Canada sUAV regulations moving forward



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Ronan

Member
Well that's something at least... I miss before where you could get 1 SFOC for 1 year valid everywhere in that province...

We ended up leaving the country because it changed to 1 SFOC per flight, only valid in that province... At least that's how Quebec was doing it.

Horrible and instantly killed sUAV business's since it requires around 20 days to get a SFOC issued...
 

Amerly

Amerly

Member
Yeah well the guy at TC in Quebec Region (O.L. not to mention his name) is no longer in charge of SFOC's for UAS (or trending name RPA, remotely piloted aircraft)... Your right this guy killed the industry here... So I guess that's an other good news :)

As for blankets, well SFOC's can be issued for as long as 3 years for companies with proper history and track proven compliance... These guys will use e-mail for flight data report to TC (region wide or national wide SFOC)...
 
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R

R_Lefebvre

Arducopter Developer
Yep, I've been tracking this development. Very excited! The 2kg limit is pretty restrictive, but it can be done. I've already stripped down my small mapping heli so that it's <2kg with a camera. VTOL, speeds up to 76 km/h, and 15 minutes flight times, not too bad! I'm also looking at a new helicopter frame that should do even better. I also have a Tarot 650 quad that is under 2kg, but it really can't compare to the heli.

The key to this whole thing is going to be the rules for the 2-25kg class, as that's where you get more capability. Actually I wish they had breakpoints like 0-2, 2-5 or 2-10, and then 5-35. 5kg would allow very capable aircraft, still with only a small risk, so the restrictions would not need to be as high.

The only problem is it's really really pushing the limits of what's possible. Like, I cannot build something that will lift a small P&S camera, with a gimbal, and fly for 15 minutes. My heli would be stripped down, no frills 500, with a camera on a simple fixed position mount with rubber vibration damping bulbs, that's it. You can get a Phantom with a GoPro on a gimbal, but that limits image quality a lot.

I do know one company in the GTA who has a country-wide blanket SFOC. And then I heard from another guy who applied for a single-permit SFOC, and was waiting for 2 months. How is a new company supposed to start up operations like that?! You can't compete, can't break into the market.

So I'm very happy about this development. I hope the 2-25kg requirements are not too onerous (I fear it'll be something like, requiring a pilot's license or something). I'm also hoping they take into account experience operating under the new rules, and then consider that if you actually apply for an SFOC for some operations.
 

Amerly

Amerly

Member
Yep 2kg is very restrictive. TC did not present their energy based criteria in regards to SFOC requirements... I guess smaller weight brackets would not be easy to incorporate in the regulation... At least we get a good start, finally !

Also for BVLOS things will not be easy for light platforms (and no cheap solution oriented also). Trends goes for mandatory ADS-B out and Sense and Avoid functions (inboard sensing and processing, not radio link ground station based) with proper sensors for environemental conditions (110 degres horizontal and 15 degres vertical proposed) and with avoidance criteria based on the most likely collision probability with at least 3 surrounding aircraft (transponder). No ground avoidance systems requirements as for now... Also automatic flight termination in case of radio control link drop (that means parachute and not return to home, they care more about not having flyaway than a droping low velocity UAS on the ground, pretty logic)...
 
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Darson Hall

Darson Hall

Member
Time to buy that weight scale I've been putting off! So what's under 2K... Phantoms and maybe F550's, basically Go-pro setups?
 

R

R_Lefebvre

Arducopter Developer
Success!


I got my mapping heli to 2kg (Well, I have to hunt down another ~50g). Just test flew it, and I got the amperage down to 12A in a hover. Well, I got down to 11A, but 12A seemed to be the sweet spot. That's on 4S, so ~180W for 2kg. Not bad at all. So, even though I have half the battery load, I can still fly for 20-25 minutes. And this is while carrying the S100, which is a slightly heavy mapping camera.


Anyway, going to be ready for business!

By comparison, my Tarot 650 quad hovers on about 15A, and weighs pretty much the same amount. Mind you, that's with 15" props, and it has proven unsuitable for videography, not sure about photography yet. To do video, I'd have to use smaller props, maybe 12", and then the power would go way up.
 



Pumpkinguy

Pumpkinguy

Member
FYI. The 2kg class is not a free pass to fly commercially without an sfoc. You would still have to meet 37 conditions. Not flying near a building is one. If you don't meet all 37 you still need to apply for a sfoc.
So basically if you are under 2kg and somewhere like say.........Antarctica, you are good. Lol
 

R

R_Lefebvre

Arducopter Developer
But that staff instruction says it only applies to UAV's over 25kg? Where's the regulations for <2 and 2<>25?
 

R

R_Lefebvre

Arducopter Developer
"
  1. There shall be a means to assure that prior to taxi and take-off or launch, the UAV systems and subsystems are operating correctly."
Huh, that would seem to exclude all multirotors... ? You can't actually make sure it's going to work right, until it's actually in the air.
 

R

R_Lefebvre

Arducopter Developer
See, this does not apply to UAV's <25kg:

3.6 Staff Instruction Applicability
  1. This SI is applicable to any UAV and overweight model aircraft:
    1. Overweight Model
      1. Canadian model aircraft that exceed 35 Kg in weight are legally considered UAVs and the operator of the model aircraft must apply for, and receive, an SFOC under Section 12 of this SI.
      2. Members of the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada (MAAC) and the U.S. Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) participating in MAAC sponsored flying events must apply for and receive an SFOC that gives them the privilege at such events. In this case the model aircraft operator will also be required to apply under Section 12 of this SI.
      3. In the event that the Certificate applicant is a member of MAAC and follows MAAC safety guidelines, it would be reasonable to issue the SFOC valid for operation at all the MAAC Safety Fields, where the applicant will be operating, as well as providing a three (3) year validity period. If the operator is not a member of MAAC, limitations will be imposed in the SFOC so that the operator is confined to operating in a specific geographical area and the SFOC will not be valid for longer than one year.
  2. This SI does not consider:
    1. Persons who choose to operate UAVs under the exemptions issued by the Minister:
      1. with a maximum take-off weight not exceeding 2 kilograms (4.6 pounds); or
      2. with a maximum take-off weight exceeding 2 kilograms (4.6 pounds) but not exceeding 25 kilograms (55.1 pounds);
 


R

R_Lefebvre

Arducopter Developer
Wow, so this seems completely reasonable. The only question I have is what does it mean for:

Stay at least 150 metres away from people, animals,
buildings, structures, and vehicles not involved in
the operation

When is a building involved? If you are taking photo/video of a building, I guess it's involved? Are it's neighboring buildings also involved?
 


Pumpkinguy

Pumpkinguy

Member
R_Lefebvre said:
Wow, so this seems completely reasonable. The only question I have is what does it mean for:

Stay at least 150 metres away from people, animals,
buildings, structures, and vehicles not involved in
the operation

When is a building involved? If you are taking photo/video of a building, I guess it's involved? Are it's neighboring buildings also involved?
Click to expand...


Rob. Like I said above, even for a 1.5kg uav if you don't meet the requirements you need a sfoc. One requirement is being 150m away from any building. There are 37 requirements. You basically need a sfoc for anything good.
 


R

R_Lefebvre

Arducopter Developer
Pumpkinguy said:
Rob. Like I said above, even for a 1.5kg uav if you don't meet the requirements you need a sfoc. One requirement is being 150m away from any building. There are 37 requirements. You basically need a sfoc for anything good.
Click to expand...

Where is the list of 37? I'm only going on the infographic so far. It clearly says that <2kg, you can be up to 30m from uninvolved people/things.
 

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