Drones share airspace with other drones and aircraft. Knowing where to fly your drone is an important part of keeping the skies safe.
On this page
- Your drone and pilot certificate are key
- Check an interactive map
- Be aware of your surroundings
- Understanding shared airspace
- Areas where drone use is limited or restricted
- National parks
- Emergency sites
- Advertised events
- Indoors, underground, near and over buildings
Your drone and pilot certificate are key
Where you can fly depends on what type of drone and pilot certificate you hold.
Find your category of drone operation to know what drone pilot certificate you need and the rules you need to follow.
Check an interactive map or app
NAV CANADA and the National Research Council have created interactive maps and apps to help you understand airspace and find out where to fly.
NAV CANADA’s Nav Drone also allows you to schedule flights and request permission to fly in airspace controlled by NAV CANADA.
The National Research Council’s Drone Site Selection Tool is an interactive map designed to help drone pilots determine areas where drone flight is prohibited, restricted or potentially hazardous. It is for your convenience only.
Be aware of your surroundings
Prior to operating, drone pilots must conduct a survey of the area before the start of the operation.
Identify the airspace
Determine whether there are is controlled airspace, restricted airspace, or any aerodromes, airports, or heliports in the vicinity. This information can be found in the Canada Flight Supplement (CFS), the Designated Airspace Manual, and relevant aeronautical charts. This information is available through the NRC Drone Site Selection Tool or NAV Drone.
Check for Notice to Aviators (NOTAM)
NOTAMs are notices to aviators that tell pilots about events, airspace that is temporarily regulated, and obstacles that may affect them. All NOTAMs include the time, location, zone and information of the event.
Current NOTAMs are available on the NAV CANADA NOTAMs portal and also in NAV Drone.
Understanding shared airspace
If you fly a drone in Canada, you must follow the rules that help keep people and aircraft safe.
Flying in controlled airspace – Advanced certificate
To operate within controlled airspace, drone pilots need at least an advanced pilot certificate, a drone with the appropriate manufacturer safety declaration, and the air navigation service provider authorization.
Drone pilots must have a means to contact, and be contacted by, the airspace authority during their operation. For more information on operations in controlled airspace, please visit section 3.4.1.4 of the RPA chapter of Transport Canada Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM).
Airspace controlled by NAV CANADA
Drone pilots holding an Advanced Pilot Certificate can request permission to fly their drone in airspace controlled by NAV CANADA through the NAV Drone.
Controlled airspace under the authority of the Minister of National Defence (MND)
You must request a flight authorization from the appropriate military aerodrome authorities, this information can be found in the Canada Flight Supplement (CFS), on the NRC Drone Site Selection Tool, or NAV Drone.
Areas where drone use is limited or restricted
Drones are considered aircraft under the Aeronautics Act and Canadian Aviation Regulations and are therefore prohibited for all drones, including drones weighing less than 250 g, to enter the following zones without the proper authorizations:
- Class F Special Use Restricted Airspace
- Emergency sites
- Zones where article 5.1 of the Aeronautics Act published as a NOTAM has been used to restrict access to the airspace
Airports, heliports and aerodromes
You must not fly near an aerodrome in a manner that could interfere with aircraft operating there.
An aerodrome is a designated area where aircraft take off and land. This includes airports, heliports, and seaplane bases.
Unless you are following an established Transport Canada procedure, you cannot fly closer than:
- 5.6 kilometres (3 nautical miles) from any airport listed as Certified (“Cert”) in the Canada Flight Supplement
- 1.9 kilometres (1 nautical mile) from heliports listed as Certified (“Cert”) in the Canada Flight Supplement
- 9.3 kilometres (5 nautical miles) from aerodromes heliports listed as Certified (“Cert”) in the Canada Flight Supplement if conducting lower-risk beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations
Airport, water airport or heliports outside of controlled airspace
There are steps you must follow if you are flying in airspace not controlled by NAV CANADA or Minister of National Defence, but you will fly within 3 nautical miles of a certified airport or within 1 nautical mile from a certified heliport.
To do this, you must:
- always have a valid drone pilot certificate - advanced operations
- comply with established procedures.
Transport Canada established procedures can be found in the section 3.4.1.3 of the RPA chapter of Transport Canada Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM).
Operations within 3 nautical miles of a Department of National Defense (MND) aerodrome
Drone operations within 3 nautical miles (5.6 kilometers) of an aerodrome under the authority of the MND require authorization from the MND aerodrome authorities.
For more information about these zones and how to properly access them, please consult the NRC Drone Site Selection tool and section 3.2.35 of the RPA chapter of Transport Canada Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM).
National parks
Drone pilots are not allowed to take-off or land within a national park.
A park superintendent may allow the use of drones in some cases. If you want to fly a drone in a national park, read about the use of drones at Parks Canada places and contact Parks Canada.
Emergency sites
Drone pilots are not allowed to fly within the security perimeter of a police or first responder emergency operation, such as a traffic accident. You must also avoid sites near disasters (wildfires, floods, earthquakes). A drone flying near these areas may interfere with emergency personnel aircraft and the work of emergency personnel.
Do not fly
- Within 9.3 kilometers (5 nautical miles) from a wildfire
- Over or within the security perimeter of an emergency response operation such as a flood or accident scene
Advertised events
Drone pilots, including microdrone pilots, are not allowed to fly near or at advertised events, such as outdoor concerts and sporting events, unless they have a Special Flight Operations Certificate that specifically allows them to do so.
Indoors, underground, near and over buildings
Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations do not apply to indoor or underground drone operations. No matter where you fly, however, you must fly safely and always respect all other laws so as not to pose danger to people or other aircraft. Before you fly indoors, or near or over buildings, we recommend getting permission from the building owner and/or occupants.