New Canadian rules

mad monkey · Jan 10, 2019

I thought they were pushing a 2yr renewal..

timinator · Jan 10, 2019

There is a recurrency requirement every two years. Applicable legislation below. I did read somewhere else that a Transport Canada mandated seminar will also be sufficient. Whether these TC seminars are free I do not know.

Recency Requirements
901.56 (1) No holder of a pilot certificate — small remotely piloted aircraft (VLOS) — basic operations or of a pilot certificate — small remotely piloted aircraft (VLOS) — advanced operations shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system under this Division unless the holder has, within the 24 months preceding the flight,

(a) been issued a pilot certificate — small remotely piloted aircraft (VLOS) — basic operations under section 901.55 or a pilot certificate — small remotely piloted aircraft (VLOS) — advanced operations under section 901.64; or
(b) successfully completed
- (i) either of the examinations referred to in paragraphs 901.55(b) and 901.64(b),
- (ii) a flight review referred to in paragraph 901.64(c), or
- (iii) any of the recurrent training activities set out in section 921.04 of Standard 921 — Small Remotely Piloted Aircraft in Visual Line-of-Sight (VLOS).

(2) The person referred to in subsection (1) shall keep a record of all activities referred to in paragraph (1)(b), including the dates on which they were completed, for at least 24 months after the day on which they were completed.

Sloth469 · Jan 10, 2019

Something to remember when taking this test is Google is your friend....

Dave A · Jan 10, 2019

Sloth469 said:
Something to remember when taking this test is Google is your friend....

Sure is. You can also have CARS open on another tab.

Canuk · Jan 10, 2019

Lol . I was going to try the test last night but somehow something was glitching . At the start where you put your name down it told me I was wrong . I typed my name 3 times and according to transport Canada it was the wrong information . Well I guess they want me to use someone else’s name . I will try again and hope the gremlins are sleeping . Maybe this weekend .

meriachee · Jan 10, 2019

Dave A said:
With only 65% needed for a pass on the basic exam those odd questions that seem out of place as far as drone knowledge goes should not be too much of a problem. I will do the test today.

The "odd" questions amount to a lot more content than one would expect. I don't know if any of these people ever considered that the COG in a drone is not really a debatable consideration? The COG is shifted to the left and the drone is balanced? Really? It's a stupid test, not very applicable or well considered. They say that the machine is line of sight and then throw in a question about the distance of 320km between two places. Can you see your Mavic when it's 320km away? These yahoos seem to believe that you can.
Why would you CARE about notam postings, you're not allowed (and nor should you) be anywhere NEAR an airport.

Canuk · Jan 10, 2019

And does this surprise you from our government?
Be honest .Hmmm

Dave A · Jan 10, 2019

meriachee said:
Why would you CARE about notam postings, you're not allowed (and nor should you) be anywhere NEAR an airport.

Because NOTAM's can also inform you of temporary no fly zones that you may not otherwise know of.

mad monkey · Jan 10, 2019

Canuk said:
And does this surprise you from our government?
Be honest .Hmmm

Any government... All parties aside.. I bet if you wait in a few. Weeks the test will. Be different because of backlash about the very NON drone questioning

meriachee · Jan 10, 2019

I crafted an email to Marc Garneau last night. I completely expect an invasion force at the front door 20 minutes after it gets read.

lenabanana · Jan 10, 2019

meriachee said:
The "odd" questions amount to a lot more content than one would expect. I don't know if any of these people ever considered that the COG in a drone is not really a debatable consideration? The COG is shifted to the left and the drone is balanced? Really? It's a stupid test, not very applicable or well considered. They say that the machine is line of sight and then throw in a question about the distance of 320km between two places. Can you see your Mavic when it's 320km away? These yahoos seem to believe that you can.
Why would you CARE about notam postings, you're not allowed (and nor should you) be anywhere NEAR an airport.

I needed to know the speed of descending air currents inside of cumulonimbus clouds (which form at 250M+) but I’m only allowed to fly my drone up to 120M. Also, how many degrees are in a time zone and how to do a radio check on my non existent radio... whoever wrote and approved this tests has probably never flown a drone in their life.

Gareeee · Jan 10, 2019

I was surprised how easy it was to register and get basic certification. $5 for registration and $10 to take the test. In all, it took just over 20 minutes! Now I don't need a $600 course to get an SFOC and am able to do this without all that paperwork that was needed before.
As a bonus we can now fly 400 feet AGL (as opposed to 300AGL in the old regs)!

meriachee · Jan 10, 2019

I am very familiar with the nautical version, Notice to Mariners. There's a heck of a difference between a mostly submerged container in the Georgia Strait than there is to a weather front coming into Val Dor. I don't recall a lot of discussion here about waterproofing the Mavic to operate in a monsoon.
The test really needs to be tailored to vehicles, if they are going to include multirotors and planes as drones.

drone_video · Jan 10, 2019

Sloth469 said:
That could be an issue since the regulations now apply to model aircraft as well. TC now lumps recreational drones and model aircraft in the same class (RPA)

This is my concern also

But the reason why I don’t think it forms part of the law is that in all other cases they clearly give a distance. In this case they literally use the words “far away”. They also say far away from planes, helicopters and other drones. So that confuses me a bit more too.

I don’t think I’m going to worry about it too much as far away is a qualitative statement and I’m not an idiot. I’m not doing formation flying which is no longer spelled out as a don’t. But 50 feet from another drone at different altitudes when your in constant visually contact and can talk to the other pilot and you both know what’s going on I think is okay. Of course not do this over people etc.

This part of the new rules is just a little less clear then I would have expected after more than a year of working the laws.

drone_video · Jan 10, 2019

mad monkey said:
Plus it's not like other drones emit s signal for me to watch for and avoid.....

I guess not yet.... maybe one day. The reality is I’ve never ran into another drone flyer that I didn’t arrange to meet. We have flown together and agreed on different altitudes and flown away from each other. Like I take the left side they take the right. And we call out changes in direction and height.

Since the wording is “far away” I’m not sure how that is to be implemented. Guys flying at the model airfields as was pointed out before are effected by the same laws.

But at the same time the wording here says “drones” and in all other parts of the rules it says “UAV” which includes model aircraft also. So either this rule is a suggestion or they specifically meant only drone flyers.

Vague at best so I will use my interpretation of far away. Which to mean means safe.

Fernando2 · Jan 10, 2019

Is anyone else confused or concerned about the new rule stating you need to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in order to be licensed to fly a drone?
That to me is very concerning. Does that mean anyone coming to Canada suddenly can’t fly a drone here? What if other countries adopt the same policy? Suddenly no one will be able to fly anywhere other than their home country.

Am I interpreting this right?

tangy07 · Jan 10, 2019

just did the test and passed..took me about an hour without reading anything and just search while doing it.

JohnnyMac · Jan 10, 2019

Ken K said:
And have your Pilot's Certificate readily at hand (must pass Basic Exam - $10 every two years).
Some info here:
Knowledge Requirements for Pilots of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems 250 g up to and including 25 kg, Operating within Visual Line-of-Sight (VLOS) (TP 15263) - Transport Canada

Looks to me like 99% of drone flights are going to be illegal if all of that "basic" knowledge is required for a certificate.
Or am I missing something?

Any idea if we are supposed to use the existing regulations (such as weight 250g-35kg or height 300') vs. the new regulations 250g-25kg and 400' for the exam?

tangy07 · Jan 10, 2019

JohnnyMac said:
Any idea if we are supposed to use the existing regulations (such as weight 250g-35kg or height 300') vs. the new regulations 250g-25kg and 400' for the exam?

new rules..this is for the new regulations in June