Canadian Railroads > New drone regulations in Canada

Drone's seem to have become a lot less useful with these new regulations, certainly in any sort of remotely urban setting.

The key points are :

Recreational users will face a fine of up to $3,000 if drones weighing more than 250 grams are caught flying:

• Higher than 90 metres.
• Within 75 metres of buildings, vehicles, vessels, animals or people.
• More than 500 metres away from the user.
• At night, in clouds or somewhere you can't see it.
• Within nine kilometres of somewhere aircraft take off or land, or a forest fire.
• Without your name, address and phone number marked on the drone itself.
• Over forest fires, emergency response scenes or controlled airspace.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-drone-regulations-marc-garneau-1.4027486

Michael Berry



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/17 13:04 by Mberry.

Well, that's the end of that.  Locomotives and trains are vehicles, aren't they?  Does that mean the drone must be 250 feet away from a train?

KG



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/17 15:00 by kgmontreal.

These regs are not "new" (thanks CBC) and have been in place for some time now. Transport Canada says you can fly closer to vehicles, buildings etc IF the item in question is the subject of your photography. There's also stipulations where you must have permission to fly over private property, cannot be near restricted airspace (which also includes hospitals with heli pads btw). The big thing is TC defines railfans (and anyone else taking photos with a drone) as "commercial" NOT recreational. So, unless you want to go full commercial and file a flight plan (SFOC) everytime you fly, you can apply for an exemption, which still requires you to have liability insurance, and take a training course offered by an accreditated company (TC lists several). The training course I looked at is 2 days, and costs $600. I've yet to look at insurance.

Exemption info:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/regserv/affairs/exemptions/docs/en/2879.htm

Of course, I'll bet every single real estate agent currently using a drone has no clue about any of the requirements they need to have. Many railfans (myself included) have been flying with no special certificates or knowledge for some time now, however TC is starting to get serious about laying fines and policing the drone operators. Makes a guy really think about getting that new drone!

Here's a site that shows you air space restrictions, basically anywhere red is a no fly zone. You can select whatever province and area you wish:
https://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/solutions/collaborative/civuas/uav_site_selection_tool.html

-Trevor
 

These restrictions are all because the actions of a careless few who have ruined it for everyone else.

Actually Trevor, the regs that you mention were actually only guidelines, and were effectively unenforceable.  As of today, the exemptions you linked to are no longer valid.  The new regulations are now in effect and are enforceable with the Criminal Code of Canada

Brian

Well, the exemption info is still up on Transport Canada's website, so it appears as though it is still valid. The only big change I can see (other then now being part of the criminal code) is the height restriction of 90m, which I believe before was higher. Then again, who flies a drone higher then 90M? I always figured if you were above the tree tops you won't get that great of a photo!

-Trevor

Thank you for the link to the map.  I was delighted to see the Spiral Tunnels area and Lake Louise are not included in the restricted zones.

I was surprised to see how much restricted military air space exists in eastern Canada.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thank you for the link to the map.  I was
> delighted to see the Spiral Tunnels area and Lake
> Louise are not included in the restricted zones.
>
> I was surprised to see how much restricted
> military air space exists in eastern Canada.

Sadly the Spiral Tunnels and Morant's Curve are NO FLY zones. Parks Canada has their own rules regarding drones, and much like the National Park Service in the US, Parks Canada has banned drone flights within park boundries unless special permission is given.

-Trevor

tsokolan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Thank you for the link to the map.  I was
> > delighted to see the Spiral Tunnels area and
> Lake
> > Louise are not included in the restricted
> zones.
> >
> > I was surprised to see how much restricted
> > military air space exists in eastern Canada.
>
> Sadly the Spiral Tunnels and Morant's Curve are NO
> FLY zones. Parks Canada has their own rules
> regarding drones, and much like the National Park
> Service in the US, Parks Canada has banned drone
> flights within park boundries unless special
> permission is given.
>
> -Trevor

Oh, well.

Thanks for the clarification.