By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks Academy, 21 Sep 26 If you ask Canadian drone operators which document governs their flights, nearly everyone will cite the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) Part IX. They memorize section numbers like 901.14 (airspace) and 901.26 (maintenance), drill practice questions, pass their Basic or Advanced exam, and assume their regulatory education is complete. Yet, an overwhelming number of pilots remain unaware of the document th

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks Academy, 26 Aug 26 A commercial drone operator currently flying strictly within the Advanced Operations envelope (VLOS, controlled airspace, operations near or over people with compliant RPAS) should strongly consider applying for a Transport Canada RPAS Operator Certificate (RPOC) and establishing a full suite of operational manuals. While an individual Advanced Pilot Certificate permits a wide range of day-to-day visual line

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks Academy, 29 July 26 Are You Ready for Your Canadian RPAS Advanced or Level 1 Complex Flight Review? Taking your Transport Canada (TC) online exam is a major milestone, but passing that multiple-choice test only covers half the equation. To earn your Pilot Certificate for Advanced Operations or Level 1 Complex Operations, you have to face a Transport Canada Flight Reviewer for an in-person, practical Flight Review (FR). For many

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks Academy, 26 June 26 Adapted for RPAS pilots from the original article "Trust, but Verify: Then Check the TC AIM" by George Farrington (Canadian Owners and Pilots Association). Aviation knowledge is just a click away. Between YouTube tutorials, Reddit threads, TikTok clips, and drone Facebook groups, there has never been an easier time to find information on flying Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in Canada. But there’s a

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks Academy, 22 May 26 The Canadian drone industry is undergoing a historic transformation. With Transport Canada’s regulations allowing expanded horizons—including Extended Visual Line-of-Sight (EVLOS), sheltered operations, and lower-risk Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) flights under the Level 1 Complex Operations framework—the technical capabilities of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) have reached unprecedented height

By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks Academy, 04 May 26 You’ve got your RPAS Pilot Certificate. You’ve bookmarked CARs Part IX on your laptop. You know your distances from bystanders and your maximum altitudes. You’re good to go, right? Not exactly. If you haven’t cracked open the TC AIM-RPAS lately, you’re essentially trying to drive a car knowing the laws of the road but without ever looking at the "Driver’s Handbook" that explains how the intersections actually