Drone Surveying in Canada: What is Permitted and What is Not?

In Canada, the use of drones (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems - RPAS) for commercial purposes, including surveying, is regulated by Transport Canada under Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). However, land surveying is a regulated profession, and only licensed land surveyors are permitted to conduct official cadastral (legal property boundary) surveys. This means that while you can use a drone for various data collection purposes, you must ensure your work does not legally qualify as "land surveying" under Canadian laws.

Permitted Drone Survey Activities (Without a Surveying License)

If you are not a licensed land surveyor, you can still perform a variety of drone-based surveying and mapping tasks as long as they do not involve legal land boundary determination. The following activities are generally allowed under Transport Canada regulations and do not require a land surveyor’s license:

1. Aerial Photography & Videography
   • Capturing high-resolution images and videos for marketing, construction progress tracking, and real estate.
   • No legal restrictions unless violating privacy laws (e.g., capturing private property without consent).
2. Elevation Mapping & Digital Surface Models (DSM)
   • Generating 3D models and topographic maps for site planning, agriculture, and construction.
   • Must avoid making claims related to legal land boundaries.
3. Volume Measurements (Stockpile & Earthworks Calculations)
   • Estimating the volume of soil, aggregates, snow removal, and fill materials.
   • Used for construction, mining, and environmental projects but cannot be used for official land valuation or disputes.
4. Distance, Size & Dimension Analysis
   • Measuring distances between objects for infrastructure planning.
   • Cannot be used for legal property boundary determination.
5. Crops and Vegetation Health Monitoring
   • Using multispectral imaging for precision agriculture, disease detection, and yield forecasting.
   • No restrictions, but must comply with Canadian agricultural and privacy laws.
6. Power Line & Utility Inspections
   • Thermal and high-resolution imaging for fault detection, vegetation encroachment, and maintenance planning.
   • Requires permission from utility companies and compliance with NAV CANADA airspace restrictions.
7. Construction Site Surveys & Inspections
   • Mapping and progress tracking for construction projects.
   • Can provide data for engineers and architects but not for legal land division purposes.
8. Hazardous Site & Non-Accessible Area Monitoring
   • Inspecting mining sites, disaster zones, industrial locations, and remote infrastructure.
   • Must comply with workplace safety regulations and privacy laws.
9. Wildlife and Environmental Monitoring
   • Tracking wildlife migration, vegetation changes, and environmental hazards.
   • Requires compliance with Canadian Wildlife Act and provincial regulations.
10. 3D Mapping and Digital Twin Creation

• Creating digital models of buildings and landscapes for planning and visualization.
• Allowed as long as it does not claim to provide legal survey data.

We are Drone Certified Pilots

Advanced RPAS Certificate (if flying in controlled airspace, near people, or at altitudes above 122m/400ft).

• Airspace Authorization
  • Must check NAV CANADA flight restrictions before flying.
  • Special permissions required for airports, military zones, and densely populated areas.
• Flight Safety & Insurance
  • Maintain a visual line of sight (VLOS) unless using a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC).
  • Liability insurance is recommended but not legally required.
• Privacy and Consent
  • Cannot capture images of private property or people without consent.
  • Must comply with Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

WE NOT PROVIDING FOLLOWING SERVICES

Prohibited or Restricted Activities (Without a Survey License)

If you are not a licensed land surveyor, you cannot legally perform the following tasks:

1. Cadastral (Legal) Land Surveys
   • Determining property boundaries, legal land divisions, or official land measurements.
   • Only permitted for licensed land surveyors under provincial land surveyor acts.
2. Official Property Line Mapping
   • Establishing or marking boundaries for real estate transactions, land disputes, or construction permits.
3. Subdivision & Legal Land Parcel Mapping
   • Any activity related to the official division of land into parcels or lots.
4. Providing Data for Title Deeds & Legal Disputes
   • Drone data cannot be used as evidence in court cases, land ownership disputes, or property tax assessments.