By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 14 Jan 26 Inspired by the work of Maj David Cooke, RCAF (Ret'd), and the International Test Pilots School (ITPS) Introduction: The Invisible Skill If you ask a hundred drone pilots what makes them safe flyers, ninety-nine will likely point to their equipment: obstacle avoidance sensors, return-to-home (RTH) functions, and GPS lock. They aren't wrong—technology saves drones every day. But what happens when the GPS fails? What ha

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 14 Jan 26 In the rapidly evolving world of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), few acronyms are as fundamental—or as frequently misunderstood—as VLOS  (Visual Line of Sight). For the aspiring pilot studying for their Basic or Advanced exam, VLOS is a definition to be memorized. For the regulator, it is a boundary of risk. But for the professional aviator in the field, VLOS is something far more profound. It is a dynamic,

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 13 Jan 26 Category:  Drone Safety & Regulations / Advanced RPAS Operations In the rapidly evolving world of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), the gap between a hobbyist flying in a park and a professional conducting infrastructure inspections is defined not just by skill, but by the rigorous safety standards of the aircraft itself. Transport Canada’s dedicated webpage, Choosing the right drone for advanced and complex o

By:  Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 13 Jan 26 It has been exactly sixty-nine days since the Canadian drone industry collectively exhaled. On November 4, 2025 , the regulatory dam finally broke. For years, pilots and operators had been navigating a system where flying a drone over 25kg or conducting even the simplest Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) mission meant drowning in Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) paperwork. Today, that landscape has shif

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 12 Jan 26 Early in my drone flying days, I made decisions based on instinct. If I felt nervous, I flew higher. High felt safe—it meant plenty of clearance from trees, utility wires, and rooftops. If I needed to see more detail, or if I wanted to feel "connected" to the subject, I dropped lower. Low felt precise. It was an emotional decision, governed by how confident I felt with the sticks in my hand that day. Experience—and a

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 12 Jun 26 Introduction: The Rise of the "Anti-Drone System" Era For years, the drone industry has focused almost exclusively on the aircraft itself—flying further, filming in higher resolution, and carrying heavier payloads. But while we were busy looking up at the technological marvels in the sky, a parallel industry was quietly building a "ceiling" to keep them in check. This is the world of Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 11 Jan 26 The landscape of drone operations in Canada is on the brink of a major evolution. Come November 2025, new regulations will unlock incredible opportunities for remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) operators, particularly with the introduction of Level 1 Complex Operations . This new category paves the way for lower-risk Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) flights, something the industry has been eagerly awaiting. B

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneoworks, 10 Jan 26 Commerce Department Drops Drone Restrictions as Trump Prioritizes Xi Diplomacy Over China Hawks - What it really means and how it continues to affect DJI. If you are a recreational drone pilot, a commercial surveyor, or a public safety officer relying on aerial technology, your news feed in late 2025 and early 2026 has been nothing short of a roller coaster. The headlines have been contradictory, terrifying, and conf

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 10 Jan 26 Editorial Note: This blog post was inspired by a reposted article by Squadsight Inc. , highlighting the critical shift from digital-first innovation to physics-driven breakthroughs in the aerial systems industry. For the past decade, the drone industry has been locked in a "silicon arms race." The narrative has been dominated by two pillars: Batteries  (the quest for the 40-minute flight) and AI  (the quest for the au

Edition: January 9, 2026 By; Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 09 Jan 26 Theme: The Integration Age — From Novelty to Necessity Part I: The Global Landscape – The "Unmanned Supercycle" and AI Autonomy As we enter the second week of January 2026, the global drone industry is no longer characterized by "future potential." It is characterized by mass-scale deployment.  The global market cap for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) has officially crossed a new threshold, driv

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 08 Jan 26 The rapid proliferation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS)—commonly known as drones—has transformed Canadian skies. From stunning cinematography to critical infrastructure inspections and agricultural monitoring, drones are no longer just toys; they are sophisticated aircraft integrated into the National Airspace System. However, with increased integration comes increased responsibility. For drone pilots oper

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 07 Jan 26 This blog post explores the critical intersection of human physiology and aviation safety within the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) sector. It integrates safety philosophies with specific regulatory requirements from Transport Canada .When fatigue meets pressure, judgment becomes the real battleground. NOTE: KR Droneworks has prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)  that integrates the the core philoso

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 06 Jan 26 The horizon of modern warfare and national security is no longer defined by the roar of jet engines alone, but by the persistent hum of electric motors and the silent processing of artificial intelligence. We have entered the era of the "un-crewed revolution." As we move into 2026, the integration of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)—commonly known as drones—has transitioned from a niche tactical advantage to the very fou

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 05 Jan 26 Canada's introduction of Sheltered Operations  (effective November 4, 2025) represents a paradigm shift in drone regulation. By acknowledging that physical structures act as a "shield" against mid-air collisions with crewed aircraft, the regulator has created a legal framework for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights without the typical requirements of visual observers or expensive Detect and Avoid (DAA) techno

By; Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 05 Jan 26 The silhouette of a drone against a sunset is a common image of modern progress. In the collective imagination, the future of these Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) involves them weaving through "smart cities," powered and controlled by invisible beams of light. This vision, often tagged as the "LiFi Revolution," suggests a world where radio frequency (RF) is obsolete and drones are sustained entirely by optical wirele

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 04 Jan 26 Introduction: The "New Normal" for Drone Pilots In 2026, the US drone market faces a reality that was once just a legislative threat: a freeze on new DJI hardware certifications. With the implementation of strict FCC "Covered List" restrictions and NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) compliance requirements, the dominance of DJI is being forcibly challenged. While legacy DJI models remain legal for recreational

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 03 Jan 26 As we ring in January 2026 , drone pilots in the UK are waking up to a transformed regulatory landscape. After years of transition, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)  has officially moved to a permanent framework that prioritizes hardware standards and digital accountability. But for those of us across the pond, these changes raise a familiar question: Is Canada next? Here is the breakdown of the key changes that hit

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 02 Jan 2026 Welcome to the first 2026 edition of our weekly roundup. The first week of the New Year has not just been a celebration of a new calendar, but a foundational shift in the regulatory and commercial landscape of the drone industry. From aggressive new national security mandates in the United States to a revolutionary opening of Canadian airspace for complex operations, the "Drone Universe" has never looked more dynami

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 01 Jan 26 Congratulations on your new drone! Receiving a high-tech flyer for Christmas is an incredible way to start the new year, but before you head to the park to test those rotors, you need to navigate the regulatory landscape. In Canada, drones are considered aircraft . Whether you are flying a tiny "toy" or a professional-grade cinema rig, you are sharing the sky with helicopters and planes. As of January 2026 , Transport

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 02 Jan 26 The evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a transformative journey, profoundly impacting various technological domains, with drones being a prime example. From early theoretical concepts to sophisticated learning algorithms, AI's progression has reshaped how drones are designed, developed, and utilized. The Dawn of AI and Early Drone Integration Early AI focused on symbolic reasoning and expert systems, w