I wrote before about looking at drones as a new hobby or at least an extension of my lifelong interest in photography. I continue to consider the DJI mini drone which weighs in at 249 grams – sitting just under the 250 gram mark where a license and registration are required. AND I’ve discovered that Costco sells it for $130 off the retail price everywhere else. So this spring may be the time!
In the meantime I’ve been doing some reading… first of all, the federal regulations:
From: Transport Canada
- When buying a drone, it’s important to choose the right one for you. That means selecting a drone that is safe enough to do what you want to do with it. We developed a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) Safety Assurance rating system to help with this.
On this page
- About the RPAS Safety Assurance
- Declaring your drone for advanced operations
- Drones eligible for advanced operations
About the RPAS Safety Assurance
The RPAS Safety Assurance tells users the safety limits of the drone they are using. You must operate your drone within the limits outlined in the RPAS Safety Assurance declared by the drone manufacturer. Manufacturers can self-declare to Transport Canada that specific models of drones meet the requirements for advanced operations.
Drone safety requirements for basic operations
Basic operations pose less of a risk to people and aircraft. To conduct basic operations your drone does not need to have an RPAS Safety Assurance.
Drone safety requirements for advanced operations
Advanced operations pose a higher risk to people and aircraft. They include operations near people, over people and in controlled airspace.
A drone must meet the relevant RPAS Safety Assurance requirements to conduct advanced operations. If a drone does not meet the requirements, then the rules for basic operations apply instead. For example, flying over bystanders is an advanced operation. A drone that does not meet the relevant RPAS Safety Assurance requirements can still be flown, but not over bystanders.
That’s just a bit of the information on the Transport Canada website – there’s lots of information and requirements.
I’ve also been watching some You Tube videos and found this guy who uses the one I’m looking at.
He has videos on the specific drone I am looking at but this video is a good introduction to flying a drone and lets you see some early footage of what’s possible.
There are lots of considerations and the drone’s software shows on your phone any restricted areas, like close to airports or heliports. There are other restrictions in terms of heights you can fly etc, but you get the idea.
Now to get an understanding of the limitations within the city.
You’re starting to think this could be fun – aren’t you?
Hybrid Thoughts 