RPAS will be regulated according to the CARs. Part IX of the CARs will deal with RPAS according to the divisions of mass and operating environments in the diagram below. The immediate regulations will cover RPAS with a MTOW of 250 grams (0.55 lb) up to and including 25 kg (55 lb) operating VLOS.

Operating environments will be subdivided into basic operations and advanced operations

Other operations using RPAS that do not fall within the scope of the regulations will require a Special Flight Operations Certificate–RPAS from Transport Canada. This includes operations during which the RPAS is operated beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS).

You bought an expensive drone and you know you should take good care of it. Operation and maintenance require in-depth knowledge of all the systems of your drone.

In this lesson, we will go over airframes, power plants, electrical systems, communication equipment and propulsion units.

Human conditions such as fatigue, complacency and stress are important in aircraft operations. It is no different in the operation of a drone.

Human factors awareness can lead to improved quality, a environment that ensures continuing worker and bystander safety, and a more involved and responsible operational team.

In this lesson, we will go over physiology, psychology, pilot-equipment relationship and the operating environment.

Aviation meteorology covers many interrelated subjects and engineering topics. These include ground-based operations that are related to adverse effect of frost, precipitation and visibility on RPAS performance.

In this lesson, we will go over atmosphere, altimetry, moisture, turbulence, icing, thunderstorms, weather reports and forecasting.

The basic principles of air navigation are identical to general navigation, which includes the process of planning, recording, and controlling the movement of a craft from one place to another.

At RPAS Centre, we use RPAS Wilco which includes all the maps and charts required for drone operation. You can download this App for free.

In this lesson, we will go over map reading, pilot navigation, flight planning, radio theory and GPS.

The pilot-in-command is responsible for the safe operation of the drone, this includes hardware performance, weather forecast and NOTAMs. As an RPAS pilot, you must be able to describe the hazards that occur in different geographic areas, normal flow of air traffic near an aerodrome and explain how local and portable devices might be controlled to reduce interference.

In this lesson, we will go over aircraft performance data, weight and balance, critical surfaces, and Occupational Health and Safety.

Theory of Flight. Flight is a phenomenon that has long been a part of the natural world. Birds fly not only by flapping their wings, but by gliding with their wings outstretched for long distances. Likewise, man-made aircraft rely on these principles to overcome the force of gravity and achieve flight.

In this lesson, we will go over forces acting on an aircraft, aerofoils, design of the wing, flight controls and load factor.

Restricted Operator Certificate with Aeronautical Certification is required to use radios using aeronautical frequencies. The RPAS pilot must be able to interpret aeronautical radio communications, communicate using standard radio terminology and use proper radio etiquette.

In this lesson, we will go over the certification requirements in Canada, terminology, common frequencies and emergency situations.