This guide provides general information about operating drones legally and safely in Canada in connection with DroneAdHub services. It does not replace the Aeronautics Act, the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs), or official Transport Canada guidance.
Operators are solely responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws, authorizations, and safety requirements for each flight.
This Compliance Guide is incorporated by reference into the DroneAdHub Operator Terms of Service. In the event of any inconsistency between this Guide and the Operator Terms of Service, the Operator Terms of Service govern.
Drone operations in Canada are regulated under:
These rules apply regardless of whether a flight is recreational or commercial, subject to limited exceptions for microdrones.
Basic Pilot Certificate
Required when operating in uncontrolled airspace and away from bystanders, in accordance with CARs Part IX.
Advanced Pilot Certificate
Required for operations in controlled airspace, near people, or at certain events, subject to authorization and aircraft safety requirements.
Certain operations may require a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC-RPAS) rather than a Basic or Advanced certificate. These include:
Operators are solely responsible for determining whether an SFOC or other authorization is required and for obtaining all required approvals prior to performance.
All drones weighing 250 g to 25 kg must:
Registration documentation must be readily accessible during flight.
An SFOC-RPAS is required when an operation cannot be conducted in compliance with CARs Part IX, including (non-exhaustive examples):
Operators are responsible for determining whether an SFOC is required and for obtaining it before the event.
Minimum distances from people depend on:
Operators must comply with the specific distance and safety conditions applicable to their certification and aircraft.
Night operations are permitted if the drone is equipped with appropriate lighting and all CARs safety and visibility requirements are met.
Operators must not operate if weather conditions could compromise safety, including inadequate visibility, excessive wind, or precipitation, and must comply with any additional limits imposed by authorization or SFOC. Operators retain sole discretion and responsibility to cancel or abort a flight where unsafe conditions exist.
Before each flight, operators must ensure:
Operators must report accidents and certain incidents to Transport Canada as required under CARs Part IX, including:
Microdrones are generally exempt from CARs Part IX; however:
While Transport Canada does not mandate liability insurance for all RPAS operations, DroneAdHub requires Operators to maintain commercial general liability insurance with limits of not less than $2,000,000, as a condition of platform participation.
Event organizers, venues, or municipalities may require additional or greater insurance as a contractual condition of participation.
DroneAdHub provides platform-level support, including:
DroneAdHub may provide event-level information or coordination support, but does not supervise flight operations, crowd control, or emergency response, which remain the Operator's responsibility.
DroneAdHub does not assume regulatory responsibility for individual flights.
Verification by DroneAdHub is administrative and does not constitute regulatory approval, legal advice, or a determination that a specific flight is lawful or safe.
DroneAdHub operates in Canada and is subject to Canadian privacy laws, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and, where applicable, substantially similar provincial privacy legislation.
PIPEDA generally applies to the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information in the course of commercial activities. Not all uses of drones or personal information are commercial in nature; however, where DroneAdHub services are used for commercial purposes, Canadian privacy laws may apply.
DroneAdHub's collection, use, disclosure, and retention of personal information are governed by its Privacy Policy, which forms part of the applicable terms of service.
If you provide personal information about other individuals to DroneAdHub in connection with a booking or creative submission (for example, names, images, likenesses, audio/video recordings, or contact information of individuals depicted in advertising or participating in a private event):
By submitting such information, you represent that you have the authority to do so and that the information may be used for public display at the selected event or for coordination of the booked services.
DroneAdHub processes personal information in accordance with its Privacy Policy and shares limited coordination data with matched drone operators solely to perform booked services.
Drone operators are independent contractors and are responsible for their own compliance with applicable privacy and data protection obligations when they receive or process personal information in connection with a booking.
For detailed information about:
please refer to the DroneAdHub Privacy Policy, which governs privacy matters.
Transport Canada – Drone Safety: https://tc.canada.ca/drone-safety
Canadian Aviation Regulations, Part IX
NAV CANADA – NAV Drone: https://www.navcanada.ca
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