i am also confused - what you say is not 100% it. so, you cannot register it if you are not a citizen, that is it. ok. but, for tourists - isn`t it allowed if it is under 35kg and not used for business?
what are specific cases when SFOC is required? or is now since June required in all, no exclusion, cases?
Sorry to say, but I am correct. The wording is a little muddy...but they are stated in the CAR's.
section 901.04 states that to register a drone in Canada....you must over 14, and be a Canadian citizen, or a permanent resident. As all drones over 250 grams have to be registered... only those who are certified can register them. The certification requirements are for drones that weigh 250g to 25Kg ( basically from just over a pound to 55 pounds).
When do you need an SFOC? The complete list is in section 903.01 and the verbatim for section (c) is
(c) the operation of a system by a foreign operator or
pilot who has been authorized to operate remotely piloted
aircraft systems by the foreign state;
So a certified pilot, for example a part 107 pilot from the US would have to get an SFOC to be able to fly anything over the 250gr size. The exception would be if they were flying at a MAAC field. It has nothing to do with whether it's commercial or not. So basically, if a part 107 pilot came to Canada and wanted to do some flying with his Spark in the copious backwoods, he would need an SFOC as the spark is 300 grams or so. I bet the first company that makes a tech packed quality quad under 250 grams is going to sell a boatload. I was talking to a friend of mine who works at a well known hobby store, and they haven't sold anything weighing more than 250g in months. Even fixed wing RC buyers are getting the UMX sized aircraft so they aren't stuck flying at MAAC fields.
While an SFOC isn't impossible to get...it's another process that you would have to go through.
I really recommend downloading a copy of the CAR's and reading through the main parts of the 900 section. Your head might spin at the logging and maintenance logging requirements and regency requirements too.
The upshot is that what Transport Canada has done, in their own lovely annoying way, is to try to put some professionalism into RPAS flying. I don't necessarily agree with how they've done it, but when you look at some of the irresponsible flying by a FEW, I can understand why. It's always a few that screw it up for everyone else.