Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433)

Cancellation of Certificate of Registration

• 900.18 (1) A registered owner of a remotely piloted aircraft shall, within seven days after becoming aware that any of the following events has occurred, notify the Minister that

  • (a) the aircraft is destroyed;

  • (b) the aircraft is permanently withdrawn from use;

  • (c) the aircraft is missing and the search for the aircraft is terminated;

  • (d) the aircraft has been missing for 60 days or more; or

  • (e) the registered owner has transferred legal custody and control of the aircraft.

• (2) When an event referred to in subsection (1) has occurred, the certificate of registration in respect of the remotely piloted aircraft is cancelled.

• (3) The certificate of registration of a remotely piloted aircraft is cancelled when

  • (a) the registered owner of the aircraft dies;

  • (b) the entity that is the registered owner of the aircraft is wound up, dissolved or amalgamated with another entity; or

  • (c) the registered owner of the aircraft ceases to be qualified to be a registered owner under section 900.15.

• (4) For the purposes of this Division, an owner has legal custody and control of a remotely piloted aircraft when the owner has complete responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the remotely piloted aircraft system of which the aircraft is an element.

Change of Name or Address

900.19 The registered owner of a remotely piloted aircraft shall notify the Minister of any change in the name or address of the registered owner by not later than seven days after the change.

Access to Certificate of Registration

900.20 No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system unless the certificate of registration issued in respect of the remotely piloted aircraft that is an element of the system is easily accessible to the pilot for the duration of the operation.

Subpart 1 — Small Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Medium Remotely Piloted Aircraft

Division I — General Provision

Application

901.01 This Subpart applies in respect of the operation of remotely piloted aircraft systems that include a small remotely piloted aircraft or a medium remotely piloted aircraft.

Division II — [Reserved]

[901.02 to 901.10 reserved]

901.02 [Reserved, SOR/2025-70, s. 50]

901.03 [Reserved, SOR/2025-70, s. 50]

901.04 [Reserved, SOR/2025-70, s. 50]

901.05 [Reserved, SOR/2025-70, s. 50]

901.06 [Reserved, SOR/2025-70, s. 50]

901.07 [Reserved, SOR/2025-70, s. 50]

901.08 [Reserved, SOR/2025-70, s. 50]

901.09 [Reserved, SOR/2025-70, s. 50]

Division III — General Operating and Flight Rules

Visual Line-of-sight

• 901.11 (1) Subject to subsection (2), no pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system unless the pilot or a visual observer has the aircraft in visual line-of-sight.

• (2) A pilot may operate a remotely piloted aircraft system without the pilot or a visual observer having the aircraft in visual line-of-sight if the operation is one referred to in paragraph 901.62(b) or (c) that is conducted in accordance with Division V or is an operation referred to in section 901.87 that is conducted in accordance with Division VI or if the operation is conducted in accordance with a special flight operations certificate — RPAS issued under section 903.03.

Prohibition — Emergency Security Perimeter

[901.12 reserved]

901.12 [Reserved, SOR/2025-70, s. 52]

Prohibition — Canadian Domestic Airspace

• 901.13 (1) Subject to subsection (2), no pilot operating a remotely piloted aircraft shall cause the aircraft to leave Canadian Domestic Airspace.

• (2) A pilot may operate a remotely piloted aircraft outside of Canadian Domestic Airspace if the operation is conducted in accordance with a special flight operations certificate — RPAS issued under section 903.03.

Controlled Airspace

901.14 No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft in controlled airspace except in accordance with

• (a) subsection 901.71(1), in the case of an operation conducted under Division V; and

• (b) a special flight operations certificate — RPAS issued under section 903.03, in any other case.

Inadvertent Entry into Controlled Airspace

901.15 A pilot of a remotely piloted aircraft shall ensure that the appropriate ATS unit or user agency is notified immediately any time the aircraft is no longer under the pilot’s control and inadvertently enters or is likely to enter into controlled airspace.

Flight Safety

901.16 A pilot that operates a remotely piloted aircraft system shall immediately cease operations if aviation safety or the safety of any person is endangered or likely to be endangered.

Right of Way

901.17 A pilot of a remotely piloted aircraft shall give way to power-driven heavier-than-air aircraft, airships, gliders and balloons at all times.

Avoidance of Collision

901.18 No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft in such proximity to another aircraft as to create a risk of collision.

Fitness of Crew Members

• 901.19 (1) No person shall act as a crew member of a remotely piloted aircraft system if the person

  • (a) is suffering or is likely to suffer from fatigue; or

  • (b) is otherwise unfit to perform properly the person’s duties.

• (2) No person shall act as a crew member of a remotely piloted aircraft system

  • (a) within 12 hours after consuming an alcoholic beverage;

  • (b) while under the influence of alcohol; or

  • (c) while using any drug that impairs the person’s faculties to the extent that aviation safety or the safety of any person is endangered or likely to be endangered.

Visual Observers

• 901.20 (1) No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system if visual observers are used to assist the pilot in detecting and avoiding conflicting air traffic and other hazards unless reliable and timely communication is maintained between the pilot and each visual observer during the operation.

• (2) A visual observer shall communicate information to the pilot in a timely manner, during the operation, whenever the visual observer detects conflicting air traffic, hazards to aviation safety or hazards to persons on the surface.

• (3) No visual observer shall perform visual observer duties for more than one remotely piloted aircraft at a time unless the aircraft are operated in accordance with subsection 901.40(1) or in accordance with a special flight operations certificate — RPAS issued under section 903.03.

• (4) No visual observer shall perform visual observer duties while operating a moving vehicle, vessel or aircraft.

Compliance with Instructions

901.21 Every crew member of a remotely piloted aircraft system shall, during flight time, comply with the instructions of the pilot.

Carriage of Persons

901.22 No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft that carries persons on board except in accordance with a special flight operations certificate – RPAS issued under section 903.03.

Procedures

• 901.23 (1) No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system unless the following procedures are established:

  • (a) normal operating procedures, including pre-flight, take-off, launch, approach, landing and recovery procedures; and

  • (b) emergency procedures, including with respect to

    • (i) a control station failure,

    • (ii) an equipment failure,

    • (iii) a failure of the remotely piloted aircraft,

    • (iv) a loss of the command and control link,

    • (v) a fly-away,

    • (vi) flight termination, and

    • (vii) the detection and avoidance of conflicting air traffic and other hazards.

• (2) If the manufacturer of the remotely piloted aircraft system or the person who has made a declaration referred to in section 901.194 in respect of that model of system provides instructions with respect to the topics referred to in paragraphs (1)(a) and (b), the procedures established under subsection (1) shall reflect those instructions.

• (3) No pilot shall conduct the take-off or launch of a remotely piloted aircraft unless the procedures referred to in subsection (1) are reviewed before the flight by, and are immediately available to, each crew member.

• (4) No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system unless the operation is conducted in accordance with the procedures referred to in subsection (1).

Pre-flight Information

901.24 A pilot of a remotely piloted aircraft shall, before commencing a flight, be familiar with the information that is relevant to the intended flight, including

• (a) the results of the site survey conducted under section 901.27;

• (b) any declaration referred to in section 901.194 made in respect of the model of remotely piloted aircraft system to be used for the flight; and

• (c) the qualifications of all crew members.

Maximum Altitude

• 901.25 (1) Subject to subsection (2), no pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft at an altitude greater than

  • (a) 400 feet (122 m) AGL; or

  • (b) 100 feet (30 m) above any building or structure, if the aircraft is being operated at a distance of less than 200 feet (61 m), measured horizontally, from the building or structure.

• (2) A pilot may operate a remotely piloted aircraft at an altitude greater than those set out in subsection (1) if the operation is conducted in accordance with a special flight operations certificate — RPAS issued under section 903.03.

Horizontal Distance

901.26 Unless the operation is conducted under Division V, no pilot shall operate

• (a) a small remotely piloted aircraft to conduct a VLOS operation at a distance of less than 100 feet (30 m), measured horizontally and at any altitude, from any person not involved in the operation; or

• (b) a medium remotely piloted aircraft to conduct a VLOS operation at a distance of less than 500 feet (152.4 m), measured horizontally and at any altitude, from any person not involved in the operation.

Site Survey

901.27 No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system unless, before commencing the operation, they determine that the operational volume is suitable by conducting a site survey that takes into account the following factors:

• (a) the type of airspace and any requirements applicable to the flight geography, including any specified in a NOTAM;

• (b) the altitudes and routes to be used for approach, take-off, launch, landing or recovery;

• (c) the proximity of other aircraft operations;

• (d) the proximity of airports, heliports and other aerodromes;

• (e) the location and height of obstacles, including wires, masts, buildings, cell phone towers and wind turbines;

• (f) the predominant weather and environmental conditions and the weather forecast for the duration of the flight;

• (g) in the case of a VLOS operation, an extended VLOS operation or a sheltered operation, the horizontal distance from any person not involved in the operation; and

• (h) in the case of a BVLOS operation, the distance from any populated area or sparsely populated area.