Canada is full of scenic places, and it is tempting to be able to capture the country’s natural beauty from the skies. Flying a drone can be a rewarding, and entertaining, experience just for the fun of flying too. Completing the appropriate examinations and possessing a Basic Pilot Certificate or an Advanced Pilot Certificate means you can enjoy your drone safely and legally. Read on to learn which of these drone licenses suit your needs to and how you can obtain them.
Why do you need a pilot’s license to fly drones in Canada?
Drones are defined as Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) by the Canadian Government. Depending on where you live, you may also see them referenced as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in provincial and municipal bylaws. As drones are aerial vehicles, you need a pilot license to operate drones under the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs).
Drones that weigh less than 250 grams at take off (including any photography equipment such as ND filters) do not need a drone pilot license or registration in Canada.
What do the Basic Pilot Certificate and Advanced Pilot Certificate Cover?
A Basic Pilot Certificate allows you to fly a drone weighing above 250 grams for recreational purposes in Canada. This drone license means you are allowed to fly your drone:
- 100 feet / or 30 meters away from any bystanders. i.e., you can’t fly your drone above people.
- At least 5 km away from airports.
- In uncontrolled airspaces.
To put it simply, a basic pilots license typically allows you to fly your drone in unpopulated areas, away from people.
The Advanced Pilot certificate is the certification for you if you want to use your drone professionally for work or recreationally in populated areas. It can be a good fit for you if you plan to:
- To fly your drone close to people or horizontally over them (like at a festival for example).
- Fly your drone within 5km of an airport.
- Fly your drone in a controlled airspace.
Getting the basic pilot’s certificate:
The basic pilot certificate requires you to pass the Transport Canada Basic Pilot CertificateOnline Exam which is an online written examination conducted by Transport Canada. The exam consists of 35 questions and 90 minutes to complete them in. You need a minimum of 65% to be eligible for your license.
Coastal Drone’s Basic Online Bundle helps you prep for the exam by transporting you to a virtual on-demand ground school where you gain a comprehensive overview of the skills and abilities needed to be a drone pilot. You then have access to the exam prep course where you can take mock exams as many times as you like until you feel confident enough to pass the Transport Canada exam.
You also receive a Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) guide to make your future life as a pilot easier.
How to get your advanced pilot certificate:
The advanced drone license requires a lot more effort and knowledge than the basic pilot license. Many people agree that the test is hard. This makes it a good idea to enroll in a drone flight school who can take you through the entire process. The online examination is made up of 50 multiple choice questions which need to be completed within an hour. You need to get at least 80% to pass the examination. You also need to pass an in-person flight review test to get your advanced drone license in Canada.
The Coastal Drone Advanced Pilot Bundle prepares you to pass the Advanced Certification Exam with all the ground school info you need, mock examinations, SOP guide, and materials to help you prepare for your in-person flight review to receive your Advanced Drone Pilot Certification. What’s more is that Coastal Drone has a network of flight reviewers and testing sites all across Canada so you can take your review quickly and conveniently.
Now that you know how drone flight schools can help you get your drone license in Canada, get in touch with the team at Coastal Drone Co or book your course today.
