Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433)

Records

• 901.48 (1) Every owner of a remotely piloted aircraft system shall keep the following records:

  • (a) a record containing the names of the pilots and other crew members who are involved in each flight and, in respect of the system, the time of each flight or series of flights; and

  • (b) a record containing the particulars of any mandatory action and any other maintenance action, modification or repair performed on the system, including

    • (i) the names of the persons who performed them,

    • (ii) the dates they were undertaken,

    • (iii) in the case of a modification, the manufacturer, model and a description of the part or equipment installed to modify the system, and

    • (iv) if applicable, any instructions provided to complete the work.

• (2) Every owner of a remotely piloted aircraft system shall ensure that the records referred to in subsection (1) are made available to the Minister on request and are retained for a period of

  • (a) in the case of the records referred to in paragraph (1)(a), 12 months after the day on which they are created; and

  • (b) in the case of the records referred to in paragraph (1)(b), 24 months after the day on which they are created.

• (3) Every owner of a remotely piloted aircraft system who transfers ownership of the system to another person shall, at the time of transfer, also deliver to that person all of the records referred to in paragraph (1)(b).

Incidents and Accidents — Associated Measures

• 901.49 (1) A pilot that operates a remotely piloted aircraft system shall immediately cease operations if any of the following incidents or accidents occurs until such time as an analysis is undertaken as to the cause of the occurrence and corrective actions have been taken to mitigate the risk of recurrence:

  • (a) injuries to any person requiring medical attention;

  • (b) unintended contact between the aircraft and persons;

  • (c) unanticipated damage incurred to the airframe, control station, payload or command and control links that adversely affects the performance or flight characteristics of the aircraft;

  • (d) any time the aircraft is not kept within horizontal boundaries or altitude limits;

  • (e) any collision with or risk of collision with another aircraft;

  • (f) any time the aircraft becomes uncontrollable, experiences a fly-away or is missing; and

  • (g) any incident not referred to in paragraphs (a) to (f) for which a police report has been filed or for which a Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Report has resulted.

• (2) The pilot of the remotely piloted aircraft system shall keep, and make available to the Minister on request, a record of any analyses undertaken under subsection (1) for a period of 12 months after the day on which the record is created.

Dropping of Objects

901.50 No pilot shall create a hazard to persons or property on the surface by dropping an object from a remotely piloted aircraft in flight.

Service Difficulty Reporting

901.51 The pilot of a remotely piloted aircraft system of a model for which a declaration referred to in section 901.194 has been made and for which an acceptance letter has been issued under section 901.196 shall ensure that any reportable service difficulty that is discovered with respect to the system is reported to the person who has made the declaration as soon as feasible after the discovery.

[901.52 reserved]

Division IV — Basic Operations

Application

901.53 This Division applies in respect of the operation of small remotely piloted aircraft to conduct a VLOS operation in uncontrolled airspace and at a distance of not less than 100 feet (30 m), measured horizontally and at any altitude, from any person not involved in the operation.

Pilot Requirements

• 901.54 (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system under this Division unless the person

  • (a) is at least 14 years of age; and

  • (b) holds

    • (i) a pilot certificate — small remotely piloted aircraft (VLOS) — basic operations issued under section 901.55,

    • (ii) a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — advanced operations issued under section 901.64, or

    • (iii) a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — level 1 complex operations issued under section 901.90.

• (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the operation of the remotely piloted aircraft system is conducted under the direct supervision of a person who is permitted to operate such a system under this Division, Division V or Division VI.

Issuance of Pilot Certificate — Small Remotely Piloted Aircraft (VLOS) — Basic Operations

901.55 The Minister shall, on receipt of an application, issue a pilot certificate — small remotely piloted aircraft (VLOS) — basic operations if the applicant demonstrates to the Minister that the applicant

• (a) is at least 14 years of age; and

• (b) has successfully completed the examination “Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems — Basic Operations” in accordance with the document entitled Knowledge Requirements for Pilots of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, 250 g up to and including 150 kg, Basic and Advanced Operations, TP 15263, published by the Minister.

Recency Requirements

• 901.56 (1) No holder of a pilot certificate — small remotely piloted aircraft (VLOS) — basic operations, a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — advanced operations or a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — level 1 complex operations shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system under this Division unless the holder has, within the 24 months preceding the flight,

  • (a) been issued a pilot certificate — small remotely piloted aircraft (VLOS) — basic operations under section 901.55, a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — advanced operations under section 901.64 or a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — level 1 complex operations under section 901.90; or

  • (b) successfully completed

    • (i) any of the examinations referred to in paragraph 901.55(b), 901.64(b) or 901.90(d),

    • (ii) any of the flight reviews referred to in paragraph 901.64(c) or 901.90(e), or

    • (iii) any of the recurrent training activities set out in section 921.04 of Standard 921 — Remotely Piloted Aircraft.

• (2) The person referred to in subsection (1) shall keep a record of all activities referred to in paragraph (1)(b), including the dates on which they were completed, for at least 24 months after the day on which they were completed.

Access to Certificate and Proof of Recency

901.57 No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system under this Division unless both of the following are easily accessible to the pilot during the operation of the system:

• (a) the pilot certificate — small remotely piloted aircraft (VLOS) — basic operations issued under section 901.55, the pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — advanced operations issued under section 901.64 or the pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — level 1 complex operations issued under section 901.90; and

• (b) documentation demonstrating that the pilot meets the recency requirements set out in section 901.56.

Examination Rules

901.58 No person shall, in respect of an examination taken under this Division,

• (a) copy or remove from any place all or any portion of the text of the examination;

• (b) give help to or accept help from any person during the examination, unless authorized by the Minister for accommodation purposes; or

• (c) complete all or any portion of the examination on behalf of any other person.

Retaking of Examination

901.59 No person who fails an examination taken under this Division shall retake the examination for a period of 24 hours after the examination.

[901.60 and 901.61 reserved]

Division V — Advanced Operations

Application

901.62 This Division applies in respect of the following operations of a remotely piloted aircraft system:

• (a) the operation of a small remotely piloted aircraft to conduct a VLOS operation

  • (i) in controlled airspace,

  • (ii) at a distance of less than 100 feet (30 m) but not less than 16.4 feet (5 m), measured horizontally and at any altitude, from any person not involved in the operation,

  • (iii) at a distance of less than 16.4 feet (5 m), measured horizontally and at any altitude, from any person not involved in the operation, or

  • (iv) within three nautical miles from the centre of an airport or within one nautical mile from the centre of a heliport;

• (b) the operation of a small remotely piloted aircraft to conduct an extended VLOS operation in uncontrolled airspace;

• (c) the operation of a small remotely piloted aircraft to conduct a sheltered operation;

• (d) the operation of a medium remotely piloted aircraft to conduct a VLOS operation in uncontrolled airspace and at a distance of 500 feet (152.4 m) or more, measured horizontally and at any altitude, from any person not involved in the operation;

• (e) the operation of a medium remotely piloted aircraft to conduct a VLOS operation in uncontrolled airspace and at a distance of less than 500 feet (152.4 m) but not less than 100 feet (30 m), measured horizontally and at any altitude, from any person not involved in the operation;

• (f) the operation of a medium 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; and

• (g) the operation of a medium remotely piloted aircraft to conduct a VLOS operation in controlled airspace.

Pilot Requirements

• 901.63 (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system under this Division unless the person

  • (a) is at least 16 years of age; and

  • (b) holds either

    • (i) a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — advanced operations issued under section 901.64, or

    • (ii) a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — level 1 complex operations issued under section 901.90.

• (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the operation of the remotely piloted aircraft system is conducted under the direct supervision of a person who is permitted to operate such a system under this Division or Division VI.

Issuance of Pilot Certificate — Remotely Piloted Aircraft — Advanced Operations

901.64 The Minister shall, on receipt of an application, issue a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — advanced operations if the applicant demonstrates to the Minister that the applicant

• (a) is at least 16 years of age;

• (b) has successfully completed the examination “Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems — Advanced Operations” in accordance with the document entitled Knowledge Requirements for Pilots of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, 250 g up to and including 150 kg, Basic and Advanced Operations, TP 15263, published by the Minister; and

• (c) has, within 12 months before the date of application, successfully completed a flight review in accordance with section 921.02 of Standard 921 — Remotely Piloted Aircraft conducted by a person qualified to act as a flight reviewer under subsection 901.175(1).

Recency Requirements

• 901.65 (1) No holder of a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — advanced operations or a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — level 1 complex operations shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system under this Division unless the holder has, within the 24 months preceding the flight,

  • (a) been issued a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — advanced operations under section 901.64 or a pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — level 1 complex operations under section 901.90; or

  • (b) successfully completed

    • (i) any of the examinations referred to in paragraph 901.55(b), 901.64(b) or 901.90(d),

    • (ii) any of the flight reviews referred to in paragraph 901.64(c) or 901.90(e), or

    • (iii) any of the recurrent training activities set out in section 921.04 of Standard 921 — Remotely Piloted Aircraft.

• (2) The person referred to in subsection (1) shall keep a record of all activities completed in accordance with paragraph (1)(b), including the dates on which they were completed, for at least 24 months after the day on which they were completed.

Access to Certificate and Proof of Recency

901.66 No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system under this Division unless both of the following are easily accessible during the operation of the system:

• (a) the pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — advanced operations issued under section 901.64 or the pilot certificate — remotely piloted aircraft — level 1 complex operations issued under section 901.90; and

• (b) documentation demonstrating that the pilot meets the recency requirements set out in section 901.65.