Canadian Air Regulations PART IX cover where and how to fly UAVs in Canada and define what license and procedures you need to follow on every flight if you own a drone larger than 250grams.
Generally, you need to register your drone, pass a test online and get a basic license, Then, as long as you follow the PART IX rules and stay 3 miles away from an airport and below 400ft above ground your are GOOD . . right? . . . not so fast.
In Sarnia, its CLASS E Controlled airspace, from the surface to 3600ft above ground within 5nm o he airport, according to the Canada Flight Supplement (the little circle on the inset airport runway chart below) . . that radius is FIVE Nautical Miles not 3. You cannot fly ANY drone in Controlled Airspace . . unless . . you possess and Advanced RPAS Certificate and file a "flight plan" for the exact time, date and location and do it online and wait for NavCanada to review and approve THAT flight. That covers pretty well ANY flight anyone does anywhere in the Sarnia area.
Beyond that, THE authority on airspace is the Designated Airspace Handbook (DAH) which defines Sarnia Airport as "CLASS E Transition Airspace (meaning it's "controlled airspace") anything below 12,500 ft and to a radius of FIFTEEN miles above 700ftAGL. Top left in the chart below is a direct quote from the DAH.
So anyone flying a drone anywhere around Sarnia needs an Advanced Certificate AND an approval from the NavDrone app with NavCanada approving the flight. . . or you can fly a machine under 250g like the Mavic Mini . . and just behave responsibly.
Generally, you need to register your drone, pass a test online and get a basic license, Then, as long as you follow the PART IX rules and stay 3 miles away from an airport and below 400ft above ground your are GOOD . . right? . . . not so fast.
In Sarnia, its CLASS E Controlled airspace, from the surface to 3600ft above ground within 5nm o he airport, according to the Canada Flight Supplement (the little circle on the inset airport runway chart below) . . that radius is FIVE Nautical Miles not 3. You cannot fly ANY drone in Controlled Airspace . . unless . . you possess and Advanced RPAS Certificate and file a "flight plan" for the exact time, date and location and do it online and wait for NavCanada to review and approve THAT flight. That covers pretty well ANY flight anyone does anywhere in the Sarnia area.
Beyond that, THE authority on airspace is the Designated Airspace Handbook (DAH) which defines Sarnia Airport as "CLASS E Transition Airspace (meaning it's "controlled airspace") anything below 12,500 ft and to a radius of FIFTEEN miles above 700ftAGL. Top left in the chart below is a direct quote from the DAH.
So anyone flying a drone anywhere around Sarnia needs an Advanced Certificate AND an approval from the NavDrone app with NavCanada approving the flight. . . or you can fly a machine under 250g like the Mavic Mini . . and just behave responsibly.
VFR Toronto Chart Showing Sarnia Airspace
The aviation chart below is used by all Canadian pilots for flying in SW Ontario . . and it shows the DAH "CLASS E Transition" airspace is really a much larger radius of 15 nm (although not a full circle due to the US international boundary) . . . it has a "floor" of 700ft above ground and as the DAH shows it extends upward to 12,500feet.
This therefore does NOT limit UAV use below 400ft between 5 and 15 nm of Sarnia Airport. . . and this is not in conflict with the Canada Flight Supplement that clearly says - 5nm CZ "E" 5nm to 3600 . . "from the surface" is implicit.
Now it may be that you could "interpret" the 5nm CLASS E airspace restriction as "beginning at 700ft" as well, but that clarification is clearly written in the Handbook. That means, then that no sRPAS operators with a basic certificate can legally fly anywhere within 5 nm of the Sarnia Airport. You need an Advanced Cert AND an approved flight plan from NAVCAN for every flight.
This therefore does NOT limit UAV use below 400ft between 5 and 15 nm of Sarnia Airport. . . and this is not in conflict with the Canada Flight Supplement that clearly says - 5nm CZ "E" 5nm to 3600 . . "from the surface" is implicit.
Now it may be that you could "interpret" the 5nm CLASS E airspace restriction as "beginning at 700ft" as well, but that clarification is clearly written in the Handbook. That means, then that no sRPAS operators with a basic certificate can legally fly anywhere within 5 nm of the Sarnia Airport. You need an Advanced Cert AND an approved flight plan from NAVCAN for every flight.
