It took a Canadian drone operator to explain to me the devilish detail in the Canadian drone regulations first proposed in 2017: the list of “compliant aircraft.”  The regulations have been updated and changed since then, but the concept of a single list of aircraft that were considered compliant with Canadian safety regulations (now for “advanced operations”) remained.  The problem?  DJI drones – the world’s most used aircraft – weren’t on the list.

That’s now been rectified, in plenty of time for the June 1, 2019 deadline.   The 9 drones listed below that now meet compliance regulations cover most of the bases, and commercial operators should find that their existing fleet is sufficient – a major benefit for service providers.

The following is a DJI press release: 

DJI Drones Comply With New Transport Canada Requirements For Advanced Operations

DJI Customers Can Continue Using Drones In Controlled Airspace Without Interruption

DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, is pleased to declare that nine of its drone models comply with the latest Transport Canada regulations for advanced drone operations in controlled airspace. This allows DJI customers to continue using their preferred drones in these operations after June 1, when Transport Canada’s new regulatory framework for civilian drone operations takes effect across Canada.

“Transport Canada wants to ensure that drones operated in advanced missions are high-quality, reliable products. While DJI drones meet our own high quality assurance requirements, we have spent the last few months diligently reviewing our documentation, safety standards and administrative processes to ensure they comply with Transport Canada’s new requirements,” said David Hansell, DJI Public Policy Manager. “We can now declare official compliance with those requirements, allowing our customers to use our drones in controlled airspace without interruption.”

Transport Canada announced its new regulatory framework for certain types of advanced civilian drone operations in January, requiring the use of drones whose manufacturer has declared compliance with reliability and operational characteristics under a safety assurance framework. DJI’s compliant drones are the M600 Series, M200 Series, M200 V2 Series, Inspire 2, Mavic 2 series, Mavic Pro, Mavic Air, Phantom 4 series and Spark.

“A self-declaration compliance regime is yet another innovative approach by Transport Canada to lead the way in enhancing safety while integrating advanced operations,” said Javier Caina, DJI Director of Technical Standards. “Allowing manufacturers to declare their equipment compliant with requirements and standards is preferable to requiring an aviation authority to certify each product. This approach enables DJI to continue providing new products for our professional customers in Canada so they may continue to innovate, save lives, and develop new use cases while flying safely and responsibly.”

DJI continues to review the process of declaring its drones compliant for other advanced operations under Transport Canada’s safety assurance program. These elements of the program have different steps and requirements, and further information will be announced at a later date.

DJI supports safe and responsible drone operations, and believes technological improvements, registration systems, online knowledge tests to educate drone pilots, and reasonable restrictions on where drones can fly are the best tools to ensure drones maintain their admirable safety record.