How to Hire a Drone Pilot in Canada (2026 Guide)
What to check before you hire a drone pilot in Canada: pilot certificate, drone registration, insurance, airspace approval and a written quote, plus where to find pilots.
Hiring a drone pilot in Canada is quick once you know what to check. Property managers, roofers, builders, farmers, marketers and municipalities all hire pilots for the same reason: aerial photos, video, maps and inspections that are slow, risky or expensive to get any other way.
The pilot you hire is responsible for flying legally and safely. You’re responsible for picking someone who can. This guide covers what to check, what to ask and where to find pilots.
Start With the Job, Not the Drone
Before you contact anyone, write down what you need. Pilots quote faster and more accurately when they know:
- The address or coordinates of the site. The location decides which airspace rules apply and which certificate the pilot needs.
- What you want delivered. Edited photos, a short video, an orthomosaic map, a 3D model, a thermal report or raw files.
- Your deadline and a weather window. Drones don’t fly in heavy rain, strong wind or fog, so allow a backup day.
- Who is on site. Workers, tenants, the public or livestock change how the flight has to be planned.
- How you’ll use the footage. A listing, a print ad, an insurance claim or an engineering report.
A clear brief also makes quotes comparable. Two pilots quoting the same deliverables are easier to compare than one quoting “photos” and another quoting “a 40-image edited set and a 60-second video”.
Check the Pilot’s Certificate
Anyone flying a drone that weighs between 250 g and 25 kg in Canada needs a pilot certificate from Transport Canada. Which certificate depends on where and how they’ll fly.
| Your site | The pilot needs at least |
|---|---|
| Open land, away from people, outside controlled airspace | Basic certificate |
| A city site, a site with people nearby, or controlled airspace near an airport | Advanced certificate |
| A flight beyond the pilot’s visual line of sight, or a drone over 25 kg | Extra approval (see below) |
Basic operations are limited to uncontrolled airspace, at least 30 metres horizontally from bystanders, and never over them.
Advanced operations allow flights in controlled airspace with a NAV CANADA authorization, and closer to people when the drone is declared fit for it. To earn the Advanced certificate, a pilot passes an exam and a flight review with a Transport Canada-recognized reviewer.
Most commercial work, including anything in a town or city, needs an Advanced pilot. If your site is in a town or city, assume you need one.
Beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights and heavier drones need more. Since the Phase 2 rules took effect on November 4, 2025, that can mean a Level 1 Complex pilot certificate, an operator certificate (RPOC) for some operations, or a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC). If your job involves long corridors, such as pipelines or power lines, ask the pilot which approval covers it and ask to see it.
Pilots must carry their certificate when they fly, so asking for a copy is normal. Also ask when they last met Transport Canada’s recency requirement. Pilots must have done so within the past 24 months.
Check That the Drone Is Registered
Every drone between 250 g and 25 kg has to be registered with Transport Canada, with its registration number marked on the drone. Drones under 250 g don’t need registration, but the pilot still has to fly safely and respect the rules for where they fly. See our drone registration guide for details.
For Advanced work, ask whether the drone is approved for it. Manufacturers declare which models meet Transport Canada’s safety assurance for each kind of Advanced operation.
Ask About Insurance
Canada’s drone rules don’t set a liability insurance minimum for most small-drone flights, but almost every business client asks for it, and you should too. Ask for a certificate of insurance before the flight.
- $1M in liability coverage is common for real estate and small jobs.
- $2M or more is typical for commercial and industrial sites.
- $5M or more is common for utilities, government and critical infrastructure.
If your contract or landlord requires it, ask to be named as an additional insured on the pilot’s policy. Our drone liability insurance guide explains the coverage tiers in more detail.
Check the Airspace and the Site
Airports, heliports and controlled airspace are common across Canadian cities, and they change what the pilot needs to do before flying.
- Controlled airspace requires an Advanced pilot and a NAV CANADA authorization, which the pilot requests through NAV Drone. Approval isn’t instant, so give the pilot lead time.
- Restricted areas such as some military sites, prisons and forest-fire zones can be off-limits altogether.
- Height is capped at 122 metres (400 feet) above the ground for normal operations.
You can look up your own site on our free Airspace Explorer map before you call anyone. It shows controlled airspace, airports and restricted areas on a native NAV CANADA map.
Before the flight, the pilot also completes a site survey: a check of obstacles, people, take-off and landing areas, and emergency plans. Help by sharing site access details, safety rules, contacts and any hazards you know about. If the pilot will take off from land you don’t control, get the landowner’s permission first.
Get a Written Quote and Agreement
A short written agreement prevents almost every dispute. Make sure it covers:
- Deliverables. File types, resolution, the number of edited images, video length, map accuracy or report format.
- Turnaround. When you’ll receive the files and how they’ll be delivered.
- Weather and rescheduling. What happens if the flight can’t go ahead safely.
- Travel and extra fees. Mileage, accommodation for remote sites, processing and extra revisions.
- Who owns the footage. Under Canada’s Copyright Act, the photographer usually owns the copyright, even when you commission the work. If you need to own the footage or use it in advertising, agree on a licence or a transfer in writing.
- Raw files and storage. Whether you get the unedited files, and how long the pilot keeps them.
- Privacy. How people and neighbouring properties that appear in the footage will be handled.
For typical prices by job type, see our guide to what it costs to hire a drone pilot in Canada.
Questions to Ask Before You Book
- Which Transport Canada certificate do you hold, and can I see it?
- When did you last meet the recency requirement?
- Is your drone registered, and is it approved for this kind of operation?
- Is my site in controlled airspace, and how much notice do you need for authorization?
- Can you send a certificate of insurance, and what does it cover?
- Can I see examples of similar jobs you’ve done?
- What exactly will I receive, in what format, and when?
- What happens if the weather cancels the flight?
- Who will own the footage, and how can I use it?
Red Flags
- The pilot can’t show a certificate, or says one isn’t needed for commercial work.
- They plan to fly a city site, a crowd or an airport area with only a Basic certificate.
- They have no insurance, or won’t put it in writing.
- The quote is far below others, with no clear list of deliverables.
- They agree to fly in conditions that other pilots decline.
Where to Find a Drone Pilot in Canada
The RPAS WILCO Marketplace is a directory of drone pilots and drone service companies across Canada. You can filter pilots by:
- Service, such as roof inspection, solar inspection, mapping, photogrammetry, LiDAR, thermal imaging, construction progress, real estate photography and aerial video
- Province, for example Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia or Alberta
- Industry, from construction and energy to film, insurance and agriculture
- Language, including English, French and many others
Each profile shows the pilot’s services, years of experience and skill level per service, badges earned on RPAS WILCO, missions flown with RPAS WILCO, and videos of their work. Browsing needs no account. To see a pilot’s phone, email or website, sign in or sign up with an email code, for free.
You arrange the job directly with the pilot. RPAS WILCO doesn’t add booking fees or take a commission, so the price you agree is the price you pay.
Related Reading
- Drone Services in Canada: What You Can Hire a Drone For
- Drone Photography and Video Services in Canada
- How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Drone Pilot in Canada?
- Drone Inspection Services in Canada
- Real Estate Drone Photography in Canada
- Drone Liability Insurance in Canada
- Hire a Drone Pilot by City
- Drone Mapping and Surveying Services in Canada
- Browse Drone Pilots