senseFly Drones Fully Comply With New Transport Canada Requirements For Advanced RPAS Operations

Use of senseFly Drones in Controlled Airspace Can Continue Without Interruption

As the leader in fixed-wing drones, senseFly is pleased to announce that its entire platform of professional drone solutions—eBee Classic, eBee SQ and eBee X—complies with the latest Transport Canada regulations for advanced drone operations in controlled airspace.

“The need to meet and exceed demanding operational and regulatory standards is the foundation on which all senseFly drones are built,” said Gilles Labossière, CEO of senseFly. “We’re pleased to inform all existing and future senseFly drone operators in Canada that their operations can continue without delay when Transport Canada’s new regulatory framework for civilian drone operations takes effect.”

Transport Canada defines advanced operations as:

• Controlled airspace: operations in which the drone will fly within the airspace controlled by air traffic control (Class A-F)
• Near people: operations in which the drone will fly within 30 metres (100 feet) and 5 metres (16.4 feet) of any person not associated with the operations
• Over people: operations in which the drone will fly within 5 metres (16.4 feet) or directly over any person not associated with the operation.

The new regulations take effect on June 1, 2019, and will apply to Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS)—A.K.A. drones or UAVs—that weigh 250 grams (0.55 lbs.), up to and including 25 kilograms (55 lbs.) and are operated within the drone pilot’s visual-line-of-sight.

To help pilots choose the right drone, Transport Canada provides a list of approved models via its Safety Assurance program. This list informs drone operators which manufacturers and drone models are compliant with the department’s reliability and operational safety assurance framework and includes senseFly’s eBee Classic, eBee SQ and eBee X models.

The rules will be enforced by Transport Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and will affect all advanced drone operations across the country.

With the new legislation in place, Transport Canada’s goal is threefold: avoid putting aircraft and people at risk, eliminate drone operators flying without proper certification and decrease the number of people flying unmarked or unregistered drones.

senseFly’s latest Canadian compliance is yet another example of the company’s commitment to exacting safety standards and regulatory requirements. In 2015, the original eBee drone was the country’s first fixed-wing drone to be designated a compliant ‘small UAV’ by Transport Canada. In 2017, three senseFly models were added to the organisation’s list of compliant systems. Recently, senseFly’s eBee X played a crucial role in Project Honeycomb, Canada’s largest-ever BVLOS UAV trials.

For more information about senseFly drones, please visit www.sensefly.com