Standard 922 - RPAS Safety Assurance - Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs)

Effective January, 9, 2019

Division I - General

922.01 Application

This standard applies to designers, manufacturers, owners, pilots, and maintainers of small RPAS for use in the visual line-of-sight operations referred to in section 901.69 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations ( CARs ).

This standard describes the technical requirements manufacturers are required to meet in order to make a declaration in accordance with section 901.76 of the CARs . Under section 901.79 of the CARs , the manufacturer is required to retain a current record of the results of, and the reports related to, the verifications that the manufacturer has undertaken to ensure that the model of the system meets the applicable technical requirements. An RPAS for which a manufacturer makes no declaration cannot be used to conduct advanced operations referred to in section 901.69 of the CARs .

Definitions

The words and expressions used in these standards have the same meaning as in the CARs .

Division II – Technical Requirements – Operations within Visual Line of Sight

922.02 Basic Operations

[Reserved]

922.03 Operations over Critical Infrastructure

[Reserved]

922.04 Operations in Controlled Airspace

Information Note: These technical requirements are applicable to RPAS declarations for operations referred to in paragraph 901.69(1)(a) of the CARs .

Information Note: The required accuracy for operations within controlled airspace is identified for purposes of communications with other users of the airspace (e.g. control tower) in order to provide a minimum confidence related to the altitude and position reports from an RPAS pilot.

Required Accuracy

  • (1) The remotely piloted aircraft system must have a lateral position accuracy of at least +/- 10 m while operating within the controlled airspace.
  • (2) The remotely piloted aircraft system must have an altitude accuracy of at least +/- 16 m while operating within the controlled airspace.

922.05 Operations near People

Information Note: These technical requirements are applicable to RPAS declarations for operations referred to in paragraph 901.69(1)(b) of the CARs .

Information Note: Where any function of an RPAS is essential to, or can affect, continued safe flight and landing of the Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), that function, and the equipment performing the function, including the RPA control station, the command and control links and any other system elements that may be required during flight operation, will be considered as part of the RPAS for the purposes of establishing RPA limitations.

Protections against Injury to Persons on the Ground

  • (1) The occurrence of any single failure of the RPAS which may result in a severe injury to a person on the ground within 30 m of the RPA in operation must be shown to be remote.

Warning and Alerts

  • (2) Systems, controls, and associated monitoring and warning means must be designed to minimize RPAS pilot errors that could create additional hazards.

922.06 Operations over People

Information Note: These technical requirements are applicable to RPAS declarations for operations referred to in paragraph 901.69(1)(c) of the CARs .

Information Note: Where any function of an RPAS is essential to, or can affect, continued safe flight and landing of the RPA , that function, and the equipment performing the function, including the RPA control station, the command and control links and any other system elements that may be required during flight operation, will be considered as part of the RPAS for the purposes of establishing RPA limitations.

Protections against Injury to Persons on the Ground

  • (1) No single failure of the RPAS may result in a severe injury to a person on the ground within 5 m horizontal of the RPA in operation.
  • (2) The occurrence of any combination of failures of the RPAS which may result in a severe injury to a person on the ground within 5 m horizontal of the RPA in operation must be shown to be remote.

Warning and Alerts

  • (3) Systems, controls, and associated monitoring and warning means must be designed to minimize RPAS pilot errors that could create additional hazards.

Division III – Technical Requirements – Operations beyond Visual Line of Sight

[Reserved]