The Future of BVLOS Drones in Canada
BVLOS is set to take the drone industry to new milestones.
Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations allow drones to fly beyond the operator’s direct view, unlocking unprecedented capabilities. While this concept has existed for years, new Canadian regulations launching in 2025 will unleash its full potential.
Understanding Transport Canada’s Role
Canada is known for having one of the world’s safest aviation sectors, with Transport Canada playing a vital role in driving innovation and economic growth while maintaining the highest safety standards.
The current drone strategy, released in 2021, outlines regulations and goals through to 2025, including foundational plans for BVLOS operations. This strategy has emphasized:
- Enhancing requirements for drones to detect and avoid other air traffic.
- Introducing new pilot certification and medical standards.
- Eliminating the need for a Special Flight Operations Certificate for certain lower-risk operations.
Looking ahead, Transport Canada is set to launch an updated strategy later this year, possibly extending the vision to 2030. This upcoming framework is expected to build on the progress made under the current plan, further advancing innovation and enabling more complex BVLOS operations while continuing to prioritize safety.
“The trust that Transport Canada has shown in the RPAS industry really sets Canada apart from many other jurisdictions. Enablement of routine low-risk BVLOS operations (SAIL I and SAIL II, using the JARUS SORA model) shows that industry and government can work together to develop regulations and grow nascent industries. The entire RPAS community is excited for the implementation of Standard 923 and the Level 1 Complex Operator Licence.” – Dan Juhlin, Business Development Lead, Government & Defense at AERIUM Analytics.
With the upcoming 2025 regulations, Canada is set to break through the limitations of VLOS, expanding to 2 nm beyond the nearest Visual Observer (Standard 923) or further with electronic Detect & Avoid technology (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-drone-rules-1.7418332). This groundbreaking shift opens the door to unprecedented drone operations.
Real-World Applications
✅ Crop Loss in Agriculture:
In 2018, bird damage on 45,000 acres in Oregon caused nearly $200 million in losses, according to Science Direct, Drones can spot crop losses faster, help farmers treat specific areas, and enable quicker crop insurance payouts, reducing fraud.
➕ BVLOS Impact: BVLOS allows drones to cover vast farmland from a single takeoff and landing point, enabling more efficient monitoring of crop health and early detection of threats. This enhances precision agriculture by ensuring targeted interventions, reducing losses, and maximizing yield.
✅ Infrastructure Inspections:
Drones can safely inspect pipelines, powerlines, and infrastructure, reducing risks to workers and completing tasks faster.
The drone inspection and monitoring market is projected to grow from USD 11.6 billion in 2022 to USD 23.0 billion by 2027 (Source: Markets and Markets)
➕ BVLOS Impact: With BVLOS, drones can inspect longer stretches of infrastructure in a single flight, eliminating the need for multiple deployments. This reduces operational costs, increases efficiency, and minimizes downtime for critical assets.
✅ Wildlife Management:
Drones enable monitoring of animals and habitats with minimal human interference, improving tracking and conservation efforts.
Our robotic bird, RoBird (learn more here: https://aeriumanalytics.com/robird/), effectively deters birds from damaging crops naturally.
➕ BVLOS Impact: BVLOS enhances wildlife monitoring by allowing drones to track animal movements over larger areas without frequent landings, ensuring continuous data collection with minimal disruption. RoBird can operate more effectively across wide regions, offering better bird deterrence solutions in agriculture and aviation.
✅ Emergency Response:
Drones can deliver supplies to hard-to-reach areas during emergencies and survey disaster zones to aid responders.
In Australia, drones are improving emergency services by assisting with early fire detection, fuel load mapping, real-time situational awareness, and wildlife rescue. Learn more here: https://www.drones.gov.au/benefits-and-use-cases-drones/emergency-management.
➕ BVLOS Impact: BVLOS drones provide real-time situational awareness across larger disaster zones, helping emergency teams respond faster. They can also transport medical supplies and essentials over greater distances, reaching remote locations that traditional methods cannot access quickly.
A New Era of Drone Innovation
The expected 2025 BVLOS regulations go beyond policy—they’re a gateway to new possibilities. At AERIUM Analytics, we’re transforming industries with drones and data analytics, improving safety and sustainability in complex environments.
“The unlocking of low risk BVLOS in Canada will allow AERIUM to further transform traditional operations in the industries we operate in. From wildlife management with RoBird to data collection in Energy, Forestry and Airports. Standardized BVLOS regulations is a critical step towards autonomous flight and will further unlock the National Airspace. – Jordan Cicoria, President & CEO at AERIUM Analytics.
Aerial Evolution Association of Canada (AEAC) has formally submitted a letter to Transport Canada on 26th February, 2025, advocating for the timely release of the new Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) regulations. This push reflects the growing urgency within the drone industry to unlock safer, more efficient, and innovative operations across sectors like aviation, energy, and environmental monitoring.
Check out the letter from AEAC: Click Here.
While there’s optimism about the upcoming BVLOS regulations, uncertainty remains about their finalization due to Canada’s political challenges. However, 2025 is shaping up to be a breakthrough year, and AERIUM is ready to seize the opportunities ahead.
[March 26, 2025] Update:
On March 26th, 2025, Transport Canada published Canada Gazette Part II, outlining the amendment to CARs Part IX related to BVLOS operations. Check it out: https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2025/2025-03-26/html/sor-dors70-eng.html
