Canada Exam Prep
All Canada (national) practice tests

Transport Canada Drone Exam Practice Test (Basic) 2026 – Free Drone Basic Exam (RPAS) Questions

Original questions written from the official Canada (national) handbook, with an explanation for every answer.

By the ·

  • 154 questions
  • 5 practice tests
0/35
Practice test 1 · Question 1Score 0/0

Who can enforce Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations?

Your progress

Your topic map

Every Drone Basic Exam (RPAS) topic, coloured by how well your answers show you know it. Saved in this browser only – no account.

Your map fills in as you practise

Answer questions in any practice test, topic quiz, mock exam or the exam simulator. After 5 answers in a topic, it turns red, yellow or green.

Start practice test 1

Your map is saved in this browser only – no account needed.

Estimated mock score

Estimate only – not an official prediction

Answer at least 20 questions to see an estimated mock score (you have 0). It is shown as a range, never as a promise.

Colours summarize progress from your recent practice answers: red suggests more practice, yellow shows progress, and green shows stronger recent performance. Grey means fewer than 5 answers so far. These indicators do not predict official exam results.

Keep practising

All Drone Basic Exam (RPAS) practice tests

5 sets of 35 questions. Each set is fixed, so you can repeat it until you score 100%.

Exam facts

Key facts: Transport Canada Drone Pilot Exam – Basic Operations (Small Basic Exam)

Free practice tests for Transport Canada's Small Basic Exam, the online test you pass to get a Pilot Certificate – Basic Operations for drones from 250 g to 25 kg. Every question is original, written from the Canadian Aviation Regulations Part IX, the drone chapter of the Transport Canada Aeronautical Information Manual (October 2026) and the official knowledge requirements in TP 15263. Each answer explains the rule and names the section it comes from. No sign-up, and your progress stays on your device.

The real exam has 35 multiple-choice questions, a 90-minute limit and a 65% pass mark, so you need 23 correct. Our mock exams use the same length, time and pass mark. Topic tests let you drill the areas that trip people up: airspace classes, the 30 m and 3 NM distances, registration and recency rules, weather, and reading charts and times in UTC.

What the test covers

Topics and question bank

Every question is tagged to one topic from the official handbook. Pick a topic to drill just that area.

Try a few

Sample Drone Basic Exam (RPAS) questions

Tap a question to see the answer. The full interactive test is at the top of the page.
  1. 1Who can enforce Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations?
    • A. Only the owner of the land below the drone's flight
    • B. TC inspectors and delegated peace officers
    • C. Only NAV CANADA air traffic controllers on duty
    • D. Only the manufacturer of that particular drone model

    Part IX is enforced by Transport Canada inspectors and investigators and by delegated peace officers such as RCMP members; some provincial and municipal police also hold delegation.

  2. 2When must a site survey be done?
    • A. Only when flying for a paying client
    • B. Only once a year for each site
    • C. Only for flights near an airport
    • D. Before every drone operation

    No pilot may operate a drone without first conducting a site survey of the operational volume, whatever the purpose or location of the flight.

  3. 3Who can be the registered owner of a drone in Canada?
    • A. Any adult visiting Canada with a valid passport and a visa
    • B. Any person of any age living in Canada, with a parent's consent
    • C. A foreign company with a sales office somewhere in Canada
    • D. A Canadian citizen or permanent resident who is at least 14

    Owners can be Canadian citizens or permanent residents aged 14 or more, corporations formed under Canadian or provincial law, or governments in Canada. Visitors and foreign companies cannot register a drone.

  4. 4Class E airspace that is not around an airport often starts at what height?
    • A. 700 ft AGL
    • B. 3,000 ft AGL
    • C. 400 ft AGL
    • D. 100 ft AGL

    Away from airports, Class E commonly starts at 700 ft AGL (or 2,200 ft in some extensions). That is above the 400 ft drone limit, but always check the chart for your site.

  5. 5A report gives the wind as 270 degrees. Which way is the wind blowing?
    • A. From the north toward the south
    • B. From the east toward the west
    • C. From the west toward the east
    • D. From the south toward the north

    Wind direction is the direction the wind comes from. 270° is west, so the air is moving from west to east.

  6. 6You want to fly 2 NM from a military aerodrome in uncontrolled airspace. What do you need?
    • A. Nothing, since the 3 NM rule covers civil airports only
    • B. Authorization from the Department of National Defence
    • C. A phone call to the closest civilian airport
    • D. Only a basic certificate and a check of the NOTAMs

    Flying within 3 NM of an aerodrome operated under the Minister of National Defence requires DND authorization, whatever certificate you hold.

  7. 7What is the maximum fine for an individual flying an unregistered or unmarked drone?
    • A. $1,000
    • B. $500
    • C. $25,000
    • D. $5,000

    Individuals face fines up to $5,000 for flying unregistered or unmarked drones; the $25,000 maximum applies to corporations.

  8. 8Who counts as involved in the operation, so the 30 m rule does not apply to them?
    • A. People watching from a public sidewalk next to the property line
    • B. Workers briefed on the drone hazard who can choose to leave the site
    • C. Any adult who has seen the drone and has not asked you to stop
    • D. Anyone standing at least 15 m behind the pilot and the controller

    People are part of the operation if they were briefed on the hazard and have a chance to leave if uncomfortable, such as crew, site workers or wedding guests. Passers-by are not involved.

  9. 9Your drone stops responding and drifts toward a nearby control zone. What must you do?
    • A. Immediately notify the air traffic control unit or flight service station
    • B. Follow it in a vehicle and report only if someone is hurt
    • C. Notify Transport Canada only if the drone ends up being damaged
    • D. Wait until it has landed, then file a written report within 7 days

    When a drone is out of control and enters or is likely to enter controlled or restricted airspace, the pilot must notify the appropriate ATS unit or user agency right away. Keep that contact information ready during the flight.

  10. 10You inspect a 450 ft tower and stay within 50 ft of it horizontally. What is your height limit?
    • A. 50 ft above the top of the tower
    • B. 100 ft above the top of the tower
    • C. 200 ft above the top of the tower
    • D. 400 ft above the ground, with no exception

    Within 200 ft (61 m) horizontally of a building or structure, you may fly up to 100 ft (30 m) above it. That allows inspections of tall structures.

About the test

About the Transport Canada Drone Pilot Exam – Basic Operations (Small Basic Exam)

Canada's drone rules are in Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). Any drone with an operating weight of 250 g up to 150 kg needs a pilot certificate, and the certificate you need depends on what you fly, how close to people you fly and in which airspace. Microdrones under 250 g have no certificate. The basic certificate covers small drones (250 g to 25 kg) flown in visual line-of-sight, in uncontrolled airspace, at least 30 m (100 ft) horizontally from people not involved in the flight, and at least 3 nautical miles from the centre of a certified airport and 1 nautical mile from a certified heliport. Break any one of those conditions and the flight becomes an advanced operation.

To get the basic certificate you must be at least 14 and pass the Small Basic Exam. The exam is taken online only, through Transport Canada's Drone Management Portal, in English or French. You get your result right after you finish, and if you pass, the certificate is issued immediately and can be printed or shown on your phone. If you fail, you wait 24 hours before trying again, and there is no limit on attempts; each attempt costs the same fee. The certificate does not expire, but you may only fly if, in the last 24 months, you were issued a certificate, passed an RPAS exam or flight review, or completed a recurrent activity such as Transport Canada's self-paced study program.

Transport Canada says the exam questions are based on the Knowledge Requirements for Pilots of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (TP 15263), but that this document is not a study guide. TP 15263 lists eight knowledge areas: air law and air traffic rules, airframes and systems, human factors, meteorology, navigation, flight operations, theory of flight and radiotelephony. Some items in those areas are marked for the Advanced exam only, such as METAR decoding and radio calls. Our 11 topics follow the basic items: categories and certificates, registration, airspace, distances and limits, flight rules, pre-flight and emergencies, records and penalties, human factors, weather, navigation and radio, and theory of flight.

We did not copy any flight-school course, the confidential exam bank or any other practice site. Every question is written from public, official sources: CARs Part IX (current to September 2026, including the 2025 amendments in force since November 4, 2025), the RPA chapter of the TC AIM, Standard 921, Transport Canada's drone safety pages and, for general topics like vision, alcohol and thunderstorms, the AIR and GEN chapters of the TC AIM. Treat our tests as a way to check your knowledge of the rules, not as a copy of the real exam. This site is independent and is not affiliated with Transport Canada; passing a practice test here does not give you a certificate.

The rules are federal and the same everywhere in Canada, from Vancouver to St. John's. Remember that other laws still apply when you fly: privacy and trespass laws, the Criminal Code, national park rules (no take-off or landing without the superintendent's permission), and fines of up to $1,000 for flying without a certificate, $3,000 for flying where you are not allowed and $5,000 for an unregistered drone for individuals.

Study plan

How to prepare

  1. 1Read Part IX of the CARs once from start to finish, then read the RPA chapter of the Transport Canada Aeronautical Information Manual, which explains each rule in plain language with examples. Both are free.
  2. 2Use TP 15263 as your checklist. Go through the items marked for basic operations and make sure you can explain each one in a sentence.
  3. 3Memorize the numbers that define basic operations: 250 g, 25 kg, 400 ft AGL, 100 ft above a structure within 200 ft, 30 m from bystanders, 3 NM from airports and 1 NM from heliports, and age 14.
  4. 4Learn the airspace classes: A to E are controlled, G is uncontrolled, and Class F is either restricted (CYR, keep out) or advisory (CYA, extra care). Practise finding them on a VNC or VTA chart or in NAV Drone.
  5. 5Know the paperwork: register drones of 250 g or more, mark the number on the main body, report changes within 7 days, keep flight records 12 months and maintenance records 24 months, and carry your certificate and proof of recency.
  6. 6Practise converting UTC to local time and AGL to ASL, and review the frequencies 126.7 and 123.2 MHz. These small calculations show up in navigation questions.
  7. 7Take a mock exam with the 90-minute timer. When you score 28 or more out of 35 on two different mocks, you have a safe margin over the 23 you need.
  8. 8Transport Canada recommends a drone flight school course before the exam. Have a pencil and paper ready for diagrams and calculations, and do the exam on your own: help from others is not allowed.

FAQ

Drone Basic Exam (RPAS) test questions people ask

How many questions are on the Transport Canada drone exam?

The Small Basic Exam has 35 multiple-choice questions. The Advanced Exam, which is a different test, has 50.

What is the passing score for the basic drone exam?

You need 65% or higher, which is 23 correct answers out of 35. The Advanced Exam needs 80%.

How long do I have to complete the exam?

90 minutes. If time runs out, the exam is marked on the answers you gave. You can ask Transport Canada for extra time as an accommodation before paying for the exam.

How much does the basic drone exam cost?

Transport Canada's fee for each exam attempt is $10.17 from April 2026 to March 2027, and it is adjusted every April. The basic certificate is included in the exam fee. Registering a drone is a separate fee, also $10.17 in that period.

Can I take the drone exam in French?

Yes. The exam is offered in English and French, and you must be able to read the questions in one of those languages without help. Our practice tests are also available in French.

What happens if I fail?

You can retake the exam after 24 hours, as many times as you need. Each attempt is paid separately.

Do I need a certificate for a drone under 250 g?

No. Microdrones need no certificate or registration, but you must still not fly recklessly, must stay out of emergency perimeters and restricted airspace, and need an SFOC to fly at an advertised event.

Does the basic drone certificate expire?

No, it does not expire. But before each flight you must meet the 24-month recency rule, for example by retaking an exam or completing Transport Canada's self-paced study program, and carry proof of it.

How old do you have to be to get a drone licence in Canada?

14 for the basic certificate, 16 for the advanced certificate and 18 for Level 1 Complex. Younger pilots may fly under the direct supervision of a certified pilot.

Are these the real Transport Canada exam questions?

No. The real question bank is confidential. Every question here is original, written from the CARs, the TC AIM and TP 15263, and each one cites the section it is based on.

More practice

Related practice tests