Canadian Advanced RPAS Certification

Preparing for the exam

Transport Canada’s Small Advanced exam tests 8 knowledge areas on the topics outlined in TP15263 –Knowledge Requirements for Pilots of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, 250 g up to and including 150 kg, Basic and Advanced Operations. It covers the same broad subject areas as the Basic Exam, but questions require greater depth of knowledge and a stronger understanding of Canadian aviation:

1. Air law, air traffic rules and procedures
2. RPA airframes, powerplants, propulsion systems
3. Human factors
4. Meteorology
5. Navigation
6. Flight Operations
7. Theory of Flight
8. Radiotelephony

Unlike the Basic exam (which is not a pre-requisite 

While the document linked above identifies what you are expected to know, it’s not designed as a study guide. Ground school is not mandatory for Basic certification, but Transport Canada recommends completing training before attempting the exam. Our Advanced Pilot Ground School (also available in our Advanced Bundle, but more on that later) provides structured, self-paced instruction across the required subject areas, along with quizzes and practical walkthroughs of resources such as aeronautical charts, weather information, NOTAMs and the Canada Flight Supplement.

The goal is not only to pass the written exam. Advanced pilots are expected to apply this knowledge while planning flights, operating near aerodromes, requesting access to controlled airspace and making decisions in more complex operating environments.

Writing the Transport Canada Exam

The Small Advanced Exam is completed online through Transport Canada’s Drone Management Portal.

You must be at least 16 years old to write it. The exam currently includes:

• 50 multiple-choice questions
• 60 minutes to complete the exam
• A passing score of 65%
• A fee of ~$10* for each attempt

Your result is available immediately after you finish. If you do not pass, you must wait at least 24 hours before trying again, and the exam fee applies to each attempt.

*The fee increases every year with inflation. In 2026, it's $10.17.

Once you pass, Transport Canada issues your Pilot Certificate – Basic Operations through the Drone Management Portal. That’s not a typo! Read on to learn why.

What Happens After You Pass the Advanced Exam?

Passing the Advanced Exam does not immediately give you an Advanced Pilot Certificate. You must still pass a flight review and apply for the certificate.

However, you will be issued a Basic Pilot Certificate after passing the Advanced Exam. This allows you to conduct Basic operations while building experience and preparing for your flight review.

You do not need to write the Basic Exam separately.

The Advanced Exam is also one of the prerequisites for Level 1 Complex certification. If lower-risk beyond visual line-of-sight operations are part of your longer-term plans, you will not need to rewrite the Advanced Exam before beginning that certification process.

Important Note!

All small and medium RPAS flights – basic, advanced or level 1 complex – require the use of standard operating procedures including the Site Survey, Normal and Emergency procedures. Make sure you’re meeting the CARs requirements of these for every flight you do!

Preparing for your Flight Review

A flight review is an in-person holistic operational assessment completed with a Transport Canada-designated flight reviewer. It is designed to confirm that you can apply your knowledge and operate an RPAS safely, not simply that you can fly the aircraft.

You should arrive prepared to demonstrate or explain:

• Flight planning and site-survey procedures
• Airspace, aerodrome and weather research
• NOTAM interpretation
• Aircraft documentation and registration
• Normal and emergency procedures
• Crew and visual-observer briefings
• Pre-flight inspections and checklists
• Safe take-off and landing procedures
• Manual control and aircraft orientation
• Navigation around an obstacle or fixed point
• Lost-link, flyaway and other emergency responses
• Post-flight procedures and record keeping

Transport Canada recommends reviewing the applicable exercises in its Flight Reviewer’s Guide before completing your assessment.

The flight review is an evaluation rather than a flight lesson, so you should already be comfortable operating your drone and completing the required planning before you arrive. Most schools, including ours, provide you with preparation materials so you can arrive at your review with confidence. That’s the other main component of our Advanced Bundle I mentioned earlier. It includes ground school, an SOP guide, flight review prep and the cost of the flight review itself, though that last step obviously isn’t completed online.

Complete Your Flight Review

Flight reviews are completed through a self-declared RPAS flight school. When booking, you will need to provide proof you passed the Advanced exam and for us, also that you’ve completed the prep course.

Your reviewer will assess your pre-flight preparation, knowledge, procedures and ability to conduct a safe flight. Flight-review fees are established by the individual flight school or reviewer rather than Transport Canada.

Pass or fail, your reviewer will let you know and submit the result to Transport Canada through the Drone Management Portal. This is normally completed within 24 hours, and you will receive an email when it is processed. 

If you do not pass, you can attempt another flight review beginning the following day. There is no limit on the number of attempts, but you may need to pay the flight-review fee each time.

Apply for Your Advanced Pilot Certificate

Passing the flight review does not automatically issue your Advanced certificate.

Once your successful result has been submitted, sign in to the Drone Management Portal and apply for your Pilot Certificate – Advanced Operations. Transport Canada currently charges a $25 issuance fee.

Your certificate is issued immediately after the application and payment are completed. You can then download or print it through the portal.

An Advanced Pilot Certificate allows you to conduct both Basic and Advanced operations. Depending on the aircraft and operation, Advanced privileges can include flying:

• In controlled airspace with authorization
• Closer to airports and heliports
• Closer to or over people
• Medium drones weighing more than 25 kg and up to 150 kg
• Extended visual line-of-sight operations
• Sheltered operations

The certificate alone does not authorize every Advanced operation. You may also need an aircraft with the appropriate safety-assurance declaration, permission from air traffic control or compliance with additional operating conditions.

Keeping Current

Your Pilot Certificate does not expire, but to exercise the privileges of your certificate, you must have completed an accepted recency activity within the 24 months before your flight. For the first 24 months, your certificate issuance counts, so once you pass the exam set yourself a calendar reminder for ~23 months later, so you give yourself time to get it done.

This could include rewriting an applicable Transport Canada RPAS exam, completing a flight review or completing an accepted recurrent training activity, such as Transport Canada’s self-paced study program. You can read more about the available options in our guide to maintaining your RPAS pilot recency.

You must also keep proof of your recency activity and be able to access both it and your pilot certificate when operating.

Resources

RPAS 101

RPAS 101 is a free general-knowledge guide developed through cooperation between Transport Canada and the Aerial Evolution Association of Canada.

I was one of the contributors who helped write RPAS 101. We developed it to function much like a driver’s handbook. It’s an accessible starting point for understanding the information Canadian drone pilots need. It is useful for both new pilots and experienced operators looking for a refresher.

Transport Canada Aeronautical Information Manual

The Transport Canada Aeronautical Information Manual, commonly called the TC AIM, explains the rules and procedures used in Canadian aviation.

Drone pilots should be familiar with the dedicated Remotely Piloted Aircraft chapter, but relevant information also appears in sections covering airspace, aerodromes, weather, communications and navigation. The AIM is updated regularly, so make sure you are using the current edition.

Canadian Aviation Regulations

I linked to a few specific areas in the text above, but the CARs are a helpful resource to have open during the exam.  They aren’t the most fun to read “cover to cover” but work well as a reference if you need clarity or the official information source on something.

TP 15263 Knowledge Requirements

TP 15263 is the official outline of the knowledge assessed on the Basic and Advanced exams. Use it as a checklist to confirm that your training or self-study covers each applicable subject.

Flight Reviewer’s Guide

Transport Canada’s Flight Reviewer’s Guide explains the performance standards and exercises used during an Advanced flight review. Reviewing it before your assessment will help you understand what you will be expected to prepare, explain and demonstrate.

Ready to get started?

If Advanced certification is the right fit for your operations, the process is:

1. Prepare using a ground school or the recommended study resources.
2. Write and pass the Transport Canada Advanced Exam.
3. Prepare your documentation (including drone registration!), procedures and flying skills for the flight review.
4. Complete and pass an in-person Advanced flight review.
5. Apply for your Pilot Certificate – Advanced Operations through the Drone Management Portal.
6. Maintain your 24-month recency before continuing to fly.

The FLYY Advanced Pilot Package brings the complete certification process together, including Advanced Ground School, exam preparation, standard operating procedure and flight-review guides, and an in-person flight review with one of our nationwide reviewers.