Tips and best practices for drone pilots

Once you know the rules and are ready to fly, these best practices will help you fly safe and smart.

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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 videos

Title Description Preview

Flying Like a Pro: Maintaining Safe Drone Practices

Tips on maintaining safe drone practices

How to prepare before each drone flight

Getting ready to fly your drone?

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

Drone Safety Tips and Best Practices

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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