Blogs

CANADA IS NUMBER ONE IN NORTH AMERICA!

Figure 12-2 Work Plan

Well folks after some browsing I've discovered that Canada is the current leader in terms of regulations of commercial use UAVs in North America.  Whereas the US President has just recently signed a bill to get the FAA to create detailed regulations for commercial use of UAVs, Canada has been working on them since 2008.

Here's a Work Plan extracted from the final report of the UAV Working Group, from the Transport Canada website:

12.2 Work Plan for Complete and Safe Integration into Canadian Airspace: 2012

The Working Group proposes the following Work Plan to achieve complete and safe integration of UAVs into Canadian airspace by the year 2012. The Working Group believes there is an immediate need for the creation of a UAV SFOC Review Working Group. All other Working Groups that are referenced in this Work Plan would be part of a longer-term process to achieve routine operations of UAVs in Canadian airspace.

WORK PLAN

2007:

1. Submit Unmanned Air Vehicle Working Group Final Report to Transport Canada Senior management; and
2. Approval and creation of a UAV SFOC Review Working Group.

2008:

1. Implement registration of UAVs;
2. Revise Staff Instructions in accordance with UAV SFOC Review Working Group recommendations and implement additional recommendations (advisory material etc.);
3. Have procedures/exemption(s) in place for UAVs operating inside buildings and underground;
4. Continue the development of Industry Groups to represent the Canadian UAV Industry to Transport Canada;
5. Initiate collaborative effort toward Design Standards; and
6. Allocation of dedicated Transport Canada resources.

2009:

1. Develop or adopt Airworthiness Design Standards for UAVs with a MTOW not exceeding 150 Kg;
2. Creation of a Working Group to deal with UAS-specific components; and
3. Create Notices of Proposed Amendments (NPAs) for presentation at CARAC Technical Committee Meetings:
   1. January 1st – December 30th:
      1. General Operating and Flight Rules;
      2. Pilot/Maintainer Qualifications and Training; and
      3. Maintenance and Flight Authorities.

2010:

1. Create NPAs for presentation at CARAC Technical Committee Meetings:
   1. Completed by December 30th:
      1. Airworthiness Certification;
      2. Operating Certificates (new Working Group); and
      3. New operating rules (e.g., IFR approaches etc.).
2. Development of Advisory material / Exemptions - after approval of NPAs