Flying a drone of 250 g or more in Canada needs a Transport Canada pilot certificate and registered drone. Basic is an online exam; Advanced adds a flight review.
How it’s offered: Take an online drone course at your own pace (source)
| Detail | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | Flying a drone of 250 g or more in Canada needs a Transport Canada pilot certificate and registered drone. Basic is an online exam; Advanced adds a flight review. | source |
| Issuing body · Url | Official page | source |
| Credential | REQUIRED: Pilot Certificate - Basic Operations or Advanced Operations | source |
| Licence status | required | source |
| Requirements | Basic: age 14, online Small Basic exam (35 questions, 65%). Advanced: age 16, online Advanced exam, in-person flight review, then certificate fee | source |
| Regulator fees | Exam $10 per attempt; Advanced certificate $25 (CAR fee schedule; TC pages show indexed amounts) | source |
| Exams 1 | Small Basic exam: You must be 14 years of age or older; 35 multiple choice questions. 90 minutes; 65% or higher | source |
| Exams 2 | Advanced exam: 16 years of age or older; 50 multiple choice questions. 60 minutes; 80% or higher; You must pass this exam and your flight review to get your Pilot Certificate – Advanced operations | source |
| Exam fee | Not shown on Transport Canada’s page | source |
| Flight review fee | You may be charged a fee by the flight reviewer for your flight review. Prices are set by the reviewer. | source |
| Step 1 | Part of getting your certificate is to pass at least one online exam. | source |
| Step 2 | Small Basic exam: You must be 14 years of age or older; 35 multiple choice questions. 90 minutes; 65% or higher | source |
| Step 3 | Advanced exam: 16 years of age or older; 50 multiple choice questions. 60 minutes; 80% or higher; You must pass this exam and your flight review to get your Pilot Certificate – Advanced operations | source |
| Step 4 | You may be charged a fee by the flight reviewer for your flight review. Prices are set by the reviewer. | source |
| Step 5 | Basic and Advanced training is free; Basic about 10 hours, Advanced about 15 hours (RPAS Centre, online) | source |
| Step 6 | Advanced: flight review From $199 (RPAS Centre) | source |
| Delivery | Take an online drone course at your own pace | source |
| School and city | Program and approval | Length | Intakes | Cost | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RPAS Centre Canada-wide (online; not BC-specific) · Private | Basic and Advanced RPAS online courses + flight review not published source | Basic: Free online course, about 10 hours; Advanced: Free online course, about 15 hours | Take an online drone course at your own pace | Basic and Advanced training is free; flight review From $199 | Program page |
| Pacific Drone BC · Private | Basic Operations / Advanced Operations / Flight Review not published source | not published Course length not on page | not published No session date on page (online study platform) | Basic Operations FREE; Advanced Operations PAID (amount not published) | Program page |
We could not confirm these on an official page, so we left them out: Pay.
REQUIRED: Pilot Certificate - Basic Operations or Advanced Operations
Transport Canada.
The official lists we checked include: Pacific Drone, RPAS Centre.
This page relies on the official pages below. Rules, fees and processes change, so check the authority before you apply or spend money.
Links checked November 1, 2026. Found an error or a broken link? Report it.