Canada has one of the safest air sectors in the world. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting innovation and economic growth in in the aviation industry, while making sure the safety of Canadians is held to the highest standard.
Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, announced the first proposed Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) drone rules in Canada, which are also among the first in the world.
The proposed changes to the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) include rules for lower-risk operations of drones beyond visual line-of-sight, as well as for the operation of medium-sized drones within visual line-of-sight.
The proposed rules would require drones to be capable of detecting and avoiding other air traffic to ensure safety. They would also introduce a new class of pilot certification for lower-risk BVLOS operations, including a requirement to meet a new drone pilot medical standard, and eliminate the requirement to obtain a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) for certain lower-risk BVLOS and medium-sized drone operations.
These proposed changes would benefit Canadians as it would permit drone operations such as package delivery to remote communities, first responder operations, and natural resources and wildlife surveys to take place - among many other potential uses.
Canadians and members of the drone industry are invited to provide feedback on the proposed regulations through Canada Gazette, Part I over a 90-day consultation period.
Some provisions of the regulations would come into force upon publication in Canada Gazette, Part II, which is anticipated in fall 2024, while others would come into force on April 1, 2025.
