Canada's Drone Rules in 2026: What Every Pilot and Operator Needs to Know
Updated: 26 minutes ago
Transport Canada rewrote Canada's drone rules in two phases in 2025. The first took effect April 1, 2025; the second, bigger phase took effect November 4, 2025. 2026 is the first full year everyone flies under the new system. This is the single reference we keep current, from sub-250 g microdrones up to 150 kg medium drones.
At a glance
Microdrone (under 250 g): no certificate or registration. SFOC required at advertised events since April 1, 2025.
Basic (250 g–25 kg): Basic Pilot Certificate (online exam). Uncontrolled airspace only, 30 m from bystanders, never over people.
Advanced (250 g–25 kg): Advanced Pilot Certificate (exam plus in-person flight review). Controlled airspace with NAV CANADA approval, near or over people with a declared drone.
Level 1 Complex: Level 1 Complex certificate plus an RPAS Operator Certificate (RPOC). Lower-risk BVLOS in uncontrolled airspace, below 122 m (400 ft), away from aerodromes.
Medium drones (25–150 kg): Advanced certificate plus a declared drone, within visual line of sight.
Microdrones: no longer a free pass at events
Sub-250 g drones still need no certificate or registration for everyday flying. But since April 1, 2025, flying one at an advertised event (a public concert, festival, market or sporting event) requires an SFOC-RPAS, the same as a larger drone. You're considered part of the event if you fly within 30 m (100 ft) of its boundary.
Fines for individuals run up to $1,000 for a microdrone at an advertised event and up to $3,000 for a drone 250 g or more. For corporations it's up to $5,000 and $15,000.
Basic and Advanced certificates
The Basic certificate is an online exam. It covers uncontrolled airspace, 30 m from bystanders, and no flying over people.
The Advanced certificate adds a tougher exam and an in-person flight review. It unlocks controlled airspace (with NAV CANADA authorization), flying near people (as close as 5 m), and over people, but only with a drone that holds the matching Safety Assurance declaration. Your certificate and your aircraft's declaration both have to line up; see our Safety Assurance guide.
Need a flight review in Manitoba? We run them: book here.
FPV is legal, with a visual observer
CARs 901.11 requires the pilot or a visual observer to keep the drone in visual line of sight, and 901.38 requires a visual observer whenever you fly with a first-person-view device. So FPV is legal in uncontrolled airspace with a trained VO. In controlled airspace you also need an Advanced certificate, a compliant drone and ATC authorization.
What changed on November 4, 2025
EVLOS: Advanced pilots can fly beyond their own line of sight in uncontrolled airspace, more than 30 m from uninvolved people, with a trained VO who holds a pilot certificate, within 2 nautical miles (3.6 km) of pilot, VO and control station.
Sheltered operations: Advanced pilots can fly close to structures: more than 30 m from uninvolved people, no more than 30 m above the structure, within 61 m horizontally.
Medium drones (25–150 kg): allowed within line of sight with an Advanced certificate and a declared drone, no SFOC needed just to fly.
Lower-risk BVLOS: allowed without an SFOC if you hold a Level 1 Complex certificate (age 18+, exam, at least 20 hours of ground school, flight review) and operate under an RPOC.
Fees
Drone registration: $10
Level 1 Complex exam: $50
Level 1 Complex pilot certificate: $125
RPAS Operator Certificate (RPOC): $125
SFOC, very low complexity: $20
SFOC, low complexity (includes most advertised events): $75
SFOC, medium complexity: $900
SFOC, high complexity: $2,000
SFOC fees apply to applications since November 4, 2025. Transport Canada's service standard for an advertised-event SFOC is up to 30 working days, so apply early.
What to do now
Check your certificate is current and matches the work you take on.
Check your aircraft's Safety Assurance declarations before booking near-people or over-people work.
For any public event, budget the SFOC fee and at least 30 working days. Our free SFOC support document helps with the application.
If you want BVLOS work, plan for Level 1 Complex ground school and an RPOC.
Local bylaws, privacy law and park rules still apply on top of federal rules.
We hold a Transport Canada Advanced RPAS certificate and a Canada-wide SFOC, and Eric is a certified Advanced RPAS Flight Reviewer. If you're planning drone work and aren't sure which rules apply, get in touch.
Sources: Transport Canada: 2025 summary of changes · Transport Canada: Flying your drone at an advertised event · CARs Part IX
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