Help for drone safety partners and manufacturers

Know before you go!

Find your drone category

You need a pilot certificate – basic operations to:

• Fly more than 30 m from bystanders
• Fly in uncontrolled airspace (where no air traffic control is provided)

You need a pilot certificate – advanced operations to:

• Fly less than 30 m from or over bystanders
• Fly in controlled airspace with air traffic control approval

You need a Special Flight Operations Certificate to fly:

• At an advertised event
• A drone over 25 kg
• Above 122 metres (400 feet) - approximately a 30-storey building

Canada.ca/drone-safety

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How to mark your drone:

Register your drone through the Drone Management Portal

Mark your drone with its registration number.

(Image of a drone and zoom in on its registration number: C-1827459426)

The registration number must be clearly visible on the drone.

You can use:

• permanent marker
• permanent label
• engraving

Canada.ca/drone-safety

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Where can you fly your drone?

Register your drone and get your basic or advanced drone pilot certificate at:
Canada.ca/drone-safety

Use this map to find a safe site to fly your drone:

https://nrc.canada.ca/en/uav-site-selection/

Always respect the privacy of others while flying

Fly your drone:

• where you can see it at all times
• below 122 m (400 ft)
• 1.9 km from heliports / 5.6 km from airports and outside controlled airspace
• away from emergency sites and advertised events (concerts, parades)

Basic operations:

• Fly 30 m horizontally from bystanders

Advanced operations:

For eligible drones

• Get permission from NAV CANADA to fly in controlled airspace: navcanada.ca/rpas
• Fly near or over bystanders

Canada.ca/drone-safety

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Drones less than 250 g

Drones that weigh less than 250 grams are also known as microdrones.

If you fly a microdrone, you must:

Fly safely—don’t put people or other aircraft in danger

• Avoid emergency sites and restricted airspace (forest fires, first responder perimeters)
• Follow provincial, territorial or municipal rules that may also apply, including rules about privacy and trespassing: canada.ca/safe-legal-drones

You should:

• Keep your drone below 122 metres (400 feet) in the air – approximately a 30-storey building
• Keep your drone where you can see it
• Avoid advertised events
• Avoid airports
  • Use this map to find a safe site to fly your drone: nrc.canada.ca/en/uav-site-selection

You don’t need to:

• Register your drone
• Get a drone pilot certificate

Maximum take-off weight

If the take-off weight of your drone is 250 g or more, it isn’t a microdrone. You must register it and get a drone pilot certificate.

The maximum take-off weight of your drone includes batteries or anything you attach to it, like:

• communications equipment
• sensors
• cameras
• lights

If you break the rules, you could be fined $1,000 (for an individual) or $5,000 (for a corporation)

Canada.ca/drone-safety

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Forest fires and drones

The airspace around and over a forest fire is closed to all aircraft, including drones, except those directly involved in fighting fires.

While some emergency response teams use drones to fight forest fires, flying a drone over or near a forest fire without permission increases the risk that a firefighting aircraft will collide with the drone. If a drone is spotted in the area, emergency response teams need to ground their operations, which puts lives at risk.

Canadian law requires all drone pilots to fly according to the Canadian Aviation Regulations, which state that only someone with permission can fly a drone over a forest fire, or within 9.3 kilometres (5 NM) of a forest fire.

You could face serious penalties, including fines and/or jail time, if you break the rules.

Before flying a drone in the summer months, make sure there are no smoke plumes or active forest fires nearby. Check local sources of information, such as the fire management agency website (English only) for your region, and NAV Drone, which provides real-time access to Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) and restricted airspace information.

Canada.ca/drone-safety

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Privacy guidelines for drone operators

Recreational drone operators

Before you fly your drone, understand the rules you must follow.

Keep in mind the following privacy guidelines when operating recreational drones:

Be responsible

You’re in charge of any personal information your drone collects. Personal information includes: a person’s name, a photo of their face, or their licence plate.

Limit the data you collect

Don’t collect personal information you don’t need. Make sure any personal information you capture without consent can’t be identified. For example, blur faces or licence plates.

Get permission

If you’ll likely capture personal information on your flight, do your best to inform the people you film and get their permission.

Store information securely

If you save recordings that contain personal information, take steps so only you can access the information.

Be open about what you’re doing

If someone complains that your drone use is affecting their privacy, make sure to respond with respect and courtesy.

Violating some parts of a person’s privacy could result in criminal charges relating to:

• voyeurism

• mischief

• creating a nuisance

• violations of provincial or municipal laws

Commercial drone operators

Businesses in Canada must follow the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) when using drones.

Under PIPEDA, you must get consent to collect, use and share personal information with others. In order for consent to be valid, people must understand what they are agreeing to.

Your business must handle people’s personal information professionally and with respect. This includes explaining why you need to collect personal information and giving people access to their personal information.

You’re responsible for protecting and handling personal information throughout your business.

Who doesn’t need to follow PIPEDA?

PIPEDA doesn’t apply if your organization operates only within Alberta, British Columbia, or Quebec; however, other provincial privacy laws still apply. PIPEDA also doesn’t apply if you’re collecting, using, or sharing personal information for:

• journalism

• art

• books

• academic research

• not-for-profit organizations or charities

Canada.ca/drone-safety