A Simple Site Survey Just Won't Cut It

If you fly drones for anything beyond a quick hobby shot—inspections, infrastructure, search & rescue, deliveries, or operations that are Level 1 Complex or Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS)—a one-page site survey simply won't cut it.

While Transport Canada's (TC) Part IX rules set the baseline safety expectations, responsible operators go further. They build a mission-level Flight Plan that clearly explains the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How of the job, and, most critically, documents the decisions made to mitigate risk.

A robust Mission Flight Plan is essential: it protects people on the ground, minimizes operational surprises, and safeguards your business reputation and legal position [Justice Laws].

The Problem with "Just a Site Survey"

A typical site survey (required by Part IX for many flights) is valuable—it verifies obstacles, launch/land sites, and basic local hazards—but it’s often just a static, snapshot checklist. Complex operations and BVLOS work demand a more comprehensive approach that includes:

• A clear Concept of Operations (ConOps) describing crew roles and system behavior.

• Dynamic population-risk assessment (population density, flows, events).

• Contingency and emergency-landing site selection.

• Evidence that mitigation measures are in place and understood by the whole team [Transport Canada].

The Mission Flight Plan: Using the 5Ws to Build a Defensible Plan

Frame your plan so that anyone—a client, an inspector, or another pilot—can understand it quickly and clearly. This structure, based on the classic 5Ws, makes the plan both readable and defensible [Transport Canada]:

The 5 W's	Component	Details
Who	Personnel	Pilot-in-command, visual observers, spotters, client Point of Contact (POC), remote system owner.
What	Equipment	Aircraft make/model, payload (camera, LiDAR), weight, and fail-safe modes.
Where	Location/Airspace	Geo-coordinates of launch, flight corridors, altitudes, all NOTAMs or airspace constraints [Justice Laws].
When	Timing/Conditions	Exact date/time, daylight/lighting conditions, and the weather minima and forecasts used.
Why	Objective/Risk	Mission objective, critical success criteria, and acceptable risk thresholds.

Add a short ConOps summary that ties these elements together in plain language [Transport Canada].

Concept of Operations (ConOps): The Heart of Complex Planning

The ConOps explains exactly how the operation is intended to run end-to-end: crew composition, communications, command and control (C2) links, automation levels, failover/reroute logic, data handling, and interfaces with other airspace users.

For regulatory submissions and internal safety assurance, TC expects a clear ConOps that demonstrates you’ve thoroughly considered all operational and system behaviors. Make this section short but specific—it's your "operational story" [Transport Canada].

Enhanced Site Survey: Going Beyond the Basic Checkboxes 🗺️

For complex and BVLOS flights, the site survey must be enhanced to specifically address population risk, contingencies, and the dynamic nature of the operating environment:

1. On-Site Inspections (Pre-Mission & Day-of-Mission)

   A robust plan requires both virtual and physical verification [Transport Canada AC 901-002]:

   • Pre-Mission: Conduct a physical site visit well in advance to validate the initial desktop planning, confirm obstacle heights, and verify the feasibility of designated emergency landing locations.

     
     

   • Day-of-Mission: Perform a final check immediately before the flight commences to ensure that no transient hazards (e.g., unexpected construction, temporary crowd gatherings) have arisen that could invalidate the pre-mission risk assessment.

     
     

2. Population-Density Assessment

   TC recommends a three-part approach: (1) virtual analysis, (2) in-person verification (via the site visit), and (3) active monitoring during flight [Transport Canada - AC_903-001 Appendix G]. Record your population density figures and explain your mitigation measures.

   
   

3. Emergency & Contingency Landing Sites

   This is mandatory for Level 1/BVLOS flights. Identify multiple pre-checked emergency landing sites (coordinates, surface type, obstacles, owner/permission status) and document the decision logic for when you will use them [Transport Canada].

   
   

4. Airspace & Coordination

   List all controlled airspace boundaries and document coordination with Air Traffic Control (ATC) or NAV CANADA [NAV CANADA].

   
   

5. Communications, C2 Assurance, and Monitoring

   Document primary and backup command-and-control links, frequency use, latency expectations, and the criteria for aborting.

Recommended Annexes: Supporting Documentation for Defensibility 📑

To make the Mission Flight Plan robust and defensible, include Annexes containing primary source documents and visuals. These provide verifiable evidence of your pre-flight research:

Annex	Content	Source/Reference
A	Mission Site Visuals (Vertical)	Screenshots from Google Earth detailing the mission boundaries, obstacles, and proximity to airports/aerodromes.
B	Aeronautical Charts (Horizontal)	Screenshot from the relevant VNC/VTA (VFR Navigation/Terminal Area Chart). Visually confirms airspace classification and restricted areas [NAV CANADA].
C	Weather Forecast	Primary source output detailing the official weather minima and forecasts used for the planned mission timeframe [Transport Canada].
D	NOTAMs	Screenshot of the current and forecasted NOTAMs (Notice to Air Missions) for the operating area, verifying all temporary airspace restrictions have been identified [NAV CANADA].

Final Thoughts: Why This Matters

A proper Mission Flight Plan transforms an operation from an "accepted risk" into a documented, mitigated activity. For Level 1 Complex and BVLOS flights, regulators and clients expect evidence that the team has assessed population risk, planned for contingencies, and has a clear ConOps that can be followed under pressure [Transport Canada]. That level of preparation is not only safer and more professional, but it’s often faster in the long run when things don’t go exactly to plan.

When used as the basis for a mandatory Pre-flight Briefing, it ensures every crew member has assessed the population risk, understands the contingencies, and knows the ConOps they must follow under pressure. This shared, documented understanding is the cornerstone of safe, professional, and compliant complex drone operations.

References:

• Canadian Aviation Regulations (Part IX — Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems). Justice Laws.

• Transport Canada — AC 901-002 Issue 02 Guidance on Manual Development (RPOC operations manual guidance).

• Transport Canada — AC_903-001 Appendix G (Guidance on population density and site survey; draft).

• Transport Canada — “Get permission for special drone operations” — Concept of Operations guidance.

• NAV CANADA — VFR Navigation Chart (VNC) and VFR Terminal Area Chart (VTA) information.

• NAV CANADA — NOTAM system guidance.