Canada

UAS regulations

April 2020: Notice of Proposed AmendmentRemotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Lower-Risk Beyond Visual Line-of Sight:
 
https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/aviation/documents/NPA_2020-012_LOW_RISK_BVLOS.pdf


New rules from June 1, 2019.
Drones homepage:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/aviation/drone-safety.html 
·  New rules for drones in Canada
·  Canadian Aviation Regulations
·  Standard 921 – Small Remotely Piloted Aircraft in Visual Line-Of-Sight (VLOS)
·  Standard 922 – Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Safety Assurance
New rules for drones in Canada
From Transport Canada
On January 9, 2019, we published new rules for flying drones in Canada. These rules will come into effect on June 1, 2019. You can read up on the new rules but you still need to follow the current rules.
On this page

• Overview of the new rules
• Key concepts

Overview of the new rules
The new rules apply to Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), or “drones,” that:

• weigh 250 grams (g) up to and including 25 kilograms (kg), and
• are operated within the drone pilot’s visual-line-of-sight

The rules introduce two categories of drones operations : basic and advanced. The categories are based on distance from bystanders and on airspace rules.
Key concepts
Penalties
The new rules are enforced by Transport Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). There are serious penalties, for those who break the rules. Individuals and corporations can face fines or jail time for:

• putting aircraft and people at risk
• flying without a drone pilot certificate
• flying unmarked or unregistered drones

Pilot certificates, knowledge tests, and flight reviews
All pilots of drones that weigh between 250 g and 25 kg must get a drone pilot certificate.
Pilots conducting basic operations need a Pilot Certificate – Basic Operations.
Pilots conducting advanced operations need a Pilot Certificate – Advanced Operations. To get this certificate, they must pass the Small Advanced Exam and an in-person flight review. The flight review will assess a pilot’s ability to operate their drone safely.
Registration
All drones that weigh between 250 g and 25 kg must be registered with Transport Canada. Pilots must mark their drones with their registration number before they fly.
RPAS Safety Assurance
The RPAS Safety Assurance tells users the safety limits of the drone they are using. Pilots must operate their drone within the limits outlined in the RPAS Safety Assurance that its manufacturer declared to Transport Canada. An RPAS Safety Assurance is needed to conduct advanced operations.
 
[The information above was added in Feb 2019, David Guerin]

[CAUTION: the following has not been checked recently and may be incorrect, and will be incorrect after 1 June 2019:]


The definition of a model aircraft: less than 77.2 pounds, individually owned (no companies allowed) and not profit-seeking. If an aircraft meets these conditions, it is considered a recreational vehicle, making it subject to lower scrutiny. Aircraft that don’t meet this criteria are officially “unmanned aerial vehicles” and require Special Flight Operations certificates.

 

DO NOT FLY:

• Closer than 9 km from any airport, heliport, or aerodrome.

• Higher than 90 metres above the ground.

• Closer than 150 metres from people, animals, buildings, structures, or vehicles.

• In populated areas or near large groups of people, including sporting events, concerts, festivals, and firework shows.

• Near moving vehicles, highways, bridges, busy streets or anywhere you could endanger or distract drivers.

• Within restricted and controlled airspace, including near or over military bases, prisons, and forest fires.

• Anywhere you may interfere with first responders.

 

Drones under 1kg can be flown for any purpose without permission and without informing Transport Canada, the aviation regulator. Drones that weigh more than 1kg and below 25kg can be flown if Transport Canada is informed of the type and location of flight.

Drones being used for work or research that weigh more then 25kg or recreational drones weighing over 35kg can only be flown with a Special Flight Operations Certificate. All flights must stay below 90 meters, within line of site, far from airports, populated areas, and moving vehicles. “Work or research” drone operators must have $100,000 liability insurance, and all drones must give right-of-way to manned aircraft.

 

A good summary is this infographic:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/ca-opssvs/Infographic-Do_I_need_permission_to_fly_my_drone.pdf

 

New exemptions entered into force on 22 DEC 2016 : https://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/regserv/affairs/exemptions/docs/en/2880.htm

 

New laws have been published in March 2017 and are here: https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2017/03/new_safety_rulesforrecreationaldroneusetakeimmediateeffect.html [David Guerin 23 April 2017]