New Canadian rules

[Dave A]

"LookToTheNorth said:
Comming into effect this summer. Drones must have liability insurance and you need to be licenced to go above 90m. I'm not looking forward to this".

Both the points in the above statement are not correct. No liability insurance is required and all drones above 250g must be registered and all drone pilots must be certified. The max altitude is 122m or 400 ft. not 90m as in the old rules.

 

[mad monkey]

And you only need to write the basic if you only fly a dji drone

 

[Tbredhed]

You really don't require the advanced for a business anymore with the new regs unless you want to fly in a controlled air space or over people. And many drones including all the DJI drones don't yet qualify as safety certified for advanced operations.

You are correct, but where I live practically the whole city is within the 3 nm limit of either our airport or seaplane base, hence the advanced certificate. I'm just curious as to why other people are trying for the advanced certificate.

 

[Dave A]

You are correct, but where I live practically the whole city is within the 3 nm limit of either our airport or seaplane base, hence the advanced certificate. I'm just curious as to why other people are trying for the advanced certificate.

Correct, but make sure you distinguish between an airport (3 nm) and an aerodrome/seaplane base. You can fly within 1 nm of an aerodrome/seaplane base as long as you don't interfere with their normal takeoff/approach routes.

 

[tangy07]

Controlled or Restricted Airspace
901.14 (1) Subject to subsection 901.71(1), no pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft in controlled airspace.

is the controlled airspace now 3nm from airports and 1nm from aerodome?

 

[AlanTheBeast]

As a U.S. citizen with a cottage on the Georgian Bay of Lake Huron near Parry Sound, Ontario most of my drone activity has been in that area!
I am willing to be compliant. However, existing rules says if I am not from Canada and my drone weighs less than 35 kg I currently do not need to register.
I wonder if that is current regulation, or will that also be the rule in the new regulations?

The rules (based in law) apply to any drone flight regardless of where you are from. How that applies to you specifically and how you "solve" that isn't perfectly clear, but I would guess at a minimum you have to register your drone, mark it properly, and pass the Canadian online exam and get the "license".

 

[Dave A]

Controlled or Restricted Airspace
901.14 (1) Subject to subsection 901.71(1), no pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft in controlled airspace.

is the controlled airspace now 3nm from airports and 1nm from aerodome?

Yes. Airports are certified aerodromes and have the 3nm restriction. Helibases and seaplane bases are also aerodromes but have the 1nm restriction and no interfering with normal takeoff/approach routes. It defiantly is confusing but I found it helped after watching THIS presentation. She explains the rules in a way that is more understandable.

 

[AlanTheBeast]

Controlled or Restricted Airspace
901.14 (1) Subject to subsection 901.71(1), no pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft in controlled airspace.

is the controlled airspace now 3nm from airports and 1nm from aerodome?

An airport is an aerodrome.

An airport or aerodrome is not necessarily in controlled airspace. Most aren't.

For example, here you have St-Jean (Class D) and Bromont (non-controlled).
SkyVector: Flight Planning / Aeronautical Charts

SkyVector: Flight Planning / Aeronautical Charts covers the US and much of busy southern Canada (using FAA maps, not Canadian maps).

You can also buy up to date charts from Nav Canada (expensive) as well as the Flight Supplement (expensive).

 

[Dave A]

The rules (based in law) apply to any drone flight regardless of where you are from. How that applies to you specifically and how you "solve" that isn't perfectly clear, but I would guess at a minimum you have to register your drone, mark it properly, and pass the Canadian online exam and get the "license".

This was posted over on the DJI forum.

"I was just reading the text of the new law and I'm realising that it is very strict. Check out the following.

903.01 No person shall conduct any of the following operations using a remotely piloted aircraft system that includes a remotely piloted aircraft having a maximum take-off weight of 250 g (0.55 pounds) or more unless the person complies with the provisions of a special flight operations certificate — RPAS issued by the Minister under section 903.03:

(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;

That means they have to be lawfuly authorised to fly in their country and request a special flight operations certificate probably before arrival. Very serious stuff, fines start at $1000 CAD."

 

[IlluminationsfromtheAttic]

I heard about these rules yesterday - what a load of garbage! They are a reactionary knee-jerk response made out of fear and ignorance in response to incidents that may or may not have involved drones, but which were blown way out of all proportion by the media. The worst part is the headache it creates for foreign tourists and other visitors who want to fly UAVs in Canada. Looking at the miles long form (link to it here), if you're visiting from another country it's probably not worth doing the bureaucratic busywork - just risk the fine. I've seen forms like it for a few locations in America, and my conclusion is that they are purely a roadblock to prevent drone use from occurring without outright banning it. With this in mind, I don't see any moral problem with skipping the bureaucratic malarkey altogether.

 

[Dave A]

More information.
This is from Coastal Drones Co. which is a drone training company in Canada.

TOURISTS
Only Canadian citizens and permanent residents may hold Basic and Advanced Certificates.
Foreign operators will need to apply for an SFOC. Before you freak out let’s remember what an SFOC actually is. Not all SFOC applications follow the format we’re used to calling “an SFOC”. SFOCs have existed in the aviation industry looooong before RPAS were around and come in many shapes and sizes. It was just a convenient stop-gap to use in the drone industry until our new regulations were published and we got used to thinking of them as one specific thing. An SFOC is just that – a special authorization to conduct a flight outside of what the regulations cover. If someone holds a foreign license/certificate/permit from their country of origin, it may be possible to authorize a flight (read: issue an SFOC) based on that certification alone. A TC inspector needs to make that decision though as there is no international standard for licenses/certificates/permits. Those from nations with established procedures (USA, Australia, New Zealand, and the countries of the EU for example) will likely run into minimal issues. It may not be ideal, but at least there’s a process.

 

[IlluminationsfromtheAttic]

More information.
This is from Coastal Drones Co. which is a drone training company in Canada.

TOURISTS
Only Canadian citizens and permanent residents may hold Basic and Advanced Certificates.
Foreign operators will need to apply for an SFOC. Before you freak out let’s remember what an SFOC actually is. Not all SFOC applications follow the format we’re used to calling “an SFOC”. SFOCs have existed in the aviation industry looooong before RPAS were around and come in many shapes and sizes. It was just a convenient stop-gap to use in the drone industry until our new regulations were published and we got used to thinking of them as one specific thing. An SFOC is just that – a special authorization to conduct a flight outside of what the regulations cover. If someone holds a foreign license/certificate/permit from their country of origin, it may be possible to authorize a flight (read: issue an SFOC) based on that certification alone. A TC inspector needs to make that decision though as there is no international standard for licenses/certificates/permits. Those from nations with established procedures (USA, Australia, New Zealand, and the countries of the EU for example) will likely run into minimal issues. It may not be ideal, but at least there’s a process.

Thanks for posting this, but the form you have to send in sure doesn't look like something that most tourists are going to be filling out: http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Corp-Serv-Gen/5/forms-formulaires/download/26-0835_BO_PX

If there's an easier process for getting the necessary permission I'd like to know, but if that's the form you have to fill out I see a lot of tourists not bothering and leaving their drones at home or bringing them and flying them anyway! Why the heck wouldn't Canada just have tourists go through the same process as Canadians? There are so many things about these regulations that make no sense and only make it seem more like they were drafted in a hurry without much logical thought!

 

[Ken K]

An airport is an aerodrome.

An airport or aerodrome is not necessarily in controlled airspace. Most aren't.

For example, here you have St-Jean (Class D) and Bromont (non-controlled).
SkyVector: Flight Planning / Aeronautical Charts

SkyVector: Flight Planning / Aeronautical Charts covers the US and much of busy southern Canada (using FAA maps, not Canadian maps).

You can also buy up to date charts from Nav Canada (expensive) as well as the Flight Supplement (expensive).

An airport can be a landing strip in the middle of a corn field. No restrictions.
Or, it can be an aircraft takeoff / landing facility that has been registered. No restrictions..
Or, it can be registered and certified. Restrictions.

(Gleaned from some current Transport Canada literature but I don't remember the exact document.)

If you have a small airfield nearby, contact the owner/operator and ask if it is "certified". If it isn't, the no fly restrictions don't apply. Of course you should still exhibit common sense and courtesy.

 

[Gizmodude]

Really not much change, just the cash grab to register your drone and a cost to pass the basic operator course..... Model aircraft and Drones are lumped into same category of RPA (remotely piloted aircraft). I guess that means that all those model aircraft operators are going to have to jump thru all the hoops that a multirotor drone operator will be subject to.... they are going to be pissed....

According to Transport Canada & MAAC if you are flying a remote control plane, helicopter or drone on a MAAC registered field and airspace you do not need to register or have a permit; as long as you have MAAC membership and flying on a MAAC registered field. Cheers

 

[BossOlive]

Don't forget that model aircraft are now combined with drones, that is why the questions about carburator icing.

Why are you tying for your advanced? I would like to get mine as well to start a small business, not sure the advanced would be worth it if your just flying recreationaly IMO.

1. Because I can.
2. I would like to be able to fly 5m instead of 30m from people.

 

[Ken K]

1. Because I can.
2. I would like to be able to fly 5m instead of 30m from people.

But your DJI drone doesn't qualify so you still won't be able to fly any closer than with the Basic Certificate.

 

[BossOlive]

You really don't require the advanced for a business anymore with the new regs unless you want to fly in a controlled air space or over people. And many drones including all the DJI drones don't yet qualify as safety certified for advanced operations.

"" YET "". Lol I'm sure they will,eventually .
These rules just passed this month.

 

[BossOlive]

But your DJI drone doesn't qualify so you still won't be able to fly any closer than with the Basic Certificate.

I know about the "over people"
Not sure about 5m...

 

[Tbredhed]

But your DJI drone doesn't qualify so you still won't be able to fly any closer than with the Basic Certificate.

Doesn't qualify yet! Who knows what's going to happen by the time these rules come into effect. My take is that DJI will get their enterprise drones certified first then move on to the hobby drones, but that is totally my opinion not based on any special knowledge.

I'd like to get my advanced to start a small business doing site surveys and roof inspections and pretty much my whole city is covered by the NFZ of our airport. The flying over crowds doesn't interest me in the least.
Cheers

 

[AlanTheBeast]

An airport can be a landing strip in the middle of a corn field. No restrictions.
Or, it can be an aircraft takeoff / landing facility that has been registered. No restrictions..
Or, it can be registered and certified. Restrictions.

(Gleaned from some current Transport Canada literature but I don't remember the exact document.)

If you have a small airfield nearby, contact the owner/operator and ask if it is "certified". If it isn't, the no fly restrictions don't apply. Of course you should still exhibit common sense and courtesy.

Better yet: Get the VFR Flight Supplement and the local VNC and VFR terminal charts from NAV Canada and know.