Flying a Drone in Canada

You’ve probably read my post about flying in Santorini and I figured we’d do my home country this time. I’m from Alberta Canada which has some of the greatest mountain ranges in Canada. The scenery here is so picturesque and it’s easy to make great photographs, unfortunately you can’t always do it from the air. The drone laws in Canada are always changing, they were pretty strict at the beginning of last year but they loosened up a bit. They’ve said they’re going to update the laws again sometime this year. As of today these are the current rules for flying a drone in Canada.

Rules For Recreational Drone Users

These rules apple to drones that are more than 250g all the way up to 35 KG

No higher than 90m
If your drone weights between 250g to 1kg, at least 30 m away from vehicles, vessels, and the public
If your drone weights more than 1kg up to 35kg at least 75 m away from vehicles, vessels, and the public
At least 5.5 km from aerodromes (any airport, seaplane base, or areas where aircraft take-off and land)
At least 1.8 km away from heliports or aerodromes used exclusively by helicopters
Outside of controlled or restricted airspace
At least 9 km away from a natural hazard or disaster area
Away from areas where it could interfere with police or first responders
During the day and not in clouds
Within your sight at all times
Only if clearly marked with your name, address and telephone number
No flying in national parks, provincial parks only with permission from warden.

How Does This Affect Flying a Drone in Canada?

That last rule is very important when you’re flying a drone in Canada. That’s where a lot of people seem to get into trouble. The mountains in Alberta and BC are in National parks like Banff, Waterton or Jasper. Flying in national parks without written permission from the park warden can result in up to $3000 and in some cases $25000 in fines. The problem is, you will not get permission from a warden for recreational drone flying. A man was charged for flying here in Banff this year. He admitted his guilt hoping to get off with a warning but was fined $500 instead. Wasn’t the first and probably won’t be the last fine given out. Although you are still able to fly in provincial parks as long as you have permission from the warden.

The other rules seem to fall in line with what a lot of other countries have stated. I recommend printing out the rules from the transport Canada site and keeping it on you in case you’re questioned. Luckily you don’t have to apply for any permits or anything when you’re flying a drone in Canada, that’s a plus.

Other Laws And Bylaws

Just when you thought there was a ton of rules already, there’s just a bit more. The other laws still apply when you’re flying a drone in Canada. That includes the laws set out in the criminal code of Canada. Make sure you use some common sense and ensure you’re not breaking those laws. Not being aware you’re breaking the law isn’t a good defense.

Each city might also implement their own bylaws regarding drones and this is where it gets confusing. I have talked to local police here in Calgary and they have said that school fields and soccer fields don’t fall under the “park” category. They have stated that as long as you’re within the rules set out by transport Canada and not flying over roads or pathways, which would violate the 30-75m rule anyways, you should be good. With that said I would avoid flying a drone in a school field during school hours. It just looks bad and an easily avoidable bad situation. Not everyone is aware of the rules and might report you because they think you’re breaking the rules.