Where to fly your drone

Check an interactive map

The National Research Council has created an interactive map. The map helps drone operators understand airspace and find out where to fly. It is for your convenience only.

Sharing airspace

If you fly a drone in Canada, you must follow the rules that help keep people and aircraft safe.

All drone operations

Prior to each flight, drone pilots must conduct a survey of the area and also consult:

• Notice to Airmen (NOTAMs) for the flight location: NAV CANADA NOTAMs portal
• the Canada Flight Supplement
• the Designated Airspace Handbook
• appropriate aeronautical charts

NOTAMs tell pilots about event and obstacles that may affect them. All NOTAMs include the time and location of the event. Enter the ID of an aerodrome near you into the NAV CANADA NOTAMs portal to find NOTAMs in your area.

Any chart that has aeronautical information relevant to the flight will do. This may include aeronautical charts listed on the NAV CANADA website.

Controlled airspace

You must get air traffic control approval for operations in controlled airspace. For airspace controlled by NAV CANADA, request an RPAS Flight Authorization.

Drone pilots must maintain communications with the air traffic control authority while flying.

Areas that limit the use of drones

Airports, heliports and aerodromes

An aerodrome is anywhere that an aircraft can take off and land. This includes airports, heliports, and seaplane bases.

Unless you are following an established Transport Canada procedure, you cannot fly closer than:

• 5.6 kilometres (3 nautical miles) from any airport listed as Certified (“Cert”) in the Canada Flight Supplement
• 1.9 kilometres (1 nautical mile) from heliports or aerodromes used by helicopters only

There are no distance requirements for operations near all other aerodromes. Operators must maintain a safe distance from other aircraft at all times.

National parks

Drone pilots are not allowed to take-off or land within a national park.

A park superintendent may allow the use of drones in some cases. If you want to fly a drone in a national park, read about the use of drones at Parks Canada places and contact Parks Canada.

Emergency sites

Drone pilots are not allowed to fly within the security perimeter of a police or first responder emergency operation, such as a traffic accident. You must also avoid sites near disasters (forest fires, floods, earthquakes). A drone flying near these areas may interfere with emergency personnel aircraft and the work of emergency personnel.

Advertised events

Drone pilots are not allowed to fly near or over advertised events, such as outdoor concerts and sporting events, unless they have a Special Flight Operations Certificate that specifically allows them to do so.

Related links

• Flying your drone safely and legally
• Get permission to fly your drone outside the rules
• Report a drone incident