Canada’s New Drone Laws Explained: What Changed in November 2025 and What It Means for Professional Operators

Sheltered Operations, EVLOS, BVLOS, Heavy-Lift Drones, and New Pilot Certifications Under

Transport Canada’s 2025 Regulations

Our Head Pilot, Misha, taking off with the Freefly Alta X

Why Canada Changed Its Drone Laws

On November 4, 2025, major changes to Canada’s drone regulations come into force, fundamentally reshaping what licensed operators can legally do without applying for a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC). Transport Canada introduced these changes to modernize professional drone aviation by enabling lower-risk beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS), unlocking medium drones (25–150 kg), reducing long-term reliance on SFOCs, and supporting enterprise, infrastructure, and urban operations.

For years, complex drone missions in Canada required custom SFOCs. The new framework replaces much of that process with structured certifications, operator certificates, and technical safety standards.

At First Class Drones, we’ve spent years operating at this level already; flying in controlled airspace in downtown Toronto, performing close-proximity urban filming, heavy-lift cinematography, and public-facing event operations for organizations like MLSE, Nissan Canada, Live Nation, and others.

NAV CANADA Industry Recognition

These regulatory changes have also drawn national attention within Canada’s aviation community. NAV CANADA recently published an article on the 2025 drone law updates and interviewed First Class Drones Pilot, Josh Dusang to provide an industry perspective on what these changes mean for real-world professional drone operations. The article highlights how new allowances for sheltered operations, EVLOS, medium drones, and BVLOS will directly impact professional filmmaking, infrastructure inspection, and public-facing drone work across Canada. Checkout the article here

Two Phase Rollout

Phase 1 – April 1, 2025: Level 1 Complex exam becomes available, RPAS Operator Certificate (RPOC) applications open, SFOCs become mandatory for microdrones at advertised events, new service fees apply, and drone registration increases to $10.

Phase 2 – November 4, 2025: Lower-risk BVLOS, EVLOS, sheltered operations, and medium drones within VLOS become legal without SFOCs.

Our Head Pilot flying a sub-250g FPV Drone in Downtown Toronto

Canada’s Drone Pilot Certificates

Basic Operations: Visual line-of-sight only, uncontrolled airspace only, at least 30 m from people, at least 5.6 km from airports, at least 1.9 km from heliports, online exam only, minimum age 14.

Advanced Operations: Controlled airspace with ATC permission, closer to people, near airports and heliports, sheltered operations, EVLOS, medium drones within VLOS. Requires advanced exam, flight review, $25 fee, minimum age 16.

Level 1 Complex Operations: Required for lower-risk BVLOS. Requires advanced exam, 20 hours of ground school, Level 1 Complex exam, flight review, $125 fee, minimum age 18, and operation under an RPAS Operator Certificate (RPOC).

Lower Risk BVLOS

All lower-risk BVLOS flights must remain in uncontrolled airspace, stay below 400 ft AGL and stay away from aerodromes. Small or medium drones must remain at least 1 km from populated areas. Small drones may operate over sparsely populated areas or closer than 1 km with a pre-validated declaration.

Controlled Airspace Map of Toronto

Sheltered Operations

Allows small drones to fly near structures without direct VLOS and without a visual observer. Must remain 30m from uninvolved people, max 30m above a structure, within 61m horizontally, and within 3.7 km of the pilot. Here at First Class Drones, this has been a game changer when performing Aerial Cinematography for downtown high-rise fly arounds in addition to both construction and facade inspections.

EVLOS

Allows short-range flights monitored by a trained visual observer. Small drones only, uncontrolled airspace only, 30m from people, and maximum range of 3.7 km. For us at First Class Drones, this has allowed us to be more efficient when conducting basic mapping & inspection services such as linear inspections and perimeter operations with a small drone.

Medium Drones 25–150 kg

Medium drones can fly without an SFOC within VLOS after November 4, 2025, including in

controlled airspace with ATC permission. Requires safety declarations and appropriate separation distances. For our Alta X, this now allows us to fly a full camera package or even a spotlight without the need of an SFOC.

Our Alta X in action!

Flying Drones at Events

As of April 1, 2025, all drones including microdrones under 250g require an SFOC at advertised events such as concerts, festivals, markets, and sporting events and Live Tv. It is important to note that any drone over 250g, flying over people, requires the use of a Transport Canada Approved Parachute such as those made by AVSS and Parazero.

ParaZero Transport Canada Approved Parachute

What Still Requires an SFOC

Advertised events, BVLOS in controlled airspace or dense areas, multiple BVLOS drones, more than five VLOS drones, operations above 400 feet (120m), adverse weather, drones over 150 kg, and foreign operators.

Industry Perspectives

"With these new rules, we can fly our larger aircraft like the Freefly Alta X without needing a special flight operations certificate (SFOC). For downtown real estate projects, the sheltered operations rule will let us capture an entire building without constantly moving positions. In film and TV, EVLOS will give us the ability to push the drone to greater distances safely, while still keeping full control," says Josh Dusang.

"Having clear rules about who can fly helps protect professional operators like us from interference. With rising SFOC fees and fines, it makes sense that only qualified, professional pilots should be handling these more complex operations."

What This Means for Professional Operators Like First Class Drones

Transport Canada’s 2025 framework rewards certified pilots, operator certificates (RPOCs), visual observer teams, technical declarations, structured safety systems, redundant aircraft, and parachute systems. It clearly separates recreational drone flying from enterprise-grade aviation.

One of our Pilots, Josh, launching our Alta X

Final Thoughts

Canada’s 2025 regulations legalize professional drone aviation. They enable safer urban filming,

structured BVLOS, heavy-lift operations, and enterprise inspection. Serious clients should ensure their operator understands these rules and certifications.

About First Class Drones

First Class Drones is a Toronto-based professional drone services company specializing in cinematic drone cinematography, FPV fly-throughs, heavy-lift drone lighting, infrastructure inspection, urban real estate operations, and live event aerial coverage. Our pilots are Transport Canada Advanced licensed, operating Inspire 3, FPV platforms, and heavy-lift Freefly Alta X systems with full redundancy and $12.5M in drone liability insurance.

Interested in flying with us? Email Josh@firstclassdrones.ca or click HERE for contact page!

References

Transport Canada. 2025 Summary of Changes to Canada’s Drone Regulations https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/2025-summary-changes-canada-drone-regulations

Transport Canada. Getting a Drone Pilot Certificate https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/drone-pilot-licensing/getting-drone-pilot-certificate

Transport Canada. Drone Operation Categories and Pilot Certificates https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/learn-rules-you-fly-your-drone/drone-operation-categories-pilot-certificates

Transport Canada. Microdrones https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/learn-rules-you-fly-your-drone/drone-operation-categories-pilot-certificates/microdrones

Transport Canada. Basic Operations https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/learn-rules-you-fly-your-drone/drone-operation-categories-pilot-certificates/basic-operations

Transport Canada. Advanced Operations https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/learn-rules-you-fly-your-drone/drone-operation-categories-pilot-certificates/advanced-operations

Transport Canada. Level 1 Complex Operations https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/learn-rules-you-fly-your-drone/drone-operation-categories-pilot-certificates/level-1-complex-operations

Transport Canada. Special Drone Operations (SFOCs) https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/learn-rules-you-fly-your-drone/drone-operation-categories-pilot-certificates/special-drone-operations