Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433)

Cancellation of Certificate of Registration

• 901.07 (1) Every registered owner of a remotely piloted aircraft shall, within seven days after becoming aware that any of the following events has occurred, notify the Minister in writing that

  • (a) the aircraft is destroyed;

  • (b) the aircraft is permanently withdrawn from use;

  • (c) the aircraft is missing and the search for the aircraft is terminated;

  • (d) the aircraft has been missing for 60 days or more; or

  • (e) the registered owner has transferred legal custody and control of the aircraft.

• (2) When an event referred to in subsection (1) has occurred, the certificate of registration in respect of the remotely piloted aircraft is cancelled.

• (3) The certificate of registration of a remotely piloted aircraft is cancelled when

  • (a) a registered owner of the aircraft dies;

  • (b) an entity that is a registered owner of the aircraft is wound up, dissolved or amalgamated with another entity; or

  • (c) a registered owner ceases to be qualified to be a registered owner under section 901.04.

• (4) For the purposes of this Division, an owner has legal custody and control of a remotely piloted aircraft when the owner has complete responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the remotely piloted aircraft system of which the aircraft is an element.

Change of Name or Address

901.08 The registered owner of a remotely piloted aircraft shall notify the Minister in writing of any change in the name or address of the registered owner by not later than seven days after the change.

Access to Certificate of Registration

901.09 No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system unless the certificate of registration issued in respect of the remotely piloted aircraft is easily accessible to the pilot for the duration of the operation.

[901.10 reserved]

Division III — General Operating and Flight Rules

Visual Line-of-sight

• 901.11 (1) Subject to subsection (2), no pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system unless the pilot or a visual observer has the aircraft in visual line-of-sight at all times during flight.

• (2) A pilot may operate a remotely piloted aircraft system without the pilot or a visual observer having the aircraft in visual line-of-sight if the operation is conducted in accordance with a special flight operations certificate — RPAS issued under section 903.03.

Prohibition — Emergency Security Perimeter

• 901.12 (1) No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft over or within the security perimeter established by a public authority in response to an emergency.

• (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to the operation of a remotely piloted aircraft for the purpose of an operation to save human life, a police operation, a fire-fighting operation or other operation that is conducted in the service of a public authority.

Prohibition — Canadian Domestic Airspace

901.13 No pilot operating a remotely piloted aircraft shall cause the aircraft to leave Canadian Domestic Airspace.

Controlled or Restricted Airspace

• 901.14 (1) Subject to subsection 901.71(1), no pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft in controlled airspace.

• (2) No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft in Class F Special Use Restricted Airspace, as specified in the Designated Airspace Handbook, unless authorized to do so by the person specified for that purpose in that standard.

• (3) For the purposes of subsection (2), a person specified in the Designated Airspace Handbook may authorize the operation of a remotely piloted aircraft when activities on the ground or in the airspace are not hazardous to aircraft operating in that airspace or access by aircraft to that airspace does not jeopardize national security interests.

Inadvertent Entry into Controlled or Restricted Airspace

901.15 A pilot of a remotely piloted aircraft shall ensure that the appropriate air traffic control unit, flight service station or user agency is notified immediately any time the aircraft is no longer under the pilot’s control and inadvertent entry into controlled airspace or Class F Special Use Restricted airspace, as specified in the Designated Airspace Handbook, occurs or is likely to occur.

Flight Safety

901.16 A pilot that operates a remotely piloted aircraft system shall immediately cease operations if aviation safety or the safety of any person is endangered or likely to be endangered.

Right of Way

901.17 A pilot of a remotely piloted aircraft shall give way to power-driven heavier-than-air aircraft, airships, gliders and balloons at all times.

Avoidance of Collision

901.18 No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft in such proximity to another aircraft as to create a risk of collision.

Fitness of Crew Members

• 901.19 (1) No person shall act as a crew member of a remotely piloted aircraft system if the person

  • (a) is suffering or is likely to suffer from fatigue; or

  • (b) is otherwise unfit to perform properly the person’s duties.

• (2) No person shall act as a crew member of a remotely piloted aircraft system

  • (a) within 12 hours after consuming an alcoholic beverage;

  • (b) while under the influence of alcohol; or

  • (c) while using any drug that impairs the person’s faculties to the extent that aviation safety or the safety of any person is endangered or likely to be endangered.

Visual Observers

• 901.20 (1) No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system if visual observers are used to assist the pilot in the provision of detect and avoid functions unless reliable and timely communication is maintained between the pilot and each visual observer during the operation.

• (2) A visual observer shall communicate information to the pilot in a timely manner, during the operation, whenever the visual observer detects conflicting air traffic, hazards to aviation safety or hazards to persons on the surface.

• (3) No visual observer shall perform visual observer duties for more than one remotely piloted aircraft at a time unless the aircraft are operated in accordance with subsection 901.40(1) or in accordance with a special flight operations certificate — RPAS issued under section 903.03.

• (4) No visual observer shall perform visual observer duties while operating a moving vehicle, vessel or aircraft.

Compliance with Instructions

901.21 Every crew member of a remotely piloted aircraft system shall, during flight time, comply with the instructions of the pilot.

Living Creatures

901.22 No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft that transports or carries on board a living creature.

Procedures

• 901.23 (1) No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system unless the following procedures are established:

  • (a) normal operating procedures, including pre-flight, take-off, launch, approach, landing and recovery procedures; and

  • (b) emergency procedures, including with respect to

    • (i) a control station failure,

    • (ii) an equipment failure,

    • (iii) a failure of the remotely piloted aircraft,

    • (iv) a loss of the command and control link,

    • (v) a fly-away, and

    • (vi) flight termination.

• (2) If the manufacturer of the remotely piloted aircraft system provides instructions with respect to the topics referred to in paragraphs (1)(a) and (b), the procedures established under subsection (1) shall reflect those instructions.

• (3) No pilot shall conduct the take-off or launch of a remotely piloted aircraft unless the procedures referred to in subsection (1) are reviewed before the flight by, and are immediately available to, each crew member.

• (4) No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system unless the operation is conducted in accordance with the procedures referred to in subsection (1).