The free Basic RPAS exam course
A complete preparation course for the Small Basic exam — 35 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, 65% to pass, minimum age 14. It works through all eight subject areas of Transport Canada's knowledge requirements document, TP 15263, at the depth Basic actually tests, and finishes with 15 practice questions and answers. Budget four to six hours. There is no payment, no email gate and nothing held back.
Prefer it on paper? There's a printable PDF edition — the whole course plus a one-page cheat sheet of every number, formatted for offline study and the flight bag. The web version you're reading stays free forever; the PDF is CA$9 for the convenience. Get the printable — CA$9
How to use this
Read it once end to end without trying to memorise anything, then come back and work through the sections that felt unfamiliar. Sit the practice questions at the bottom cold — if you're above 80% on those, you're comfortably ready for a 65% pass mark.
Two things worth knowing before you start. First, ground school is not a legal requirement for the Basic certificate; Transport Canada recommends it, but the regulation doesn't demand it. Second, the exam is drawn from TP 15263, which lists eight subject areas — and this course is organised to match them, so you can see exactly what's covered and what isn't.
| # | Subject area | Weight at Basic level |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Air law, air traffic rules and procedures | Heaviest. Most of your exam. |
| 2 | RPA airframes, power plants, propulsion and systems | Moderate — batteries especially |
| 3 | Human factors | Light, mostly common sense |
| 4 | Meteorology | Light at Basic; heavy at Advanced |
| 5 | Navigation | Light |
| 6 | Flight operations | Moderate |
| 7 | Theory of flight | Light at Basic |
| 8 | Radiotelephony | Light at Basic |
1 — Air law, air traffic rules and procedures
This is the bulk of the Basic exam. If you learn nothing else properly, learn this.
The vocabulary
A surprising number of questions are really definitions in disguise. Learn these precisely.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| RPA | Remotely Piloted Aircraft — the aircraft itself. The official Canadian term for a drone. |
| RPAS | The whole system: aircraft, control station, command and control links, and everything else needed for flight. |
| Microdrone | Under 250 g. No certificate, no registration. |
| Small RPA | 250 g up to and including 25 kg. What Basic and Advanced cover. |
| Medium RPA | Over 25 kg to 150 kg. Advanced operations or higher, always. |
| Operating weight | Total weight at takeoff, including batteries, camera, payload and anything attached. The remote controller doesn't count. |
| VLOS | Visual line-of-sight — unaided visual contact at all times, sufficient to control the aircraft and scan for hazards. |
| Pilot-in-command | The person with final authority and responsibility for the flight. |
| Visual observer | A trained crew member helping keep the aircraft in sight and scan the airspace. |
| Aerodrome | Any area of land or water used for the arrival, departure or movement of aircraft. Broader than "airport". |
| Controlled airspace | Airspace where air traffic control provides service. Requires permission — and an Advanced certificate. |
| Uncontrolled airspace | Where ATC does not direct aircraft. The normal environment for Basic operations. |
What "Basic operations" actually means
This is the heart of the exam. Basic operations means all of the following are true at once:
- Your drone's operating weight is no more than 25 kg
- You are in uncontrolled airspace
- You are more than 30 m (100 ft) horizontally from any person not involved in the operation
- You are never directly over such a person
- You are more than 5.6 km (3 NM) from the centre of a certified airport
- You are more than 1.9 km (1 NM) from the centre of a heliport
Break any single one of those and you are conducting an advanced operation or higher — which your Basic certificate does not authorise. The exam tests this from many angles, often by describing a scenario and asking you to classify it.
The misconception that catches everyone. People assume commercial work needs more certification than hobby flying. It doesn't. Canadian rules are risk-based, not purpose-based. Being paid changes nothing. Where you fly and how close you are to people changes everything. There is no separate commercial drone licence in Canada.
Universal operating limits
| Limit | Detail |
|---|---|
| Maximum altitude | 122 m (400 ft) AGL. Within 61 m (200 ft) horizontally of a building or structure you may instead fly up to 30 m (100 ft) above it — whichever permits the greater altitude. |
| Visual line-of-sight | Must be maintained at all times. Binoculars and FPV goggles do not count as unaided sight. |
| One aircraft per pilot | A pilot may operate only one RPA at a time. |
| Advertised events | Any drone at an advertised event — including a microdrone — needs an SFOC. |
| Emergency sites | Stay away from house fires, traffic collisions, floods, wildfires and police operations. |
| Right of way | You must always give way to manned aircraft. Never create a collision hazard. |
| Military aerodromes | Within 5.6 km (3 NM) requires permission from the Department of National Defence. |
Registration and marking
Every RPA of 250 g or more must be registered with Transport Canada before it flies, and marked with its registration number in a legible, visible, durable way. The number takes the form C-XXXXXXX. Registration is per aircraft and tied to the owner — sell the drone and the buyer must register it themselves. Full walkthrough here.
What you must be able to produce
- Your pilot certificate
- The aircraft's certificate of registration
- Proof of recency within the last 24 months
Penalties
| Offence | Individual | Corporation |
|---|---|---|
| Flying without a pilot certificate | $1,000 | $5,000 |
| Flying where you're not allowed | $3,000 | $15,000 |
| Putting aircraft or people at risk | $3,000 | $15,000 |
| Unregistered or unmarked drone | $5,000 | $25,000 |
Note that the largest individual fine attaches to registration and marking — the cheapest thing on this page to get right.
2 — Airframes, power plants, propulsion and systems
Aircraft types
- Multirotor — vertical takeoff, small footprint, shorter endurance. Most camera drones.
- Fixed wing — long endurance, efficient, can glide, but needs launch and recovery space.
- VTOL fixed wing — small footprint plus forward-flight efficiency, at the cost of high battery draw during transition.
- Helicopter — long endurance and high speed, mechanically complex.
Batteries — expect questions
Lithium polymer handling is reliably tested and is easy marks.
- Store at partial charge, not full and not empty
- Keep away from temperature extremes
- Never fly a puffed, swollen or physically damaged cell
- Don't charge unattended, and don't charge a battery that is still hot from flight
- Cold reduces capacity sharply — expect materially shorter flights below freezing
Control links and failure modes
The command and control link connects your controller to the aircraft. When it breaks, the aircraft should execute its programmed failsafe, usually return-to-home. Know that link quality degrades with distance, obstructions, and radio interference.
Basic instruments
- Magnetic compass — subject to magnetic variation and local interference; calibrate away from metal and power sources
- Altimeter — most consumer drones use barometric altitude referenced to the launch point
- IMU — the inertial measurement unit senses orientation and acceleration; a bad calibration produces drift and unstable flight
Maintenance and records
Pre-flight, check propellers for nicks and cracks, confirm firmware is current, verify battery condition, and confirm the aircraft behaves normally before committing to the flight. Keep records of maintenance and of your flights.
3 — Human factors
Largely common sense expressed in aviation vocabulary. Learn the frameworks by name, because questions often test the terminology rather than the concept.
IM SAFE
A self-assessment checklist before flying. Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Emotion. If any one of them is a problem, you are not fit to fly.
Situational awareness and attention
Knowing where your aircraft is, what the airspace around it is doing, and what happens next. It degrades under fatigue, stress and task saturation. Channelised attention — fixating on the camera feed while losing track of the aircraft — is a recognised failure mode and a common cause of incidents.
Crew resource management
Using every available resource — crew, checklists, procedures, other people on site. If you fly with a visual observer, brief them properly, agree on standard phrases, and make it explicit that they can and should speak up.
Physiology
Vision, hearing and fatigue all affect performance. Sun glare and low light degrade your ability to keep visual contact. Alcohol and many medications impair judgement long after you feel normal.
4 — Meteorology at Basic depth
Basic does not require METAR or TAF decoding — that is Advanced territory. What it expects is practical weather judgement.
- Wind is the main constraint. Know your aircraft's published limit, and remember that wind speed increases with altitude — calm at ground level does not mean calm at 100 m.
- Gusts matter more than steady wind, because they arrive as sudden control demands.
- Cold reduces battery capacity and can cause abrupt voltage drops.
- Precipitation and moisture — most consumer aircraft aren't rated for them.
- Icing can form on airframes and propellers in visible moisture near freezing, destroying lift.
- Visibility — if you cannot see the aircraft, you are not legal, whatever the cause.
- Density altitude — hot, humid and high conditions reduce air density, which reduces lift and performance. Expect longer takeoffs and reduced payload capability on a hot day at elevation.
5 — Navigation
At Basic level you need to know what the tools are and when to consult them, rather than being able to work a chart in detail.
- NOTAMs — Notices to Airmen. Temporary hazards, closures and restrictions. Check them before you fly, every time.
- VFR charts — show airspace structure, aerodromes and obstacles. You should be able to identify controlled airspace and aerodromes on one.
- Magnetic variation — the difference between true north and magnetic north, which varies by location.
- Site selection tools — the National Research Council publishes an interactive drone site selection map, and NAV CANADA provides airspace information.
6 — Flight operations
The site survey
Before flying anywhere, establish: what airspace you're in and what it requires; where people are and will be; obstacles including wires, towers and trees; where you'd put the aircraft down in an emergency; and current and forecast weather. This is a regulatory expectation, not just good practice.
Pre-flight
- Aircraft condition — propellers, airframe, battery security
- Batteries charged, undamaged, and warm enough
- Firmware current, compass and IMU calibrated if required
- Documents on hand: certificate, registration, proof of recency
- Failsafe settings confirmed, including return-to-home altitude
- Crew briefed, if you have one
Emergencies
Know the difference between two terms that get confused:
- Lost link — the command and control connection has broken. The aircraft should execute its programmed failsafe, normally return-to-home.
- Fly-away — the aircraft is no longer responding to control input and is departing unpredictably. This is the serious one.
Reporting. Serious incidents must be reported to Transport Canada. Know that the obligation exists and that it covers injury to a person, and collision with — or risk of collision with — a manned aircraft.
7 — Theory of flight at Basic depth
Light at Basic. You should understand in principle:
- Lift, weight, thrust and drag — the four forces, and that steady flight means they're in balance
- A multirotor climbs by increasing thrust and manoeuvres by varying thrust between motors
- Heavier payloads mean more power drawn, shorter endurance and reduced margin
- Propeller damage disrupts airflow and causes vibration, which degrades both stability and image quality
Critical angle of attack, load factor in turns, stall speed and wake turbulence are Advanced material.
8 — Radiotelephony at Basic depth
Basic operations keep you clear of controlled airspace and away from aerodromes, so you won't normally be transmitting. You should still know:
- Aeronautical radio use requires a Restricted Operator Certificate with Aeronautical qualification (ROC-A)
- Aerodromes may have a mandatory frequency (MF) or an aerodrome traffic frequency (ATF)
- Standard phraseology exists so that transmissions are unambiguous
15 practice questions
Answer these cold, then check. Above 80% and you're ready.
1. Your drone weighs 240 g. You add a 30 g filter and prop guards. What applies?
Registration and a pilot certificate. Operating weight includes everything attached at takeoff, so you're now over 250 g. The manufacturer's headline weight is irrelevant.
2. You're paid to photograph a rural property in uncontrolled airspace, 50 m from the owner. Which certificate?
Basic is sufficient. Being paid is irrelevant — Canadian rules are risk-based, not purpose-based. Uncontrolled airspace and more than 30 m from any person means Basic operations.
3. Maximum altitude in normal circumstances?
122 m (400 ft) AGL. Within 61 m (200 ft) horizontally of a building or structure you may instead fly to 30 m (100 ft) above that structure.
4. How far must Basic operations stay from a certified airport?
More than 5.6 km (3 NM) from the centre. Heliports are more than 1.9 km (1 NM).
5. Can you use FPV goggles and still satisfy visual line-of-sight?
No. VLOS means unaided visual contact. Goggles and binoculars don't count. A trained visual observer maintaining sight is a different arrangement, and beyond Basic privileges.
6. Your battery is puffed but still holds charge. Fly it?
No. A swollen lithium polymer cell is damaged and is a fire risk. Retire it and dispose of it properly.
7. What does IM SAFE stand for?
Illness, Medication, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, Emotion. A pre-flight self-assessment of fitness to fly.
8. Lost link versus fly-away — what's the difference?
Lost link means the control connection has broken and the aircraft should execute its failsafe, usually return-to-home. Fly-away means the aircraft is no longer responding to control input and is departing unpredictably.
9. It's calm at ground level. Is it safe to fly at 100 m?
Not necessarily. Wind speed generally increases with altitude. Ground conditions are a poor guide to conditions at operating height.
10. Where must the registration number appear?
On the aircraft, clearly visible and legible. Transport Canada doesn't prescribe exact size or position, but the marking must be durable and readable without dismantling the aircraft.
11. You want to fly a 200 g drone at an advertised community festival. What's needed?
An SFOC. Any drone at an advertised event requires a Special Flight Operations Certificate, including a microdrone under 250 g — even though that drone normally needs no certificate or registration.
12. A manned helicopter approaches your operating area. What do you do?
Give way — land or move clear immediately. You must never create a collision hazard, and manned aircraft always have right of way.
13. What is density altitude and why does it matter?
Air density decreases with heat, humidity and elevation. Lower density means less lift and reduced performance — longer takeoffs, reduced payload capacity, less margin.
14. You sell your registered drone. What must the buyer do?
Register it themselves. Registration is tied to the owner and doesn't transfer. They receive a new number, and the old marking should be removed or updated.
15. You hold a Basic certificate. A client asks you to film a downtown building with pedestrians below. Can you?
No. A downtown site is likely controlled airspace, and pedestrians below means flying over people within 30 m. Both require Advanced. You'd need the Advanced certificate, a NAV CANADA flight authorization, and an aircraft carrying the appropriate safety assurance declaration.
Common questions
How many questions are on the Basic RPAS exam?
35 multiple-choice questions with 90 minutes allowed, and 65% to pass — so you can miss up to twelve and still be fine. Minimum age is 14, and it's written online through Transport Canada's Drone Management Portal.
Is there really a free course for this?
This page is it. It covers all eight subject areas of Transport Canada's TP 15263 knowledge requirements at Basic depth, with practice questions. No payment, no email signup, nothing held back. Ground school isn't a regulatory requirement for the Basic certificate, so there's no honest reason to charge for this material.
How long should I study?
Around four to six hours for most people. The 65% pass mark over 35 questions with 90 minutes allowed is a generous margin — considerably more forgiving than the Advanced exam's 80% over 50 questions in 60 minutes.
What happens if I fail?
A 24-hour wait, then re-attempt, with no cap on attempts and the same fee each time. Read the feedback statements in your results letter first — they tell you which subject areas you got wrong, which is far more useful than re-reading the whole syllabus.
Do I need a flight review for Basic?
No. Basic is issued on the written exam alone. Flight reviews are required only for the Advanced certificate and for Level 1 Complex.
Booking the exam
- Create an account on Transport Canada's Drone Management Portal
- Register your drone if it's 250 g or more
- Sit the Small Basic exam — 35 questions, 90 minutes, 65% to pass
- Your certificate is issued on passing. There is no flight review for Basic.
If you fail, there's a 24-hour wait and no cap on attempts. Read the feedback statements in your results letter — they identify which subject areas you got wrong, which is far more useful than re-reading everything.
Want this to study offline? The printable PDF edition packages the whole course and the one-page cheat sheet for print and phone, no connection needed. CA$9. Get the printable →
Going on to Advanced? Everything above is the manageable half. The Advanced exam is 50 questions in 60 minutes at 80%, and it adds airspace classes A through G, METAR and TAF decoding, density altitude calculation, wake turbulence, load factor, radiotelephony procedures and human factors frameworks in real depth. That's what our 44-page operations guide covers, for CA$29 — and we run the flight review you'll need afterwards.