Heads Up, Lethbridge! New Drone Rules Coming in 2025 - What You Need to Know

Big news from the world of drones! Transport Canada is shaking things up with some major updates to the rules in 2025. The goal is basically to keep our skies safer as more drones take flight, while also paving the way for some cool new ways businesses can use them. If you use drones for your work here in Lethbridge or Southern Alberta, you’ll want to know what’s changing so you can stay legal and maybe even take advantage of new opportunities.

Don’t worry, we at Coalbanks Creative are keeping tabs on all this stuff. Here’s a friendly breakdown of the key changes coming our way:

The Rollout Plan: Mark Your Calendars!

Transport Canada is doing this in two main steps:

Step 1: Starting April 1, 2025 – Getting Things Ready

• New Fees Coming: Yep, there will be some new fees for getting certified for the fancier drone flying (like flying further away) and maybe some tweaks to drone registration costs. Think of it as chipping in for a safer, more organized drone world.
• Tiny Drones at Big Events? New Rule: Planning to fly even a little microdrone (under 250g) at something like a festival or public event? You’ll now need special permission first (an SFOC). Safety first when crowds are involved!
• Get a Head Start: Good news! Starting April 1st, you can actually start taking the tests and applying for the new certifications needed for next-level drone operations coming later in the year. Beat the rush!

Step 2: Starting November 4, 2025 – The Big Operational Changes

• Flying Further Away (BVLOS) Gets Real (Sort Of): This is pretty exciting! For the first time, regular flights where the pilot can’t see the drone (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) will be allowed in certain low-risk areas. Think checking long pipelines, power lines, or huge farm fields without having to follow right behind the drone. Big potential for Southern Alberta!
  • New Pilot Licence Needed: To do this BVLOS stuff, pilots will need a new “Level 1 Complex Operations” certificate. More training, more tests!
  • Businesses Need a Cert Too: Companies wanting to do BVLOS will need an “RPAS Operator Certificate (RPOC)” to show they have solid safety plans.
• Rules for the Bigger Birds (Medium Drones 25kg-150kg): Got a bigger drone? New rules are coming for flying these within sight, including checks from the drone makers. Helps manage these more powerful machines safely.
• More Perks for Advanced Pilots: If you already have your Advanced drone certificate, you’ll get some new abilities, like:
  • Flying closer to buildings even if you briefly lose sight (called “Sheltered Operations” - handy for inspections!).
  • Flying a bit further away if you have a spotter helping you watch (Extended Visual Line of Sight - EVLOS).
  • Flying those new medium-sized drones (as long as you can still see ‘em!).

So, What’s This Mean for Your Lethbridge Business?

Okay, new rules can sound like a hassle, but these changes are mostly about two things:

• Keeping Skies Safer: More drones means we need good rules so everyone flies safely. Makes sense.
• Opening Doors for Cool New Stuff: These rules actually allow for more advanced drone uses that could really help businesses around here, especially in:
  • Farming: Covering huge fields faster, checking crops remotely (especially with BVLOS).
  • Energy: Making pipeline, powerline, and wind turbine inspections way more efficient.
  • Construction: Keeping a better eye on big projects as they grow.
  • Infrastructure: Checking bridges, roads, and utilities more easily.

The Good, The Bad, and The Opportunity

Like any change, there are a few things to think about:

The Heads-Up (Challenges):

• Might Cost a Bit More: New fees for fancy certifications and registrations mean budgeting might need a tweak.
• New Rules to Learn: Gotta wrap your head around the new ways of getting certified and flying.
• Training Time & Money: Pilots wanting to do the advanced stuff will need extra training.
• Safety Plans Needed (for BVLOS): Businesses aiming for those long-distance flights need solid safety procedures in place.

The Silver Lining (Opportunities):

• Get Ahead of the Curve: Businesses that jump on these new capabilities (like BVLOS) early could get a real edge.
• Offer Cooler Services: Being able to fly further, use bigger drones, or inspect tricky spots means you can offer more to your clients.
• Save Time & Money: Using these advanced drone tricks can make jobs way faster and cheaper than the old ways.
• Keep Your Team Safer: Let drones handle more of the risky tasks!

Don’t Sweat The Rules - We Can Help!

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by all this? Don’t be! That’s what we’re here for at Coalbanks Creative. We can help your Lethbridge business:

• Figure out what rules actually apply to you.
• Understand what’s needed for any new certifications.
• Get your procedures updated to stay compliant.
• Spot ways to use these new rules to your advantage.
• Generally stay in the loop on what’s happening with drones.

Want to make sure your business is ready for the drone future?

Give us a shout for a free, friendly chat! We can talk through how these 2025 changes might affect you and how Coalbanks Creative can help you fly right and maybe even find some cool new opportunities. Let’s tackle this together!