Actually, why don't ALL CANADIANS reading this submit a request?
Recreational drone now illegal in most of Canada...
- Thread starter isopro
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Actually, why don't ALL CANADIANS reading this submit a request?
Here's an example of about half of the UAV incidence reports in the past 3 months
You can look this kind of stuff up anytime here and it's not pretty
Here's a good one . . incident happened in Chile to a Canadian water bomber helicopter last month . . but a lot of near misses in Canada happen around Vancouver Calgary and Montreal airport final approaches . . and especially around Vancouver harbour because of the large amount of seaplane traffic taking off and landing . . . it's a serious issue.
TSB Report#A17F0018: C-FIGR, a Kamov KA-32A11BC aircraft operated by VIH Helicopters, was conducting forest fire suppression operations in Chile with 2 pilots on board. As the aircraft was returning after a water drop, the crew heard a loud bang. There were no warning lights and no mechanical abnormalities were noted. The flight crew initially determined that they experienced a bird strike and returned to base where the helicopter landed with no further events. Maintenance personnel performed an inspection and found minor damage to the front avionics door. No evidence of a bird strike could be found, however a tear in the skin of the helicopter, as opposed to a dent, was identified. Additionally, evidence consistent with a plastic smear on the paint as well as damage to the door’s lower hinge was found. The operator suspects a collision with a hard object similar to a drone.
TSB Report#A17F0018: C-FIGR, a Kamov KA-32A11BC aircraft operated by VIH Helicopters, was conducting forest fire suppression operations in Chile with 2 pilots on board. As the aircraft was returning after a water drop, the crew heard a loud bang. There were no warning lights and no mechanical abnormalities were noted. The flight crew initially determined that they experienced a bird strike and returned to base where the helicopter landed with no further events. Maintenance personnel performed an inspection and found minor damage to the front avionics door. No evidence of a bird strike could be found, however a tear in the skin of the helicopter, as opposed to a dent, was identified. Additionally, evidence consistent with a plastic smear on the paint as well as damage to the door’s lower hinge was found. The operator suspects a collision with a hard object similar to a drone.
Also here is a better place to find sensitive flying zones . . including parks and hospitals etc
It's National Research Center UAV Site Selection Tool and it allows you to select areas based on UAV weight . . Great Tool! . . even gives you contact details type of zone and when the info was last updated . . VERY handy
It's National Research Center UAV Site Selection Tool and it allows you to select areas based on UAV weight . . Great Tool! . . even gives you contact details type of zone and when the info was last updated . . VERY handy
We should submit an information request for ANY and ALL government websites or publications that uses suspected drone footage.
Many of these reports are of UAV's that have capabilities beyond recreational drones. Agreed, there does seem to be an issue at the Vancouver Harbour Airpark as well as around Montreal (although questionable of what was actually sighted). Most of the reports are not substantiated and few can be considered near misses. Seriously.
Drone rules should be classed by weight, starting at above 2 kg., not 250 g. Yes, avoid the Control Zone of of any airport/air park and have a reasonable distance of 1 nautical mile for most heliports (without ground service). However, a 9 km restriction is not sensible.
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No, it doesn't say it followed the plane all that way - it says the pilot of another plane watched as it followed a plane that was flying from Slave Lake to Kelowna on it's final approach over runway 16 until it departed westbound when the plane got down to 100' above ground level - no mention of it following all the way.
The authorities rely on these reports because they have done for years and years, they aren't going to change their method of reporting/judging safety just because a few people on forums and facebook call them 'fake news'.
Sadly, this stuff is happening and although it's a tiny minority that are doing it, we will all be judged by their behaviour and (as in all walks of life) the law makers will base their legislation on the lowest common denominator. No, it's not fair but it's how the system works.
The authorities rely on these reports because they have done for years and years, they aren't going to change their method of reporting/judging safety just because a few people on forums and facebook call them 'fake news'.
Sadly, this stuff is happening and although it's a tiny minority that are doing it, we will all be judged by their behaviour and (as in all walks of life) the law makers will base their legislation on the lowest common denominator. No, it's not fair but it's how the system works.
I agree the regulations Interim Orders and Staff Advisories are all over the map trying to cover themselves with "We told you not to do thats" so any incident can point to something they tried to prevent. But rational usable regulation is still nowhere to be found. I think they also need to soon designate "RESTRICTED AIRSPACE" as "Under 500ft AGL anywhere outside 5 miles from an airport" as Drones ONLY . . . and tell the helicopter and crop sprayer guys they need to file a NOTAM or get an SFOC to fly there! . . here's my take on the 2kg exemption in plane english.
Normal Aircraft should not be anywhere below 500ft AGL outside 2 miles from any airport. The circuit height is 1000-1500ft and just because there is a 5 mile zone does not mean they can be at 500ft and definitely not below that at 3-4 miles out . . they have no business being there unless they are a helicopter taking off or landing or a crop sprayer maybe. . Special airspace restrictions need to be rethought and re-allocated to account for UAVs activities both private and commercial . . lots of work there but that's the role of TRANSPORT.CANADA
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As in any country, this is going to come down to a ballache versus revenue equation for the authorities. The crop sprayers, helicopter pilots (including emergency services) all pay huge amounts for their licences and will expect a reasonable amount of uninterrupted flight without the need for form filling every time they might get a weather window. Hobby drone pilots contribute a tiny amount of money compared to the rest - why should any commercial organisation pander to them?
It would be far easier/cost effective for the authorities to operate a simple registration scheme for all drones and restrict recreational flying to licenced fields/sites or private land outside of any controlled/restricted airspace, insist on club membership and leave the control/regulation to a third party such as the AMA (dependent on country).
There is no ideal solution but whilst the onus seems to be set on clamping down and controlling misuse I don't think that hobby flyers anywhere in the world will be getting any special concessions anytime soon
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Yes I was just emphasizing that TRANSPORT needs to start allocating airspace for commercial drone operations the same way it values all civil airspace and drones are now crop spraying and working Ag businesses, surveillance, security, shipping, remote deliveries and much more . . Drones are heading for a huge slice of the economy and aviation needs to accommodate not just prohibit.As in any country, this is going to come down to a ballache versus revenue equation for the authorities. The crop sprayers, helicopter pilots (including emergency services) all pay huge amounts for their licences and will expect a reasonable amount of uninterrupted flight without the need for form filling every time they might get a weather window. Hobby drone pilots contribute a tiny amount of money compared to the rest - why should any commercial organisation pander to them?
It would be far easier/cost effective for the authorities to operate a simple registration scheme for all drones and restrict recreational flying to licenced fields/sites or private land outside of any controlled/restricted airspace, insist on club membership and leave the control/regulation to a third party such as the AMA (dependent on country).
There is no ideal solution but whilst the onus seems to be set on clamping down and controlling misuse I don't think that hobby flyers anywhere in the world will be getting any special concessions anytime soon
fair comment - the leisure/hobby flyers are always going to be seen as the problem here and it was their use of airspace I was saying will end up being restricted.
Commercial drone pilots will (I expect) still be the ones filling in forms when they want to fly in any form of restricted airspace because until they are the ones crop spraying/saving lives (first choice not just a back up) they will be seen as less important and until companies like Amazon start to make an impact with unmanned drones it's unlikely to change public perception - we are in a transition period and there has to be changes.
The legislators need to see organised bodies representing drone flyers' interests - shouting on forums and Facebook or clogging up their mail boxes with spurious requests for information will do nothing for our image. Flyers should join clubs and speak as one - that's how change happens
Commercial drone pilots will (I expect) still be the ones filling in forms when they want to fly in any form of restricted airspace because until they are the ones crop spraying/saving lives (first choice not just a back up) they will be seen as less important and until companies like Amazon start to make an impact with unmanned drones it's unlikely to change public perception - we are in a transition period and there has to be changes.
The legislators need to see organised bodies representing drone flyers' interests - shouting on forums and Facebook or clogging up their mail boxes with spurious requests for information will do nothing for our image. Flyers should join clubs and speak as one - that's how change happens
Maybe they are clearing the airspace around cities so there is airspace for the commercial drone delivery services.
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Consider COPA too (Canadian Owners and Pilot's Association). . they are not all on board yet but their executive is . .here's their Drone Page . . they are on the side of recreational AND commercial drone fliers. They are national and have a lot on their plate just advocating for regular pilots but . . . they are also very close to Transport Canada and making inroads for UAV pilots.
Yep, any group lobbying for drone pilots deserves the support of the pilots in that country - I raised that suggestion earlier on in this (or another similar thread) only to be told by several people that they would never join a club or accept their rules
In response to joining groups or organizations: We are all in this activity for various reasons. For me, it is photography. Joining any organized group for a weekend "fly-in" at a remote field will most likely not provide an opportunity to get images of interesting landscapes or capture other uniquely aerial perspectives. I have been a member of COPA off and on for decades and I am not really sure what benefit they can be to our activity. MAAC ? I am sure they must have a mandate, although I doubt it would be in line with my objectives. My conclusion: Passing the control of this activity to any group or organization would not be in our best interest.
I think it's a case of united we stand, divided we fall - 1000 individuals, all with their own individual objectives haven't got a voice, no matter how loud they shout, they can each be dismissed as a 'tiny minority' and therefore have their voice lost amidst the shouts of the other 999. Standing together and offering a combined voice with the backing of a national organisation already representing model flyers ensures everybody gets heard. I'm a club flyer and my main interest is photography, the club I joined has a field that opens onto some of the most stunning landscapes down here and has rights to fly over them when all other hobby flyers get hammered by the local no take off, landing and operating model aircraft in this park restrictions. That doesn't mean I'm restricted to that field though, being a member of a local/national flying club adds credibility if you are challenged where you are flying - you have a national flying association membership card, an insurance certificate (which offers coverage wherever I fly not just club fields) and local club membership - it's amazing how quickly objections melt away once people realise you are flying legally and responsibly - I've had 'you can't fly that thing here!' turn into, 'carry on and have a good day sir' in a matter of minutes
If you can't find a club that suits you, form one and apply for MAAC affiliation.
If you can't find a club that suits you, form one and apply for MAAC affiliation.
Here is a video that CTV News Winnipeg put out about the changes to the regulations, and how training in a Winnipeg high school is helping students work towards getting certified as UAV pilots.
School drone club hopes to propel students into employment
You may recognize the instructor...
School drone club hopes to propel students into employment
You may recognize the instructor...
Nice work M3 . . . We are trying to do the same thing here in Sarnia starting with Air Cadets . . it's a new career path that is getting young people into aviation with realistic goals of providing a whole range of work you can really enjoy AND earn a good living. . . thanks for posting.
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