Help for drone safety partners and manufacturers

Customers often expect retailers to provide information about licensing and safety from the place they buy their drone. Retailers can use these products to support a safe and educated drone community.

On this page

Inform your customers

All drone pilots flying drones between 250 g and 25 kg must register their drone. Drone pilots also need to get a drone pilot certificate. Drones under 250g do not need to be registered and do not require a pilot certificate but pilots are still responsible for flying safely. Drones over 25 kg also do not need to be registered, but require a special flight operations certificate instead.

There are two main categories of drone operations: basic and advanced. When a customer is buying a drone, it's important they consider whether they will be conducting basic or advanced operations, and select a drone accordingly.

Canada.ca/drone-safety has all of the services and information they’ll need to get flying.

Videos

See our full “Know Before You Go” playlist on YouTube or check out these videos.

Title Description Length Preview

Canada’s New Drone Safety Rules

New drone safety rules in effect June 1, 2019.

Wonder if you need to register your drone, take an exam or where you can fly?

Learn about the two main categories of drone operation in Canada: basic and advanced, and the set of rules drone pilots must follow for each category.

Know before you go!
Canada.ca/drone-safety

2:27

 

Drone Safety Tips and Best Practices

New drone safety rules in effect June 1, 2019.

Flying a drone for the first time?

Learn about some of the important rules, tips and best practices that you need to keep in mind to fly your drone safely and respectfully.

Know before you go!
Canada.ca/drone-safety

2:24

 

How to prepare before each drone flight

New drone safety rules in effect June 1, 2019.

Getting ready to fly your drone?

Learn what you need to do before heading out for a flight.

Know before you go!
Canada.ca/drone-safety

2:04

 

Interest in Aviation Starts with Drones!

Interested in aviation for fun, research or a career? Explore the possibilities by starting with a drone pilot certificate.

Know before you go!
Canada.ca/drone-safety

00:51

 

Social media - #dronesafety

We are on social media. Like, share, or retweet our posts to promote drone safety and the new rules.

Follow:

Visual Resources / Infographics

Retailers and collaborators are encouraged to use/embed TC infographics, web banners, and YouTube videos.

 

Find your drone category

(PDF 519 KB)

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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

Download

How to mark your drone:

(PDF, 443 KB)

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Know before you go!

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

Download

Where can you fly your drone?

(PDF, 639 KB)

Text description

Know before you go!

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

Download

 
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Drones less than 250 g

(PDF 1,071 KB)

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Know before you go!

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

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

Download

Know before you go!
Wildfires and drones

(PDF 926 Kb)

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Know before you go!
Wildfires and drones

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

While some emergency response teams use drones to fight wildfires, flying a drone over or near a wildfire 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 wildfire, or within 9.3 kilometres (5 NM) of a wildfire.

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 wildfires 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

Download

Privacy guidelines for drone operator

Know before you go!
Privacy guidelines for drone operator

(PDF 973 Kb)

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Know before you go!

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

Download

 

Help us spread the word about drones and forest fires!

Connect with Transport Canada on social media. Join the conversation and help promote safe drone operations, especially during wildfire season, by using the hashtag #DroneSafety.

Download these graphics to use them on your social media channels:

 

Download

 

Download

 

Download or order print materials and signage

You can use our official material in-store or on location. Guide people to where they can find the rules (e.g. banner or poster), or order something that people can take with them (e.g. postcards or stickers).

Postcards

While supplies last, you can order a free shipment of up to 1,000 of these postcards. Email TC.RPASInfo-InfoSATP.TC@tc.gc.ca to order.

Drone Safety
Know before you go!

Text description

When you fly your drone, you’re a pilot.
Understand the rules that apply to you and where it’s safe to fly. Register your drone and get your pilot certificate online at: Canada.ca/drone-safety.

Note: These postcards are bilingual and are printed double sided in English and French.

Full colour
Size: 5” x 7” with bleed

Download

 

Stickers

Drone Safety
Know before you go!
Canada.ca/drone-safety

Text description

PDF, 381 KB

Full colour with bleeds
Paper : Crack-and-peel
Size: 2”x 3” with bleed

Download

 

Pull-up banner

 

Drone Safety
Know before you go!
Canada.ca/drone-safety

Text description

PDF, 737 KB

Full colour
Size: 31.5”x83.5”, plus 6” bleed at the bottom

Download

 

Podium sign

 

Drone Safety
Know before you go!

Text description

PDF, 2,033 KB

Print on 1/8” PVC board
Size: 27” x 12”, bleed

Download

 

More swag

Want to help us promote drone safety, but you don’t see anything here that works for you? Email us with your idea for a different product, and we’ll see what we can do!

Drone safety assurance declaration

If you build or modify drones, you can submit a drone safety assurance declaration to Transport Canada identifying the capabilities of the system.