New rules for flying recreational drones in Canada

Yesterday, Transport Minister Mark Garneau announced new restrictions on where and when recreational users can fly their UAVs.

The rules, which are effective immediately, mean 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

Basically, they’ve taken the pre-existing guidelines for recreational users and turned them into laws that are now enforceable by Transport Canada with the assistance of local law enforcement. Transport Canada says anyone who sees someone flying a drone illegally should call 911.

What does this mean for recreational drone users on the Northeast Avalon? In the photo below, the area covered in red indicates a #noflyzone which, if caught flying there, could mean a fine of up to $3000.

If you are looking for legal areas outside of the NE Avalon, please refer to Transport Canada’s UAV Site Selection Tool: https://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/solutions/collaborative/civuas/uav_site_selection_tool.html

To learn more about the Interim Order, please visit the Transport Canada page: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/mediaroom/interim-order-respecting-use-model-aircraft.html

For an infographic regarding the new rules: http://www.tc.gc.ca/media/documents/ca-opssvs/Infographic-New_rules_for_recreational_drone_users.pdf