Regulations
Standard Operating Procedures: What the Regulations Actually Require
SOP requirements sit in the Canadian Aviation Regulations for both Basic and Advanced pilots. Here is what has to be in yours.
Standard operating procedures are not optional paperwork. Furthermore, they are not something only large operators need. The requirement is written into the Canadian Aviation Regulations, and it applies to both Basic and Advanced category pilots.
We have summarised the requirements below so you can check your own procedures against them. Advanced pilots in particular should read carefully, because these procedures are examined during the in-person flight review.
Before your flight review: a reviewer will ask to see your procedures. Missing sections are one of the more common reasons a review goes badly, so work through the list below and confirm each item is genuinely covered in your documents.
Site Survey Requirements
Site survey requirements are laid out in CAR 901.27. No pilot may operate a remotely piloted aircraft system unless, before commencing operations, they determine that the site for take-off, launch, landing or recovery is suitable for the proposed operation by conducting a site survey that takes the following into account:
(a) the boundaries of the area of operation;
(b) the type of airspace and the applicable regulatory requirements;
(c) the altitudes and routes to be used on the approach to and departure from the area of operation;
(d) the proximity of manned aircraft operations;
(e) the proximity of aerodromes, airports and heliports;
(f) the location and height of obstacles, including wires, masts, buildings, cell phone towers and wind turbines;
(g) the predominant weather and environmental conditions for the area of operation; and
(h) the horizontal distances from persons not involved in the operation.
Our guide to drone flight planning walks through how to work each of these factors into a repeatable pre-flight routine.
Normal Operating Procedures
CAR 901.23 states that these processes are required. No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system unless the following procedures are established:
(a) normal operating procedures, including pre-flight, take-off, launch, approach, landing and recovery procedures.
Pre-Flight Requirements
CAR 901.28 adds further detail. A pilot of a remotely piloted aircraft shall, before commencing a flight:
(a) ensure that there is a sufficient amount of fuel or energy for safe completion of the flight;
(b) ensure that each crew member, before acting as a crew member, has been instructed
(i) with respect to the duties that the crew member is to perform, and
(ii) on the location and use of any emergency equipment associated with the operation of the remotely piloted aircraft system; and
(c) determine the maximum distance from the pilot the aircraft can travel without endangering aviation safety or the safety of any person.
Emergency Procedures
Emergency procedures are required by the same section, CAR 901.23. No pilot shall operate a remotely piloted aircraft system unless the following procedures are established:
(b) emergency procedures, including with respect to
(i) a control station failure,
(ii) an equipment failure,
(iii) a failure of the remotely piloted aircraft,
(iv) a loss of the command and control link,
(v) a fly-away, and
(vi) flight termination.
Read those six items carefully. Each one describes a distinct failure mode, and a procedure that covers only “the drone stops responding” does not satisfy the requirement.
Where to Get a Template
Writing procedures from a blank page is harder than it needs to be. Our Standard Operating Procedures Guide is included in the Basic, Advanced and Level 1 Complex online bundles, with worked examples you can adapt to your own operation rather than start from scratch.
Need procedures that will stand up to a flight review?
Browse our certification bundles and get the SOP guide with worked examples included.