them a couple of days for them to reply and process - it was quick but best do it in advance.

Hope this helps.

Hi, i am a UK Citizen too, i just did everything you mentioned and got my SFOC, however, as we know, NO flying in National Parks, but also NO flying in Provincial Parks, I've been on the Transport Canada website Drone tool,

Drone site selection tool - National Research Council Canada

nrc.canada.ca

With all the restrictions and off limits, is it really worth still taking my Mavic into Canada?, everybody today seems to be Anti Drone, always someone telling you they are banned etc, i find it best to sit in a car when flying, as soon as someone sees you with the handset you seem to attract a know it all, my patience is too thin to be nice to these people, i always seem to give them two words with 3 'F's in them!

Having spent so much time and effort in getting this SFOC, its almost worthless, we are travelling BC & Alberta, are there any scenic vistas that are not in National Parks or Provincial Parks? I've google street viewed my driving route and although perhaps scenic by UK standards, not a patch on what is in those protected No Fly Zones, a small part of me would be tempted to fly in Provincial Parks, way out of the way, discreetly, but i guess its just not worth the risk of getting a huge fine and having my Mavic confiscated, anybody got any opinions and or experiences?

Neil

 

[Mavic0202]

Hi, i am a UK Citizen too, i just did everything you mentioned and got my SFOC, however, as we know, NO flying in National Parks, but also NO flying in Provincial Parks, I've been on the Transport Canada website Drone tool,

Drone site selection tool - National Research Council Canada

nrc.canada.ca

With all the restrictions and off limits, is it really worth still taking my Mavic into Canada?, everybody today seems to be Anti Drone, always someone telling you they are banned etc, i find it best to sit in a car when flying, as soon as someone sees you with the handset you seem to attract a know it all, my patience is too thin to be nice to these people, i always seem to give them two words with 3 'F's in them!

Having spent so much time and effort in getting this SFOC, its almost worthless, we are travelling BC & Alberta, are there any scenic vistas that are not in National Parks or Provincial Parks? I've google street viewed my driving route and although perhaps scenic by UK standards, not a patch on what is in those protected No Fly Zones, a small part of me would be tempted to fly in Provincial Parks, way out of the way, discreetly, but i guess its just not worth the risk of getting a huge fine and having my Mavic confiscated, anybody got any opinions and or experiences?

 

[Greekislandlover]

As the starter of this thread I've just returned from my trip in Canada - mainly BC, but some Alberta.

To be honest I didn't use the drone as much as I would have liked because the weather on days I could have flown tended to be rainy, or my son started whining about the time it was taking! He gets a free road trip in Canada then starts whining. Kids eh?

However, I didn't try to fly in National Parks, but everywhere I did fly I had no problems. A couple of people asked me how high the drone was, and one lady thanked me as I delayed landing to let her and her dog past. One guy was obviously hanging around to see what I was doing but I didn't take off as I couldn't get a GPS lock in a ravine, and another guy pointed at it for the benefit of his young son when I was flying near a waterfall. I also met a guy flying a Mavic 2 from the same town as me, and chatted to him about his experiences. He didn't get the SFOC - didn't know he had to - but had experienced interest and not hostility.

I'd double check provincial parks as TC don't mention them Where to fly your drone - Transport Canada

I tended to use the airmap app as to where I could or could not fly.

I think if you have the drone marked with your SFOC number, keep a copy of the documents TC say you should have so that they can be produced if required and check with airmap before you fly you should be good to fly more places than you think. I would say that phone coverage is poor out in the sticks so it's worth checking with airmap whilst you have coverage.

I didn't encounter any drone hostility. I think that if you are clearly being considerate in how you take off, fly and land and are clearly obeying the rules then you won't either.

The worst place on the trip was Seattle (not in Canada obvs). Because of some idiot crashing a drone into the space needle and some other incident with one landing in a parade crowd they are hostile - but you can see why.

 

[Stealthbomber]

Canadian here. Bring your drone! Use common sense, like stay away from crowds and airports! Don’t know if id bother with the paperwork. I don’t know which governing entity is actually policing drones in Canada?! Personally I don’t think anyone will bother you if you’re not bothering them. Now if you slice someone’s face off with the drone blades im sure Transport Canada will be on you with a vengeance!
Like I said above, bring your drone......”better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it”

 

[Mavic0202]

As the starter of this thread I've just returned from my trip in Canada - mainly BC, but some Alberta.

To be honest I didn't use the drone as much as I would have liked because the weather on days I could have flown tended to be rainy, or my son started whining about the time it was taking! He gets a free road trip in Canada then starts whining. Kids eh?

However, I didn't try to fly in National Parks, but everywhere I did fly I had no problems. A couple of people asked me how high the drone was, and one lady thanked me as I delayed landing to let her and her dog past. One guy was obviously hanging around to see what I was doing but I didn't take off as I couldn't get a GPS lock in a ravine, and another guy pointed at it for the benefit of his young son when I was flying near a waterfall. I also met a guy flying a Mavic 2 from the same town as me, and chatted to him about his experiences. He didn't get the SFOC - didn't know he had to - but had experienced interest and not hostility.

I'd double check provincial parks as TC don't mention them Where to fly your drone - Transport Canada

I tended to use the airmap app as to where I could or could not fly.

I think if you have the drone marked with your SFOC number, keep a copy of the documents TC say you should have so that they can be produced if required and check with airmap before you fly you should be good to fly more places than you think. I would say that phone coverage is poor out in the sticks so it's worth checking with airmap whilst you have coverage.

I didn't encounter any drone hostility. I think that if you are clearly being considerate in how you take off, fly and land and are clearly obeying the rules then you won't either.

 

[Mavic0202]

Hi, Thanks for the update, i must admit, the guys on email for the SFOC were amazing, emailing back immediately.

Did you fly in any provincial Parks? As you mentioned print off your FSOC and mark the Drone, but then getting caught would be a doubled edged sword, OK, yes, i am legal etc, conforming to all the regulations, so pleading ignorance and innocence would not play down very well with a park warden having known the rules in order to get the SFOC.

I'm hoping to find scenic vistas on my route, most of my flights end up over water with scenic Ocean or lake footage......maybe i'll take the odd chance somewhere remote with no other people about.

We are travelling a week today Sunday 6th October, i'll keep you posted upon my return, thanks for your input!

We went to China last November 2018, i didn't fill up any Drone forms, as the Chinese aviation website is in Chinese naturally, then you have to have a Chinese mobile number to get a QR code sent to your phone, which you then have to print off and apply to your Drone, we hired a 'E' Scooter and rode into the Chinese countryside in Yangshuo, captured some nice footage in one of the most scenic parts of China.....

Link:

 

[Greekislandlover]

Well, to be specific we stopped on a couple of places on scenic route 99 between Vancouver and whistler, and brandywine falls. Mount Robson park I filmed in (provincial park) and would have done a lot more filming there but the weather sort of put the khybosh on that. Between Jasper and Vancouver on route 99 (outside the parks) we stopped at a couple of places, but my son was driving and rather cramped my style. Route 99 is pretty well a must - loads of open water, waterfalls forests you can film in and it's really beautiful scenery.

Vancouver itself is a lot of fenced off areas because of the airports, but north of the river there are a lot of places you can go. I was going to take it to a dam north of the city but daddy's little soldier had the car keys.

Between Banff and Kamloops (again, outside national parks) a few places.

I would say that don't imagine there is a member of the drone police hiding behind every tree - there isn't. A lot of the national parks didn't even have a manned entry booth, and we didn't see a solitary park ranger. I'm assuming that DJI have geofenced the national parks - I think that's the only thing stopping people filming there. I guess if you are in an area with lots of people someone is bound to be unhappy, but we should always pick somewhere away from people anyway! So if out in the middle of nowhere, and the app says it's good to go you are fine.

 

[Mavic0202]

Hi, Many thanks for the update, i am actually driving route 99 from Squamish as we are staying overnight with Canadian friends, then its off to Kamloops to Jasper to Banff, then heading down back into the US into Montana and Wyoming with a 5 day trek around Yellowstone National Park, finally driving back to Seattle for our flight back to the UK

Like you say, key is to be away from people, your username? You must love Greece, we just got back from Kefalonia and we got some amazing footage,

Thanks for all the pointers

 

[Greekislandlover]

Hi, Many thanks for the update, i am actually driving route 99 from Squamish as we are staying overnight with Canadian friends, then its off to Kamloops to Jasper to Banff, then heading down back into the US into Montana and Wyoming with a 5 day trek around Yellowstone National Park, finally driving back to Seattle for our flight back to the UK

Like you say, key is to be away from people, your username? You must love Greece, we just got back from Kefalonia and we got some amazing footage,

Thanks for all the pointers

Not very good with names. I called my drones Sparky and Mavis. Thankfully my wife has more than a say than I do in naming of kids and pets

I decided on that name just after our first family holiday to Crete with the kids. But yes, I do love Greece and have been back a few times since.

Have a great time in north America!