Seems like you are writing from the USA. I am not sure how different the laws are, but I emailed off to find out the exact thing for Canada. This was the response i received for what its worth;
"Thank you for your recent e-mail received in the Transport Canada Civil Aviation Communications Centre.
In regards to your inquiry, if you are planning on using your unmanned aircraft for non-recreational use (UAV), as in commercial use, you need to either apply for a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) through your regional office or operate under an exemption.
An exemption contains a list of requirements that, if they are all met, allows you to operate without a SFOC. If one of the requirements is not met, you need a SFOC for your non-recreational UAV activity.
Safety First
www.tc.gc.ca/safetyfirst
The website above contains all the information needed to apply for a SFOC. There is no form or fee for this application. At first, you will have to apply for each UAV operation that requires a SFOC. Standing (general) SFOCs will only be issued once you show a history of safe operations. At that point, area restrictions and timings could be extended.
UAV pilots conducting commercial activities first need to obtain individual SFOCs. Each application is reviewed individually, which is why it can take about 20 working days to obtain a SFOC. The standing SFOC, as described above, can eventually offer more flexibility.
While the legal mechanism to authorize unmanned air vehicle (UAV) system flights in Canada is presently an SFOC, Transport Canada has been working with industry since 2010 to develop the future regulatory framework for UAVs. For more information on the proposed changes to the regulations, please consult our website (right menu, “Update on UAV regulations”).
I trust that the foregoing has addressed your questions. Should you need other information on civil aviation matters, please feel free to contact us via email at
[email protected]
Again, thank you for writing.
Kind regards,