Flying a Drone Near Airports & Heliports in Canada

In Canada, a drone flown within visual line of sight must stay at least 3 nautical miles (5.6 km) from the centre of a certified airport and 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) from the centre of a certified heliport. Military aerodromes need a 3 NM buffer unless National Defence authorizes the flight, and lower-risk beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights need 5 NM (9.3 km) from listed aerodromes. Only Advanced pilots following an established procedure can work closer.

These distances come from section 901.47 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). They apply whether or not the airport sits in controlled airspace, which is why many pilots get caught out at small rural airports and hospital helipads. This guide explains each distance, which aerodromes they cover and how Basic and Advanced pilots are treated.

What section 901.47 actually says

Section 901.47 of the CARs, “Operations at or in the Vicinity of an Aerodrome, Airport or Heliport”, has four parts. In plain language:

1. Traffic pattern rule: no pilot may operate a drone at or near an aerodrome listed in the Canada Flight Supplement (CFS) or the Water Aerodrome Supplement (WAS) in a way that could interfere with aircraft in the established traffic pattern.
2. VLOS distances: subject to section 901.73, no VLOS operation closer than 3 NM to the centre of an airport or 1 NM to the centre of a heliport.
3. BVLOS distance: no BVLOS operation closer than 5 NM to the centre of an aerodrome listed in the CFS or WAS, unless done under a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC).
4. Military aerodromes: no operation closer than 3 NM to an aerodrome operated under the authority of the Minister of National Defence, unless DND authorizes it.

You can read the text in the Canadian Aviation Regulations (Part IX). Transport Canada’s guidance specifies that the 3 NM and 1 NM distances apply to certified sites, marked “Cert” in the CFS.

The distances at a glance

The regulation measures from the centre of the airport or heliport, generally taken as the aerodrome reference point published in the CFS, not from the fence or terminal. A 5.6 km circle around a big airport reaches far into the surrounding suburbs.

Basic vs Advanced pilots near airports

The certificate you hold decides what you can do inside those circles.

• Basic certificate: stay outside 3 NM of certified airports and 1 NM of certified heliports, and outside controlled airspace altogether. There is no procedure that lets a Basic pilot fly closer.
• Advanced certificate: section 901.73 lets you fly inside the 3 NM or 1 NM circle if you follow an established procedure for that airport or heliport. Transport Canada points to the procedures in the TC AIM (section 3.4.1.3). If the spot is also in controlled airspace, you need authorization from NAV CANADA as well, and your drone must meet the safety declaration for the operation.
• Level 1 Complex (lower-risk BVLOS): flights must stay in uncontrolled airspace and away from airports and aerodromes; the 5 NM rule applies to BVLOS.

Controlled airspace and the 3 NM circle are separate rules. Many small certified airports have no control tower, so you can be outside controlled airspace and still inside the 3 NM circle. For the controlled-airspace side, see our guide to controlled airspace and NAV Drone authorization. To upgrade, read about the Advanced certificate.

Uncontrolled and registered aerodromes

Canada has hundreds of small strips that are registered but not certified: farm runways, flying clubs, community airstrips. They are listed in the CFS but not marked “Cert”, so the fixed 3 NM rule does not apply to them. That does not make them a free-for-all.

• The traffic pattern rule still applies: if your drone could conflict with a plane taking off, landing or circling, you are breaking the rule.
• Small planes fly low and slow near these strips, often without radio contact you can hear.
• Stay well off the extended runway centreline, where aircraft descend on final approach.
• If you see or hear an aircraft, descend and give way right away. Drones must always yield to manned aircraft.

A practical habit: if a strip is within a few kilometres of your site, call the operator listed in the CFS and ask about traffic that day.

Water aerodromes and seaplane bases

Lakes and rivers with float-plane traffic are listed in the Water Aerodrome Supplement. Cottage country, the B.C. coast and northern lakes are full of them. The same traffic pattern rule applies, and BVLOS flights need 5 NM from any WAS-listed aerodrome.

Float planes often land on any long stretch of open water, not only in front of the dock. When filming a lake, scan the water and sky often, keep your altitude modest and land if a floatplane begins its approach. Our site survey guide explains how to document nearby aerodromes before a job.

Hospital helipads and other heliports

Hospital helipads are the trap pilots most often miss. Many urban and regional hospitals have a heliport, and air ambulances arrive at any hour, often low and fast over neighbourhoods.

• If the CFS lists the helipad as certified, the 1 NM (1.9 km) VLOS buffer applies, and only Advanced pilots following an established procedure can fly inside it.
• If it is registered but not certified, the traffic pattern rule still applies. Stay clear of the approach and departure paths.
• Rooftop heliports in dense cities can sit inside controlled airspace too.

Search the hospital’s name in the CFS or a mapping tool before flying nearby. If a helicopter appears, land and stay down until it has gone.

Military aerodromes

Canadian Forces bases with airfields, such as Trenton, Cold Lake, Bagotville, Greenwood or Moose Jaw, are covered by the 3 NM rule in 901.47(4) for every pilot, Basic or Advanced. The only route is authorization from the military aerodrome authorities; the CFS lists how to reach them. Where military-controlled airspace surrounds the base, you ask the military authority, not NAV CANADA.

Worked examples

In every case, also check controlled airspace, NOTAMs and local land rules before take-off.

Microdrones and airports

Drones under 250 g are not bound by the Part IX Subpart 1 distance rules in the same way, but they still cannot be flown in a way that endangers aviation, and they may not enter Class F restricted airspace or NOTAM-restricted zones without permission. Flying a microdrone near a runway is reckless whatever its weight. See our sub-250 g rules guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 5.6 km rule measured from the runway or the terminal?

Neither. The regulation measures from the centre of the airport, generally taken as the aerodrome reference point published in the CFS.

Does the rule apply to small airports without a tower?

Yes, if the airport is certified. Controlled airspace is a separate question; the 3 NM rule applies either way.

Can a Basic pilot ask the airport for permission?

Not to fly inside the 3 NM or 1 NM circle of a certified site. That privilege is limited to Advanced pilots following an established procedure.

What about private helipads at resorts or businesses?

If they are registered in the CFS but not certified, no fixed distance applies, but you must still not interfere with helicopter traffic.

What happens if I break these rules?

Transport Canada can issue fines, and endangering aircraft can lead to much bigger penalties. See drone fines and penalties.

Keep your distance, keep flying

Airport rules are simple once you know which aerodromes are certified: 5.6 km from certified airports, 1.9 km from certified heliports, 5.6 km from military fields unless DND says yes, and no interference with traffic anywhere. Check every site before you fly and add the aerodrome check to your pre-flight checklist.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change: always check Transport Canada and local authorities before you fly.