Before flying your drone and collecting data on your worksite in Canada, you must obtain a drone Pilot Certificate - Advanced Operations. Failure to do so can result in fines up to $5,000.
This article outlines the process of obtaining a Pilot Certificate - Advanced Operations through Transport Canada.
Online Exam
Passing the Small Advanced Exam is the first step towards obtaining your Pilot Certificate - Advanced Operations.
You must score an 80% or higher on this 60 minute, 50 multiple choice question exam.
Transport Canada recommends attending a drone flight school before taking the exam.
The exam content is based on the Knowledge Requirements for Pilots of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, although this is not a comprehensive study guide.
If you fail the online exam, you must wait 24 hours before taking it again. However, you can take it as many times as you like.
In-person Flight Review
After passing the Small Advanced Exam, you must attend and pass an in-person flight review with an approved drone flight school.
To schedule the flight review, you’ll need to provide the drone flight school with the following:
- The results page of your passed Small Advanced Exam.
- Valid, government-issued identification.
- Certificate of Registration for the drone being used in the flight review.
- Flight review fee.
The flight reviewer will determine your ability to safely operate your drone.
If you fail the flight review, you can schedule another review for the next day. There is no limit to the number of times you can take the flight review.
Apply for a Pilot Certificate - Advanced Operations
After you’ve passed your online exam and in-person flight review, you’re ready to apply for your Pilot Certificate - Advanced Operations.
You must sign into Transport Canada’s Drone Management Portal, pay the application fee, and wait for your application to be approved.
Once you’ve received your approved application, you can fly your drone commercially in Canada.
I still can't do it!
We wrote these articles to equip you with everything you need to get the job done on your own, but we understand that sometimes this isn't sufficient.
If you're stuck, the Propeller hardware support team may be able to help. You can contact them by emailing hardwaresupport@propelleraero.com.au.