Planning to fly your drone at an advertised event?

Eric Peters
8 hours ago
5 min read

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/2e3db9_05ee9095c34148f7a11e3d49ea06e4eb/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

If you shoot drone content in Canada (especially at events), “I’m Advanced certified” isn’t the whole story anymore.

Transport Canada has basically split permissions into three layers:

Pilot certification (Basic / Advanced / Level 1 Complex)
Drone weight class (micro / small / medium / large)
RPAS Safety Assurance (what the aircraft model has been declared capable of doing)

That third layer is where a lot of people get tripped up.

1) What “RPAS Safety Assurance” actually means

RPAS Safety Assurance is Transport Canada’s way of showing which specific operations a specific drone model is declared safe to do, based on Standard 922 (a technical standard primarily aimed at manufacturers).

Manufacturers can self-declare that a model meets the requirements for certain operational environments (controlled airspace, near people, over people, etc.).

For pilots, the practical takeaway is simple:

Your certificate might allow the type of operation — but your drone still needs the right Safety Assurance to legally do it.

2) What the 922.xx numbers mean

Those columns (922.04, 922.05, etc.) are sections of Standard 922 that map to different operational environments / risk levels. Transport Canada even lists them as the “environments” a manufacturer can declare against.

922.04 – Controlled airspace
- This is the Safety Assurance that supports operations where you need ATC authorization / controlled airspace permissions (when otherwise eligible).
922.05 – Near people
- Think: advanced-type work where you’re operating closer to people than basic rules allow, but not “over people.”
922.06 – Over people
- This is the big one: the Safety Assurance that supports operations very close to / over people where the risk tolerance is much lower and the aircraft needs additional safeguards (the exact thresholds live in the rule set and related guidance).
922.07–922.12 – higher complexity / reliability / system requirements
- These cover things like reliability, containment, command-and-control, detect-and-avoid, control station design, and operating envelope—stuff that matters more as you move into more complex or higher-risk environments.

If you’re ever unsure: don’t guess. Look up the model in the Transport Canada RPAS Safety Assurance list and confirm which 922 sections it actually has.wa

3) Drone weight classes (what changes when you cross 250 g / 25 kg / 150 kg)

Transport Canada breaks drones into these categories:

Micro: under 250 g
Small: 250 g to 25 kg
Medium: over 25 kg to 150 kg
Large: over 150 kg (special operations territory)

Weight impacts what pilot certificate is needed, and often whether you’re in “advanced or beyond” territory automatically.

4) Pilot certificates: what they unlock (at a high level)

Transport Canada’s operation categories + pilot certificates overview is the best starting point.

Micro (<250 g)

No pilot certificate required for many typical non-event scenarios, but you still must fly safely.
Important update: If it’s an advertised event, microdrones now require an SFOC (as of April 1, 2025).

Small (250 g–25 kg)

This is most common pro work.
Basic usually supports “far from bystanders, outside controlled airspace” type flying.
Advanced supports closer/proximity work when the drone model has the right Safety Assurance, plus other requirements like permissions where needed.

Medium (25–150 kg)

Medium drones are treated as advanced (or beyond) by default.
You must still fly within VLOS, and your drone must have the appropriate Safety Assurance for the specific advanced ops you want to do.

Large (>150 kg)

This is generally special operations / SFOC territory.

5) Where SFOCs fit in (and what a “Standing SFOC” really means)

Transport Canada describes an SFOC-RPAS as permission to operate beyond the rules for basic and advanced operations, under special conditions.

A standing / Canada-wide SFOC is not “free rein.” It’s more like: “Here are the exact conditions you must follow, every time.”

Advertised events require specific authorizations + conditions

Our certificate explicitly authorizes operations at an advertised event under CAR 901.41(1).

And it adds important limits, like:

You must be qualified for Advanced and meet recency requirements.
You must use Visual Observer(s) for small RPAS operations at an advertised event under the certificate.
You cannot operate a small RPAS within 5 m of any person not involved in the operation unless the RPAS holds a manufacturer Safety Assurance Declaration (ref. CAR 901.69(c)), and unless the aircraft is operated at an altitude higher than whichever is higher:
- the RPAS manufacturer’s specified minimum safe flight altitude above another person, or
- the parachute system manufacturer’s specified minimum safe deployment altitude (if applicable).
For microdrones (<250 g) under the certificate, you cannot operate within 5 m of any person not involved in the operation unless the RPAS is operated at an altitude higher than 50 ft above any person.

Flight notification + documentation expectations

Your Standing SFOC also requires a Flight Notification at least five (5) business days before advertised-event operations, and it spells out what records you must retain (organizer permission, pilot certificate #, registration #, site survey references, safety plan, etc.).

That’s what “compliance” looks like in real life: paperwork + planning + crew + correct aircraft.

6) Why this matters for events (crowds, vehicles, and perception)

At events, the public expectation is basically: “If it’s over people, it better be extremely reliable and professionally controlled.”

That’s exactly what Standard 922 is trying to enforce — higher-risk environments require higher assurance.

And your SFOC language reflects that reality: it ties close-to-people thresholds directly to whether the aircraft has the required manufacturer Safety Assurance Declaration.

7) The practical “how to stay compliant” checklist

If you’re doing professional work (especially events), this is the simplest safe workflow:

Confirm the drone model’s Safety Assurance (what 922.xx sections it has)
1. Look up your exact make/model in the Transport Canada Safety Assurance listing and confirm which environments it’s declared for (e.g., controlled airspace, near people, over people).
Confirm the operation category (Basic vs Advanced vs Complex) and your pilot certification
1. Double-check which category your mission falls under based on location, proximity to people, and the type of airspace — then confirm your certificate privileges match that category.
If it’s an advertised event: plan as if it’s an aviation operation (because it is)
1. Treat it as a higher-risk environment: coordinate with organizers, define boundaries, and ensure you’re operating under the appropriate authorization and conditions for that environment.
Build your safety plan + site survey + crew plan (PIC/VO)
1. Use a consistent checklist-driven process: site survey, hazards, emergency procedures, communications plan, and clear role assignment (Pilot in Command and Visual Observer(s)). Keep records organized and consistent so it’s easy to demonstrate compliance if requested.
Document everything
1. Keep your permission/approvals, flight plan, safety plan, site survey references, crew roles, and relevant aircraft documentation together for every job.