Transport Canada just announced new drone regulations that are even more restrictive and take effect immediatly. The biggest change is that recreational drones may not fly "closer than 75 meters from buildings, vehicles, vessels, animals, people/crowds, etc.". Fines are $25,000 and / or jail time.
75 meters is about 250 feet. And this includes indoors. Draw a 250 foor radius around every person, animal, vehicle and building; there isn't really anywhere left to fly legally for any drone over 250 grams.


Considering that you need 100 hours of flying experience to apply for certification to fly commercially, I wonder how people are going to get these required hours to even get certified.


I fly recreationally and responsibley. Or at least I DID. Now that is not even an option anymore.


More requirements below.....

Rules for recreational drones

If you fly your drone for fun and it weighs more than 250 g and up to 35 kg, you do not need special permission from Transport Canada to fly.

Follow the basic safety rules below. Not doing so may put lives, aircraft and property at risk. If you fly where you are not allowed or choose not to follow any of the rules below, you could face fines of up to $3,000.

Do not fly your drone:

• higher than 90 m above the ground
• closer than 75 m from buildings, vehicles, vessels, animals, people/crowds, etc.
• closer than nine km from the centre of an aerodrome (any airport, heliport, seaplane base or anywhere that aircraft take-off and land)
• within controlled or restricted airspace
• within nine km of a forest fire
• where it could interfere with police or first responders
• at night or in clouds
• if you can’t keep it in sight at all times
• if you are not within 500 m of your drone
• if your name, address, and telephone number are not clearly marked on your drone.
  

Legal requirements

When flying a UAV (non-recreational drone) in Canada, you must:

• follow the rules in the Canadian Aviation Regulations:
  • section 602.41 – Unmanned air vehicles
    
• respect the Criminal Code, your provincial Trespass Act, as well as all applicable municipal, provincial, and territorial laws that apply
  

When flying a model aircraft (recreational drone) in Canada you must:

• follow the rules of the Interim Order Respecting the Use of Model Aircraft
  

Transport Canada inspectors investigate reports of unsafe and illegal drone use. We may involve local police if other laws (e.g., the Criminal Code and privacy laws) have been broken.

You could face serious consequences – including up to $25,000 in fines and/or jail time – if you:

• put aircraft at risk
• fly where you are not allowed
• endanger anyone’s safety
  

Looks like I'm going to shorten my visit to Canada later this year. I was hoping to get some footage. Too bad there are some buddy-duddys in office. This is going to set the country back a little in terms of keeping up.

This may be of interest?




Timeline 6:00 gets interesting

New interim orders were released on June 28, 2017.  Height is still 90 m or 295 feet.  If your drone weighs from 250 g to 1 kg distance is reduced from 75 m to 30 m from vehicles vessels and the public.  Distance still 75 m if your drone weighs 1 kg to 35 kg.  Distance from airports aerodromes etc has been reduced from 9 km to 5.5 km.  For helicopters only it's reduced to 1.8 km.

https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilav ... safely-legally.html

Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport in the Government of Canada, sign for this new ruling. For those who remember, Mr Garneau was one of our qualified astronaut. Unfortunately, he does not seem to have any clue of flying a drone!!!

ririlan Posted at 5-23 18:29
Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport in the Government of Canada, sign for this new ruling. For those who remember, Mr Garneau was one of our qualified astronaut. Unfortunately, he does not seem to have any clue of flying a drone!!!

I might be wrong, but I believe the rules are not so strict anymore?

Shervin Koushan Posted at 5-25 11:23
I might be wrong, but I believe the rules are not so strict anymore?

Hi, if I get it right, how can you control 'and at any altitude'.  And this goes with animal when flying in a forest!!!

rule 901.62... at a distance of less than 100 feet (30 m) but not less than 16.4 feet (5 m) from another person except from a crew member or other person involved in the operation, measured horizontally and at any altitude,

First off, that list of drone laws you posted are the current laws, not the new ones you speak of that are about to take effect. The new drones laws can be found here: https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services ... safely-legally.html

Second, it's the current laws that basically give you nowhere to fly. Under the new laws, with the appropriate license and a drone approved by Transport Canada, you can fly in restricted airspace, near people, and over people. Currently, DJI has no drones approved for the latter 2 yet, but they've said they're trying to make it happen.

You say you used to fly responsibly and that it's no longer even an option. In truth, there's more hoops to jump through, but less restrictions once you've jumped through them.

Lastly, where did you get the "You need 100 hours to fly commercially" thing from? Under current laws, you need an SFOC to fly commercially. Under the new laws, you won't (https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services ... -outside-rules.html).

I mean no offence, but your post contains a lot of incorrect information regarding the upcoming laws. I'd encourage everyone to do their own research and take the time to understand the actual restrictions.
Edit: Sorry, I may have missed something. You mentioned these laws you speak of were just annouced and take effect immediately, which would mean they're different from the ones coming into effect on June 1. As far as I'm concerned, though, what you posted have been the same laws we've had for a long time now. I also find it strange that they'd ammend the current laws less than a week before new ones are to take effect. Do you have a link to something mentioning any ammendments made recently?

Shervin Koushan Posted at 5-25 11:23
I might be wrong, but I believe the rules are not so strict anymore?

This is correct, in my opinion. You have to get a license now, and an advanced license after that if you want the least restrictions imposed, but the new laws will allow you to fly higher (400 feet instead of 300), further (in LoS, but with no maximum distance), at night, and with the appropriate license and drone, in restricted airspace, above people, and near people.

Mike-the-cat Posted at 2017-3-19 15:40
Looks like I'm going to shorten my visit to Canada later this year. I was hoping to get some footage. Too bad there are some buddy-duddys in office. This is going to set the country back a little in terms of keeping up.

OP has their information completely wrong. I'd recommend you look into the laws yourself: https://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services ... -legally.html#legal

Stormageddons Posted at 5-25 20:07
This is correct, in my opinion. You have to get a license now, and an advanced license after that if you want the least restrictions imposed, but the new laws will allow you to fly higher (400 feet instead of 300), further (in LoS, but with no maximum distance), at night, and with the appropriate license and drone, in restricted airspace, above people, and near people.

Cool, thanks! I am going on a vacation there in the summer, will try to get an advanced license.

Thanks, the information here is very useless

Lemonsorbie Posted at 2017-3-19 20:53
This may be of interest?

https://youtu.be/tFXPDFNls20

actually he is already telling  you at the beginning "DO NOT FLY YOUR DRONE"

Seriously, jail time?

Taxflax Posted at 8-30 13:33
Seriously, jail time?

You can fly a lots of places. Rules made for people who don’t respect privacy and don’t want to take responsibility

That's sad for tourists as well.  

Thanks for sharing. for details

Thanks for the info but it is outdated though.

dronerush.com/canadian-drone-laws-canada-19348/

www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/aviation/drone-safety/find-category-drone-operation.html

Stormageddons Posted at 2019-5-25 20:07
This is correct, in my opinion. You have to get a license now, and an advanced license after that if you want the least restrictions imposed, but the new laws will allow you to fly higher (400 feet instead of 300), further (in LoS, but with no maximum distance), at night, and with the appropriate license and drone, in restricted airspace, above people, and near people.

I just did my basic small drone license here in Canada Its not that hard to do cost $10 open book test and 35 questions 90 minutes to finished. There is lots of places to fly a drone in Canada. the laws are not that strict if you do it right don't fly higher then 122 meters 30 meters away from people on a basic license 5meters away from people with advance license and 5.6km away from airports.