Flight Planning Fundamentals
Site Surveys? No Problem.
Every legal drone flight in Canada starts before takeoff. Here is what a site survey actually requires, why the regulations demand one, and a video walkthrough of how to do it efficiently.
We get a lot of questions from people wondering how to properly conduct a site survey. From physical obstacles, to airspace restrictions, to weather and site safety considerations, the process can seem a little overwhelming at first.
It shouldn’t be — and it isn’t optional. A site survey is how you find out, before you launch, what is above you, around you, and beneath your flight path: the nearest aerodromes and heliports, the class of airspace you’re standing in, obstacles like towers and powerlines, the people and property your operation could affect, and the weather you’ll actually be flying in rather than the forecast you hoped for.
The site survey is a regulatory requirement, not a best practice. CARs 901.27 requires pilots to determine, before flight, that the site is suitable for the operation — including airspace, obstacles, weather, and proximity to people. It applies to Basic, Advanced, and Level 1 Complex operations alike, and your standard operating procedures need to show how you do it.
Wonder no more. We’ve made a video that runs you through the site survey requirements, the free tools worth using, and how to prepare for flights efficiently and safely. Check it out below.
A few of the tools covered are worth bookmarking now: the NavDrone app for airspace and flight authorization requests, the National Research Council’s site selection map for a visual overlay of everything affecting drone pilots, and UAV Forecast for wind, visibility, and the KP index that can degrade your GPS. Build these into your pre-flight checklist and the survey stops feeling like homework and starts feeling like muscle memory.
For more depth on site surveys, flight planning, and the standard operating procedures the regulations expect you to carry, our Basic, Advanced, and Level 1 Complex pilot courses cover the full process. Step-by-step site survey walkthroughs are included at every certification level in the Standard Operating Procedures modules of our course bundles — the x03 modules (103, 303, and 403) — so whether you’re preparing for your first Basic exam or building toward BVLOS operations under a Level 1 Complex certificate, the survey discipline is built into your training from day one.
Ready to plan flights like a professional?
Explore Coastal Drone courses and make every flight a legal, well-planned one.