Certification
Drone Flight Reviews in Canada: What Actually Happens
The exam proves you know the rules. The flight review proves you can fly by them. Here is what Transport Canada requires, what to bring, and how the Advanced and Level 1 Complex reviews differ.
A flight review is an in-person practical assessment conducted by a Transport Canada-approved flight reviewer. Its purpose is to verify that you can operate a remotely piloted aircraft safely in the environment your certificate covers. Both the Advanced and Level 1 Complex certificates require one. Basic Operations does not.
You cannot book a review until you have passed the Small Advanced exam. That order is fixed: exam first, then flight review, then certificate.
The short version: pass the Small Advanced exam, complete the ground school your pathway requires, then book an in-person review with a reviewer affiliated with a Transport Canada self-declared training provider. Pass, and you apply for your certificate.
What the reviewer is actually assessing
The flight review is not a test of whether you can fly a smooth orbit. It verifies that you can conduct a complete operation safely, from planning through shutdown, and that you can explain why you are doing what you are doing.
The specific exercises are published by Transport Canada in the Flight Reviewer’s Guide (TP15395). Reviewers work from that guide rather than inventing their own assessment, which means the standard is consistent across Canada. Expect to be asked about site survey, airspace, and your procedures as well as demonstrating aircraft handling.
The most common reason a review goes badly is not stick skill. It is a pilot who has procedures on paper but cannot show how they apply to the site they are standing on. If you’re being asked to fly through a flaming hoop on your review, you’re probably in for a bad time.
What you must bring
Transport Canada requires the following things at your review. Missing any one of them will stop the session before it starts.
1. A digital or physical copy of the results page from your successfully completed exam
2. Valid, unexpired government-issued identification showing your name and date of birth
3. Proof of CAR 901.56 Recency if you completed your exam more than 24 months prior to the review.
4. The Certificate of Registration for the drone you will fly during the review
5. A copy of your Standard & Emergency Operating Procedures (CAR 901.23 & 901.28)
6. A copy of your Site Survey Checklist (CAR 901.27)
7. A copy of your site survey for the location the review is to take place.
8. A copy of your site survey for a suitable mock Advanced Scenario.
9. A copy of your crew briefing checklist, accident reporting procedures.
10. The drone itself (an RPA that is 250g or more, and has a suitable safety assurance declaration for the flight intended in the review).
11. A digital or paper copy of the current RPA Operator’s Manual
12. Sufficient energy to complete the flight review exercises in TP15395.
13. Optional: A giant landing pad and safety vest if you want to keep the drone pilot meme going.
The registration certificate catches people out. The aircraft you fly at the review has to be registered, and the certificate has to be for that aircraft, and it must have a suitable safety assurance declaration for the actual flight review (not the mock scenario, but you should know the difference!)
Advanced or Level 1 Complex?
Both pathways end in a flight review, but they are different reviews against different standards. Which one you need depends on the flying you intend to do, not on how experienced you feel.
| Advanced Operations | Level 1 Complex | |
|---|---|---|
| What it permits | Controlled airspace, flying near or over people, and medium RPAS up to 150 kg within visual line of sight | Lower-risk operations beyond visual line of sight |
| Exam required first | Small Advanced exam | Small Advanced exam, then the Level 1 Complex exam |
| Ground school | Strongly recommended; no minimum hours published | At least 20 hours through a flight school |
| Minimum age | 16 | 18 |
| Reviewer affiliation | A self-declared TP 15263 training provider | A self-declared TP 15530 training provider |
| Operator certificate | Not required | Operations must be flown under an RPOC |
One consequence is worth spelling out. Because the Advanced exam is a prerequisite for Level 1 Complex either way, a pilot who already knows they want BVLOS work does not need to complete the entire Advanced pathway first and then repeat much of the same ground school. We covered that route in detail in our guide to the Level 1 Complex certification path.
Who is allowed to conduct your review
Not every experienced pilot can sign you off. A flight reviewer holds an Advanced or Level 1 Complex certificate with a flight reviewer rating, and must be affiliated with a Transport Canada self-declared training provider (that’s Coastal Drone Co.). Reviewers need at least six months of operating experience while holding the certificate before they can qualify as a minimum standard, but Coastal Drone Co. flight reviewers are expected to hold a higher level of experience, and are subject to an interview and selection process conducted by our Chief Ground Instructor.
Because reviewers work through flight schools, you book through the school rather than contacting a reviewer privately. That affiliation is what makes the review valid. You can contact the reviewer directly, but for Coastal Drone, we handle the payment and brokerage process and ensure the interaction is seamless.
If you do not pass
It is not the end of your certification. Transport Canada permits you to schedule another review as soon as the next day (After 24 Hours), and there is no limit on the number of attempts. You will be charged a fee each time, so preparation is worth the effort.
What it costs
Transport Canada does not set a price for the flight review. The fee is set by the reviewer, which is why quoted prices vary across the country. When comparing, check whether preparation material and a retake are included, because those are usually where the real difference sits. Our fees for Flight Reviews have remained the same for nearly 7 years, and much of the industry appears to take lead from us. There will be cheaper (and more expensive) reviews out there, but be sure to compare what service is offered as part of the booking process.
How Coastal Drone prepares you
We run flight reviews through a reviewer network that spans Canada, so most pilots can complete their review without significant travel. Every review is paired with an online preparation course so you know precisely what will be asked before you arrive. We offer bundles that include a full groundschool (311 and 411) or just the flight review by itself. A word of caution though: many students who come into the flight review having just challenged the exam can be surprised at the level of detail required in the procedures and paperwork, so it’s important to take your time going through our prep courses, and if you feel you need to purchase the groundschool after pre-purchasing the flight review, get in touch with us for a bundle discount.
305 – Advanced In-Person Flight Review
The Advanced review session with a reviewer near you, with the online prep guide included.
405 – Level 1 Complex Flight Review
The in-person L1C review, with reviewers across Canada. Includes L1C-specific prep guide.
311 – Advanced Pilot Bundle
Full TP15263 Ground school, exam prep, review prep and the flight review in one package.
411 – Level 1 Complex Pilot Bundle
Full TP15530 L1C ground school, exam prep, SOP guide and your in-person review., pre-paid.
Already certified and keeping current? Recency training under CAR 901.65 is a separate requirement from your flight review — our Recency RPAS Seminar covers it. You can also browse everything by category on our courses page.
Not sure which review you need?
Our instructors sat on the Transport Canada working groups that shaped these rules. Tell us the work you want to do and we will point you at the shortest legal path to it.
Verified against Transport Canada guidance in August 2026. Regulations change — confirm current requirements on the Transport Canada flight review page before you book.