Drone operators now subject to age limit, certification

MONTREAL— The federal government is working with security agencies and airports to develop measures to prevent drones from flying into space reserved for aircraft, Transport Minister Marc Garneau said Wednesday as he announced new regulations for drone operators.

Garneau’s comments came after recent drone sightings at London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports caused flight delays and chaos for travellers.

“We are working with different groups, including the airports but also security agencies, to examine what kinds of countermeasures would be applicable depending on the type of drone and circumstances,” Garneau said at a news conference in Montreal. “Obviously, for security reasons, I can’t go into details on that, but this is something we are looking at extremely seriously because it represents potentially a dangerous situation.”

The first recorded collision between a drone and a passen- ger aircraft in Canada occurred in October 2017 as an inbound Skyjet flight was struck as it approached Quebec’s City’s airport. The pilot was able to land the plane safely.

Garneau announced strict new regulations that will require anyone flying a drone in Canada to pass an online exam and get a pilot’s certificate. The new rules, which come into effect June 1, apply to all drone operators, whether they fly for fun, work or research.

Operators will be required to register their drones and mark them with the registration number. A minimum age limit of 14 for basic operations and 16 for advanced will be introduced.