Drone pilot certificate in Canada: Basic and Advanced operations
The two certificate levels, the Transport Canada exams, the in-person flight review, recency requirements, and how to keep an entire team’s certifications current.
Aerosyne is an independent commercial product. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Transport Canada, NAV CANADA, or the Government of Canada. This guide is general information, not legal or regulatory advice — always confirm current certification requirements with Transport Canada.
Basic vs Advanced: two levels of certificate
To fly a drone between 250 grams and 25 kilograms in Canada, you need a Pilot Certificate from Transport Canada at one of two levels. The level you need is determined by where and how you fly, not by whether you fly for fun or for money.
A Pilot Certificate — Basic Operations covers flying in uncontrolled airspace, more than 30 metres horizontally from bystanders, and away from controlled airspace and aerodromes. A Pilot Certificate — Advanced Operations is required when you fly in controlled airspace, near or over bystanders, or close to airports and heliports. Most serious commercial work eventually needs the Advanced certificate because real jobs rarely stay neatly inside Basic limits.
Basic operations
Uncontrolled airspace, away from bystanders and aerodromes. Earned by an online exam.
Advanced operations
Controlled airspace, near or over people, near airports. Online exam plus an in-person flight review.
How to get a Basic pilot certificate
The Basic certificate is the entry point. You must be at least 14 years old (or supervised by a certificate holder), and you earn it by passing the Small Basic Exam — an online, multiple-choice test taken through Transport Canada’s Drone Management Portal. There is no in-person component for Basic.
The exam covers air law, airspace, meteorology, and safe operating practices. Once you pass, you can download your Pilot Certificate — Basic Operations and begin flying registered aircraft within the Basic limits.
How to get an Advanced pilot certificate
The Advanced certificate requires more. You must be at least 16 (or supervised), pass the harder Small Advanced Exam online, and then complete an in-person flight review with an approved RPAS flight reviewer who assesses your ability to operate safely and handle the aircraft.
Advanced operations also depend on the aircraft. To fly in controlled airspace or near people, the drone must meet the safety assurance that its manufacturer has declared for that type of operation. So Advanced authority is a combination of the right pilot certificate and an appropriately declared aircraft — both have to line up.
Recency: keeping your certificate valid
A pilot certificate is not a one-and-done credential. Transport Canada requires you to complete a recurrent activity within a defined period — such as passing another exam, completing a flight review, or finishing an approved recurrency activity — to keep the certificate valid. Let it lapse and you are not authorized to operate until you bring it back into currency.
For a single pilot this is a calendar reminder. For a team, recency becomes a fleet-wide tracking problem: every pilot has their own clock, and an expired certificate quietly discovered the morning of a job is a cancelled flight at best.
Beyond Advanced: complex and BVLOS operations
As Transport Canada expands the RPAS framework, additional certification pathways are emerging for more complex operations, including certain beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flying. These pathways layer extra competency and operational requirements on top of the Advanced foundation.
The common thread is evidence. Whether you are flying Basic today or building toward BVLOS, the operators who advance most smoothly are the ones who already keep clean, queryable records of pilots, certificates, recency, and the operations each person has actually flown.
Tracking pilots, certificates, and recency
Knowing who on your team holds which certificate, at what level, and whether their recency is current is the difference between assigning a job confidently and discovering a problem at the worst possible time. Spreadsheets do not warn you before an expiry; they just hold a date until someone happens to look.
Aerosyne keeps pilot certificates, levels, recency status, and operating history visible inside the same planning workflow you use to assign jobs — so readiness is something you can see before dispatch, not something you reconstruct afterward.
Turn Canadian RPAS requirements into an audit-ready operating record
Aerosyne keeps pilot certificates, drone registration, maintenance, flight logs, and NAV CANADA-aware airspace context connected to the jobs they support — so compliance evidence is always one search away.
Common questions about pilot certificates
Short, practical answers. Always confirm current requirements with Transport Canada before you fly.
How do I get a drone pilot certificate in Canada?
For Basic operations, pass the online Small Basic Exam through Transport Canada’s Drone Management Portal. For Advanced operations, pass the online Small Advanced Exam and complete an in-person flight review with an approved RPAS flight reviewer.
What is the difference between a Basic and Advanced drone certificate?
Basic covers uncontrolled airspace, away from bystanders and aerodromes. Advanced is required to fly in controlled airspace, near or over people, or close to airports, and additionally requires a flight review and an appropriately declared aircraft.
Do I need a drone licence to fly commercially in Canada?
Yes. Commercial and recreational operators follow the same certification rules. If your drone is 250 g – 25 kg you need a Pilot Certificate — Basic or Advanced — matched to where and how you fly.
How old do you have to be to get a drone certificate in Canada?
You must generally be at least 14 for a Basic certificate and 16 for an Advanced certificate, or fly under the supervision of a certificate holder who meets the requirements.
Does a drone pilot certificate expire?
Your certificate stays valid only if you keep it current through Transport Canada’s recency requirements — completing a recurrent activity within the required period. If recency lapses, you are not authorized to operate until you bring it back up to date.
More Canadian RPAS guides
Registration, regulations, and SFOC explained — plus the platform that keeps pilot certificates and recency visible before every dispatch.
Canada · Guide
Drone regulations in Canada
A plain-language overview of Transport Canada RPAS rules: who needs a certificate, registration, where you can fly, and Basic vs Advanced operations.
Canada · Registration
How to register a drone in Canada
Step-by-step Transport Canada drone registration for aircraft 250 g–25 kg, including marking, fees, and keeping registration records audit-ready.
Canada · SFOC
What is an SFOC in Canada?
When a Special Flight Operations Certificate is required, how it relates to advanced and BVLOS operations, and the records reviewers expect to see.
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Canadian drone operations software
Canadian-made drone business management software for Transport Canada workflows, NAV CANADA context, and audit-ready records.