By: Colonel (ret) Bernie Derbach, KR Droneworks, 15 Jan 26 If you’re a professional drone pilot in Canada, you’ve likely seen the headlines about the 2025 regulatory shifts. You probably already hold an Advanced Certificate , and you might be wondering if the "Complex" upgrade is just another expensive piece of paper. Here is the truth: In 2026, the industry has officially split. Advanced pilots are increasingly restricted to "small-scale" work, while Level 1 Complex (L1C)  pilots are...

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 happens when the...

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, living concept...