Once you know the rules and are ready to fly, these best practices will help you fly safe and smart.
On this page
- Tips for first-time pilots
- Public liability insurance
- Urban airflow
- Drone safety tips and best practices videos
Tips for first-time pilots
- Make sure it is safe to fly (ask yourself, for example: are the batteries fully charged? Is it too cold or windy to fly?)
- Fly your drone with someone who has flown a drone before
- Fly your drone in an open space and away from people
- Fly your drone close to the ground and at a low speed
- Fly your drone during daylight and in good weather
Public liability insurance
We recommend buying public liability insurance for your drone. However, it is not required. Note that most standard home insurance policies do not cover the use of drones.
Urban airflow
Flying in urban areas can be much more complex than flying in an open field.
This video provides awareness to RPAS users on the complex airflows within urban environments, caused by interactions between the wind and the structures. Provided you are authorized to fly in this environment, the range of flow types shown in this video may be within the flight path of your remotely piloted aircraft.
Supporting research document: Urban airflow: what drone pilots need to know - NRC Publications Archive - Canada.ca
Urban Airflow: What Drone Pilots Need to Know
Drone safety tips and best practices visuals
| Title | Description | Preview |
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Tips on maintaining safe drone practices |
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| How to prepare before each drone flight (video) |
Getting ready to fly your drone? Learn what you need to do before heading out for a flight. |
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| Drone Safety Tips and Best Practices (video) |
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. |
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| Drone Safety Day Photo Challenge (series of 5 photos) |
In 2021, we challenged Canadians to a #DroneSafetyDay Photo Challenge, and they did not disappoint! Participants were asked to describe how they ensured drone safety while capturing their photo. |
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