Holiday Gifts – Drone Rules and Tips

The holidays are a great time to spend with friends and family and new toys. This year one of the most popular toys will be drones. While drones can be a lot of fun to play with, they come with rules and regulations set out by Transport Canada that many people may not be aware of.

One of the most important rules for drones are where they can and cannot be flown. Drones are not allowed to be flown within 5.5 KMs of an airport. Breaking this rule means you could be fined up to $3,000.

To help avoid this, below are some other rules to keep in mind.

Fly your drone:

• below 90 m above the ground
• at least 30 m away from vehicles, vessels and the public (if your drone weighs over 250 g and up to 1 kg)
• at least 75 m away from vehicles, vessels and the public (if your drone weighs over 1 kg and up to 35 kg)
• at least 5.5 km away from aerodromes (any airport, seaplane base or area where aircraft take off and land)
• at least 1.8 km away from heliports or aerodromes used by helicopters only
• outside of controlled or restricted airspace
• at least 9 km away from a natural hazard or disaster area
• away from areas where its use could interfere with police or first responders
• during the day and not in clouds
• within your sight at all times
• within 500 m of yourself
• only if clearly marked with your name, address and telephone number

Click here for more information on rules and tips to fly your drone safely.