New drone laws are set to come into effect in Canada from June 1 this year.
From that point on, all drone operators, whether private or commercial must register their craft if it weighs between .55 pounds (250 grams) and 55 pounds (25 kilograms).
The new rules
- Drone pilots must be at least 14 years old but 16 for what are termed “advanced operations”
- People will have to sit an online drone test and pass in order to receive a drone license
- Pilots must be sober while operating (WHAT?!) * I’ve never really thought about people flying their drones drunk but it’s probably likely a bad idea
- The maximum allowable flight altitude is 400 feet (122 meters)
Current Canadian laws forbid drones from flying within 5.5 miles (9km) of an airport. As we know, however, just having laws in place doesn’t always prevent idiotic behaviour. In 2017, Canada’s aviation authority reported 135 incidences in which a UAV posed a risk to aviation safety (that’s a fairly broad definition and it’s unclear how close a drone would have to be to an aircraft to fall into that category). Nevertheless, any drone flying in close proximity to a plane is one too many and the Canadian government seems set on changing the public perception of UAVs from a toy to a tool that has certain rules associated.
Canada follows several other countries such as the UK who have recently introduced stronger drone regulations in reaction to the Gatwick Airport drone chaos.
What do you think of a minimum age of 14 to fly a drone? Should it be younger? Let us know in the comments!
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