Droner’s Guide Module 3: An In Depth Look at the 2019 Canadian Drone Regulations

[@PinetreeLine]

Once again I just want to say thank you Don for what you are doing here to help all drone owners in our great country!

[@DonJoyce]

Thanks Doug! Did I hear O Canada rising up with your comment? LOL

[@BryanForsyth1]

Thanks for the videos. Took the test today and with the info from your videos and guide I passed first time with 80%. 👍

[@PinetreeLine]

Bryan Forsyth Nice Job Bryan!

[@DonJoyce]

Congratulations Bryan! Great job!

[@darringallant]

Congrats Bryan, nice score especially for first time out! Also, props to Don for his contributions helping us prepare!

[@BryanForsyth1]

@@darringallant Thanks Darrin, Don's been a big help.

[@len.whistler]

4:44 Re: Altitude Accuracy +/- 16m. I assume you could add that to the maximum height and still fly legal. 400 feet plus 52 feet (16 meters) = 452 feet.

[@DonJoyce]

Quite the opposite...if your altimeter is +/-16m, you had better stay below 104m! It is your actual altitude that counts, not just what your equipment says.

[@len.whistler]

@@DonJoyce Thanks for the reply. I like your channel. I recently got my Small Basic license and getting reading for the Advance. I will be visiting your channel for guidance. I have a Mavic Air 2.

[@darringallant]

Another great module Don, thanks! I've read some scuttlebutt online that DJI was planning to certify the Phantom 4 Pro and the Mavic Pro series but that hasn't been confirmed yet. Also, would be nice if eventually the rules change so that our fellow American drone pilots with their Part 107 license can qualify to fly within Canada without a SFOC. Nice niche tourism market there to be had.

[@DonJoyce]

Thanks, Darrin! Both would be great ideas!

[@SuperdanTech]

Great video! The list of approved drones on the TC website does not have any dji or Yuneec drones. It appears to list commercial and very expensive drones only!?!

[@DonJoyce]

Thanks, Superdan! Now there ARE a number of DJI drones approved for flying in Controlled Airspace.

[@SuperdanTech]

@@DonJoyce Good news but I cannot find the list on TC website?

[@DonJoyce]

Bottom of this page:. www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/aviation/drone-safety/choosing-right-drone.html#approved

[@franciscoherrera5154]

Great video as always Don. Any info about flying schools for flight reviews in the GTA? Thanks again.

[@DonJoyce]

Thanks! There is a list of Flight Reviewers in the Drone Pilot Canada app who will give you a discount if you use the app!!

[@franciscoherrera5154]

​@@DonJoyceI'll have a look. Thx again Don

[@BrantAerials]

Another good one, Don. I wonder if DJI will be able to provide any of these assurances to Transport Canada to make their drones compliant for Advanced operations.

[@DonJoyce]

Thanks, Gary. Item a (controlled air space) should be easy. The 'near' and 'over' people are tougher technically for quad copters, and definitely intended to give hex copters a big advantage. I believe it is possible for quads (and DJI) to meet the requirements, but I'm sure it will not be retroactive to all their drones.

[@0330495]

Been in contact with dji and they are in process with transport Canada to get on the approved list.

[@RM-iy7xx]

Great series, another nice addition to the series.

[@DonJoyce]

Thanks, Raymond! 5 more coming...but at least they start getting more compact!

[@AsgardStudios]

Well, I'm not the only one up ridiculously early :) Cheers for Module 3!

[@DonJoyce]

LOL...I have them scheduled to go public at 5am each day....I was still slumbering while you were up and at it!

[@SuperdanTech]

Wow, I am puzzled by the list of approved drones within advanced operation. First of all, none of Autel, Parrot and Yuneec drones are in the list. So good luck flying advanced operation if you own one of these drones. I was considering buying the new Anafi but there is no point now. Secondly, the many dji drones on the list only meet part A which is flights in controlled airspace. They still CANNOT be used near or over people. Very surprising considering all the sensors these drones have. Therefore it is very disappointing to see that the fully approved drones are for commercial operation really and out of reach price wise for most people. I already have my Basic license and still considering the Advanced one despite the limited operations...

[@DonJoyce]

As noted in the video, the Transport Canada criteria for flying near/over people is entirely based on high-reliability factors and the risk of causing injury. Sensors are not going to help if a motor fails in a quadcopter, although there is some possibility that clever software may allow for a controlled landing. We'll see how this plays out as manufacturers get their drones certified and technology advances.

[@billbin5872]

Dear Don, Thanks for the great videos. If I choose to pass the advanced operation exam, can I start to fly a drone in a basic operation license environment without passing flight review due to time constraint? Thanks.

[@DonJoyce]

Yes! Passing the Advanced gives you the same as the Basic...until you pass your Flight Review. And BTW, there is no time limit between passing your Advanced exam and taking the Flight Review....as long as you keep your recency.

[@MapleGoodness]

Can I ask a question re: the "distance from people" aspect? I've taken a ground school and passed the basic, now studying for advanced, but I am unclear, and even our instructor was confusing, when it talks about being, for example for Basic flight, no closer than 30m measured horizontally, at any altitude... what does that mean? Some people have interpreted that to mean it only comes into play if the person and the UAV are at the same altitude, eg. if you are flying close to the ground. In that case, say I was flying at 20m above the ground, there would really be no "horizontal" measurement to the person, because the person and my drone are separated vertically... so as long as I didn't fly directly over them, I'd be fine. Others (and this is how I tend to think it is intended) interpret it as the "30m horizontal distance measured at any altitude" sort of means, draw a line straight down from my drone to the ground, and then measure from there, horizontally, to the person... and that is the 30m boundary. Almost like that 30m zone becomes a cylinder around the person , and that cylinder extends from the ground up into the air (to infinity?) The reason I think #2 is correct, is that the regulations also describe flying "over people" in a similar way, "being closer than 5m measured horizontally at any altitude". So if that means "over people", then I assume the 30m rule also means that it doesn't matter how high my drone is, I still can't encroach on that 30m "bystander zone". Am I understanding that correctly?

[@DonJoyce]

Your interpretation #2 (the infinitely tall cylinder of 30m radius) is the correct one. Any ground school instructor who is not able to clearly explain this should be fired.

[@MapleGoodness]

@@DonJoyce Thanks! It could have been on me that I didn't follow the reasoning, it was a lot of information to absorb.

[@MapleGoodness]

Quick update... I had some time this afternoon so bit the bullet and took the Advanced test. Not gonna lie, it was a challenge... but I did really well! Thanks, in part, to your video series, I got 'er done. Thanks for providing this for us!

[@DonJoyce]

Congratulations on passing the Advanced, Shawn! Quite an achievement! Could you share with me the name of the ground school you mentioned earlier? [e-mail]

[@ragroge82]

Hello Don, Thanks for your supportive videos. In regards to the PDF's for the advanced exam. Does it cover everything? So if I purchased them it will cover everything and I don't need to look at anything else? Also another question. When you receive your license is it going to be "international" like i can fly anywhere outside of Canada. Like driving with a Canadian license in the USA.

[@DonJoyce]

Hi Ragi...the PDF files cover a lot of material and provide links to more resources, but cannot possibly cover ALL the universe of knowledge Transport Canada expects us to know! Regarding the RPAS Pilot Certificate, it is for Canada only.

[@shaunthedrone]

Thumbs up ere' Don - another interesting video on the Canadian regulations - many thanks for sharing the info :)

[@DonJoyce]

Thanks, Shawn! 5 more in the pipeline!

[@rosstinney2109]

I only plan on flying at a MAAC approved flying club where they have their regulations.

[@DonJoyce]

Thanks for watching, Ross. Transport Canada made a statement in January about considering exemptions for flying at MAAC flying clubs, but I have not seen any further movement towards that. It would be a good thing to do.

[@karl-heinzlang4926]

Very informative video 👍👍😎😎 Have a nice weekend

[@DonJoyce]

Thank you!

[@mikekeeling]

Thx Don.

[@DonJoyce]

Thanks, Mike!

[@Imagine-Films]

Great set of modules. One critique...the music gets annoying after a while. cheers,

[@DonJoyce]

Thank you! (and LOL re the music...it's intended to keep you calm while having all this stuff injected into your brain. Also masks the subliminal "buy Don's material" messages....ooops)

[@Imagine-Films]

No worries@@DonJoyce . Not the end of the world. Great stuff though. thanks.

[@hannonadventures]

Great vid and info

[@DonJoyce]

Thanks!