Once you know what drone operation category you fall under, here’s what you need to know about the drone exam and certification process:
DISCLAIMER: We have provided a simple summary here, but please note that there are some other restrictions as specified in the Canadian Aviation Regulations which can be learned when pursuing your certification.
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Pilot Certificate – Basic Operations: as the name implies, the Basic exam is fairly straightforward according to feedback from our valued clients. The Basic exam consists of 35 questions, 90 minutes to complete it with a minimum of 65% to pass, and costs $10 per try; if you fail, you can retry after 24hrs.
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Pilot Certificate – Advanced Operations: This exam is no walk in the park, as a matter of fact, some manned aviation pilots have difficulties with this exam. Candidates who pursue the Advanced follow these steps to ensure success:
- Ground school course: this is an online course that covers the TP15263 knowledge requirements from Transport Canada. This course can be done at your own pace but expect to spend a minimum of 4 hours studying the material.
- Transport Canada Advanced Exam: You get 60 minutes to complete 50 questions with a minimum passing grade of 80%, we recommend that you have your resources available to refer to.
- Flight Review Prep Course: Our prerequisite Flight Review prep course outlines what you should expect and come prepared with for your flight review. You will need to create Standard Operating Procedures for your drone operation, materials like Preflight check, Emergency checklists, Site survey, Airspace assessment, etc. Upon completion, you can book your in-person Flight Review.
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Flight Review: is the final step. This is the in-person “practical” part of the test where you will demonstrate your operational procedures and capability to operate your aircraft in a safe manner. The majority of the Flight Review will consist of you going through the processes and materials that you have prepared prior to the review. Flying is not the major component of this test; it’s your knowledge of pre-requisites and preparedness to fly rather than displaying maneuvers.
- Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC): If you are a foreign operator you will be expected to follow through with the same process as the Advanced Certification. Complete the ground school, do the online exam, and do your flight review. We will provide you with supporting documents to be submitted to Transport Canada for the final approval.
