How to Pass the Transport Canada Small Basic Drone Exam (First Try)

If your drone weighs between 250 g and 25 kg, you need a Pilot Certificate – Basic Operations before you fly it in Canada. To get one, you must pass Transport Canada’s online Small Basic Exam. The good news: with a few hours of focused study, most people pass on the first attempt. This guide explains exactly how the exam works, what it covers and how to prepare efficiently.

Not sure whether you need the Basic or Advanced certificate? Start with our overview of the Canada drone rules, then come back here.

The exam at a glance

Fees and details can change, so check the official Transport Canada Small Basic exam page before you book.

What the exam covers

Transport Canada builds its questions from the knowledge requirements for small drone pilots. Expect questions in these areas:

• Air law and regulations: registration and marking, basic vs advanced operations, distances from people and airports, maximum altitude, when you need special authorization.
• Airspace: controlled vs uncontrolled airspace, aerodromes and heliports, how to know where you are allowed to fly.
• Weather (meteorology): wind, temperature and its effect on batteries, visibility, how weather changes affect a flight.
• Drone systems: flight controllers, GNSS, return-to-home, battery limits, the effect of payload and propeller damage.
• Human factors: fatigue, alcohol and drugs, stress, situational awareness, decision-making.
• Flight operations: site surveys, pre-flight inspections, emergency procedures, lost link, fly-aways.

A 7-day study plan

1. Day 1 — The rules. Read the drone regulations summary from Transport Canada and make your own one-page cheat sheet of numbers: altitudes, distances, ages, weights.
2. Day 2 — Airspace. Learn the difference between controlled and uncontrolled airspace and how airports and heliports affect basic operations.
3. Day 3 — Weather. Focus on wind, gusts, temperature and density. Think about what each one does to a small drone.
4. Day 4 — Your drone. Review your own drone’s manual: failsafes, return-to-home behaviour, battery warnings. Many exam questions are common sense once you understand the system.
5. Day 5 — Human factors and emergencies. Fatigue, distractions, what to do when the link is lost or the battery is critically low.
6. Day 6 — Practice questions. Answer as many practice questions as you can and note every topic you got wrong.
7. Day 7 — Review and write. Revisit your weak areas and write the exam in a quiet place with a stable internet connection.

Exam-day tips

• Read every question twice. Many wrong answers come from missing a single word such as not or always.
• Eliminate the obviously wrong options first, then choose between the remaining two.
• Don’t rush: 90 minutes for 35 questions leaves more than two minutes per question.
• Flag hard questions and come back to them at the end.
• Favour the safest, most conservative answer when you hesitate — the exam rewards safety-first thinking.

After you pass

1. Download and save your pilot certificate (digital or printed copy) — you must be able to show it when you fly.
2. Register your drone if it weighs 250 g or more and mark the registration number on it.
3. Build a routine with our pre-flight checklist.
4. Keep your skills current: practise in open, uncrowded areas and review the rules regularly.

Should you go straight to Advanced?

The Advanced certificate lets you fly in controlled airspace (with permission) and closer to people, but it requires a harder online exam plus an in-person flight review. Most hobby pilots start with Basic and upgrade later if they need to fly near airports or for professional work. If you’re planning paid work, read our guide on drone insurance too.

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