Starting November 4th, 2025, drone pilots need to follow new rules set by the federal government. Pilots are now allowed to fly drones beyond visual line of sight or in protected areas. If you fly drones, do you know your responsibilities?
Before flying, make sure to know your drone’s weight. To determine a drone’s weight, include the weight of attachments like a camera or safety cage, but don’t include the weight of the controller.
Drones fall into four weight categories:
- Microdrones: under 0.25 kg,
- Small drones: 0.25 kg to 25 kg,
- Medium drones: 25 kg to 150 kg,
- Large drones: more than 150 kg.
Pilots of microdrones are the only people who don’t need to register their drone or get a drone pilot certificate, unless they fly a drone in higher-risk environments. Flying a microdrone during an event also requires a special certificate.
And no matter what drone you fly, you must follow good practices for drone flying. For example, you must:
- inspect your drone before flying it,
- keep an eye on your drone,
- have your drone fly at least 30 metres away from bystanders.
You also can’t fly your drone over 122 metres high or over critical infrastructure, like bridges, power networks, and communication towers.
Category of operation
Many factors must be considered when determining the category of operation for a drone. The Canadian Aviation Regulations recognize four categories of operations:
- basic operations,
- advanced operations,
- special operations,
- level 1 complex operations.
Your category depends on your drone’s weight, the purpose of its flight, distance from bystanders, and the airspace type. Whether you fly for recreational or commercial reasons, you must have the right drone pilot certificate for the category of operation and have proof of registration.
A basic operation is when you fly a small drone within your visual line-of-sight, in an uncontrolled airspace, at least 100 metres away from bystanders and far from airports.
You must be 14 or older and have passed the required exam to get the basic operations pilot certificate.
In an advanced operation, you can fly a drone within your visual line-of-sight in a controlled airspace (like within 5.6 km from a certified airport or military aerodrome, or within 1.9 km from a certified heliport) with permission from air traffic control or less than 30 metres away from bystanders. All medium-drone operations are considered advanced operations or higher.
When flying a small drone, you can go beyond your line-of-sight, but a trained visual observer must keep an eye on the drone and surroundings. This must be done in uncontrolled airspace away from airports.
You must be 16 or older to receive the pilot certificate required for advanced operations.
The new rules also cover special drone operations for pilots that have a Pilot Certificate – Advanced Operations. A special operation is when a pilot flies a small drone beyond line-of-sight around obstacles (like buildings). If you already hold a pilot certificate for advanced operations, you don’t need to reapply for another certificate – just make sure you learn the new rules.
Finally, level 1 complex operations cover flying a small or medium drone beyond line-of-sight:
- over unpopulated areas (at least 1 km from populated zones),
- over sparsely populated areas (for small drones),
- below 122 metres in altitude in uncontrolled airspace.
Pilots must be 18 or older and have a Operator Certificate (RPOC) for a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS).
You must also request special authorization from Transport Canada to fly drones that weight over 150 kg.
Your obligations over certain areas
To fly your drone legally, you need to respect particular rules flying over these areas:
- airports, water airports, heliports and aerodromes,
- national parks,
- emergency sites (for example: police intervention security perimeter or around a natural disaster),
- events (for example: outdoor concerts and sports events).
These specific rules vary depending on the area your drone flies over.
You could have to pay a $1,000 fine if you use your drone without respecting an area’s specific rules. You could also have to pay a $5,000 fine if you compromise the safety of an aircraft or people while using your drone.
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Did you know some rules apply when you fly over private properties? When flying your drone over a private property, like a house or commercial building, you must respect the owner’s or tenant’s rights. You must get their prior consent to film or take pictures of their faces or license plates. Your drone must fly at a reasonable height to respect the peace and safety of the neighbourhood. To avoid conflicts, make sure you get permission from owners and tenants to use your drone over their residence and purchase a liability insurance to cover any damages your drone might cause. |