Micro Drones
What Can You Actually Do With a 249 g Drone?
The weight class opens doors. It does not open all of them.
Sub-250 gram aircraft changed the entry point to this industry. You get a genuinely capable machine in a package that sidesteps registration and certification entirely — grab shots on an outdoor adventure, cover a wedding ceremony from the air, help a neighbour work out why their roof is leaking. You can sell that work, and build skill and experience while you do it.
It is a good way to get started, and a useful addition to a kit that already includes larger aircraft. But “most regulations do not apply” is not the same as “no rules”.
Why 250 Grams Matters
In Canada and many other countries, 250 g is the threshold that triggers registration and pilot certification. An aircraft at 249 g sits below it, so those requirements do not apply.
The Rule That Always Applies
CARs 900.06 — No person shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system in such a reckless or negligent manner as to endanger or be likely to endanger aviation safety or the safety of any person.
We call it the “don’t be an idiot” rule, and it is the one that catches people. Fly at night? Generally fine. Near an airport, in controlled airspace, or over a crowd? Now you are in territory where you would need to justify your decision to a Transport Canada inspector or the RCMP. If the thought of that conversation makes you uncomfortable, that is your answer.
What Changed in 2025
Since 1 April 2025, flying a microdrone at an advertised event requires a Special Flight Operations Certificate. This is the significant recent change for sub-250 g pilots: if the event was promoted in advance, the weight exemption does not cover you.
Rules That Are Not Transport Canada’s
It is still an RPAS, so you cannot fly it in national, provincial or territorial parks. City bylaws often restrict take-off and landing on municipal property. Privacy legislation applies to whatever your camera captures. None of these depend on weight.
Use the tools. DJI’s Fly app shows approach paths and controlled airspace, and NAV Drone gives you the authoritative Canadian picture. Give both a wide berth regardless of the altitude you are planning.
New to drones, or rounding out your fleet?