Drone Basic Exam (RPAS) Practice Test 3

All 35 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

1. What must be easily accessible to you while flying basic operations?

   1. Your pilot certificate and proof that you meet recency
   2. A paper logbook signed by an approved flight school
   3. Your pilot certificate and a printout of your exam result
   4. Your driver's licence and a proof of liability insurance

2. A peace officer asks to see your drone documents during a flight. What applies?

   1. Only Transport Canada staff may ever ask to see them
   2. You must show your certificate and registration when asked
   3. You may refuse unless the officer shows you a warrant
   4. You must show them only within 30 days at a station

3. On a helicopter, what is the job of the tail rotor?

   1. To counter the torque of the main rotor and control yaw
   2. To provide most of the lift during the take-off phase
   3. To tilt the main rotor disc forward to gain speed
   4. To cool the engine while hovering in hot weather

4. On a map with a scale of 1:20,000, what does 1 cm represent on the ground?

   1. 20 kilometres
   2. 200 metres
   3. 20 metres
   4. 2 kilometres

5. Which is an example of a flight termination method for a small drone?

   1. Switching the camera from photo to video mode
   2. An automatic return-to-home (RTH) function
   3. Turning on the drone's navigation lights
   4. Reducing the camera gimbal angle to zero

6. What is a microburst?

   1. A small whirlwind that lifts dust on a hot, sunny day
   2. A gentle sea breeze that starts in the late afternoon
   3. A short burst of radio static caused by a lightning strike
   4. A small, intense downdraft that spreads out at the ground

7. What is the recommended way to scan the sky for other aircraft?

   1. Short stops on blocks of about 10 to 15 degrees
   2. Looking only where you hear engine noise
   3. Staring at the drone and glancing up every minute
   4. One smooth, continuous sweep without stopping

8. How many classes of airspace are used in Canadian Domestic Airspace?

   1. Four, lettered A to D
   2. Six, lettered A to F
   3. Five, lettered A to E
   4. Seven, lettered A to G

9. You sold your drone to a friend yesterday. When is your registration cancelled?

   1. Seven days after the sale, if no notice has been sent by then
   2. Immediately, when legal custody and control passed to your friend
   3. Only when your friend registers the drone in their own name
   4. When Transport Canada processes the notice you send to them

10. Which statement about alcohol and the body is correct?

    1. Coffee or oxygen do not speed up how fast alcohol is cleared
    2. A large meal removes alcohol from the blood within an hour
    3. Strong coffee clears alcohol twice as fast as normal
    4. Alcohol leaves the inner ear before it leaves the blood

11. Why is fatigue considered especially dangerous for drone pilots?

    1. It can be cured right away with a coffee and a snack
    2. Its effects can be present without the person noticing
    3. It only affects pilots who have flown more than 8 hours
    4. It only matters for flights that take place at night

12. How far from the centre of a certified heliport must a basic operation stay?

    1. At least 1 NM
    2. At least 3 NM
    3. At least 0.5 NM
    4. At least 5 NM

13. Your drone is flying almost directly in line with the sun. What does TC advise?

    1. Stare at the drone until your eyes have adjusted
    2. Put on polarized sunglasses to cut the glare
    3. Climb higher so the drone is easier to see against the sky
    4. Look slightly to the side of the drone and the sun

14. Can a basic pilot fly 120 m straight above a picnic, since the drone is far away vertically?

    1. Yes, if the people at the picnic are told before the flight
    2. No, the 30 m is horizontal and applies at any altitude
    3. Yes, because the drone is more than 30 m from everyone there
    4. Yes, as long as the drone stays below 400 ft above the ground

15. In which unit is wind speed normally given in aviation weather reports?

    1. Miles per hour
    2. Knots
    3. Feet per minute
    4. Metres per second

16. For drone operations, which classes count as controlled airspace?

    1. Only Class F restricted areas
    2. Classes C, D, F and G
    3. Classes A, B, C, D and E
    4. Classes A, B and C only

17. Which flight is still a basic operation?

    1. A 2 kg drone in uncontrolled airspace, 40 m from the nearest bystander
    2. A 30 kg drone in uncontrolled airspace, far from any people at all
    3. A 2 kg drone inside a control zone, 40 m from the nearest bystander
    4. A 2 kg drone in uncontrolled airspace, 20 m from a passer-by walking a dog

18. The manufacturer lists a 30-minute flight time. Why plan for less?

    1. Transport Canada caps every drone flight at 20 minutes
    2. Wind, cold and battery age can shorten the real endurance
    3. The listed time includes the time spent charging
    4. Endurance figures only apply to drones flown indoors

19. In the IM SAFE checklist, what does the letter S stand for?

    1. Sleep
    2. Sight
    3. Speed
    4. Stress

20. How often is the Canada Flight Supplement updated?

    1. Every 7 days
    2. Once a year
    3. Every 6 months
    4. Every 56 days

21. Your drone briefly touches a spectator's shoulder without injuring them. What must you do?

    1. Stop for 24 hours, then resume without changes
    2. Land, change the battery and carry on with care
    3. Stop flying until the cause is analysed and fixed
    4. Keep flying if the person says they are fine

22. Your controller shows a lost link but the drone is still in sight. What is an appropriate first action?

    1. Turn the controller off and on repeatedly
    2. Troubleshoot, e.g. by re-orienting the antennas
    3. Call 911 and report a missing aircraft at once
    4. Walk quickly toward the drone with the controller

23. What is a NOTAM?

    1. A weather forecast issued for one airport only
    2. A notice about temporary changes or hazards for pilots
    3. A licence needed to fly near an airport at night
    4. A list of registered drones in a given region

24. How long is one nautical mile?

    1. 1,000 metres
    2. 5,280 metres
    3. 1,609 metres
    4. 1,852 metres

25. Which practice does Transport Canada recommend to respect privacy when flying?

    1. Delete the footage only if someone complains about it later
    2. Tell people about the flight and get consent before recording them
    3. Fly only after dark so that people cannot see the drone recording
    4. Keep the camera pointed down only when passing over backyards

26. Why must a drone's payload keep the centre of gravity within limits?

    1. It changes the drone's registration category
    2. The centre of gravity affects stability and control
    3. The camera only works with a centred load
    4. Transport Canada checks it at every registration

27. Which aid may you use to keep visual line-of-sight with your drone?

    1. A pair of binoculars for distant moments
    2. Your normal prescription glasses
    3. A small spotting scope held by a friend
    4. A camera with a zoom lens on a tripod

28. A hot-air balloon drifts toward the area where your drone is flying. Who must give way?

    1. The balloon, because drones cannot climb out of the way
    2. Whichever aircraft has the other on its right side
    3. You, because drones give way to all other aircraft
    4. Whichever aircraft is lower at that moment

29. Where must the registration number appear?

    1. On the controller or the phone used to fly
    2. On the case or bag the drone is carried in
    3. Clearly visible on the drone itself
    4. Only on the certificate kept in your pocket

30. Which marking method does Transport Canada accept for the registration number?

    1. A washable marker you redo before each flight
    2. A sticky note attached to the landing gear
    3. A photo of the number saved on your phone
    4. A permanent label stuck to the drone

31. In the NRC Drone Site Selection Tool, what does an area shaded red mean?

    1. Drone flight is prohibited there
    2. A NOTAM is active there for the current day
    3. Permission from an authority is needed there
    4. Extra caution is advised for other air traffic

32. A 12-year-old wants to fly a 600 g drone in a field far from people and airports. How can they do it legally?

    1. Under the direct supervision of a pilot who holds a valid drone certificate
    2. Alone, provided a parent signs a permission form that stays with the drone
    3. Only after passing the basic exam, which has no minimum age at all
    4. Alone, provided the drone always stays below 100 ft above the ground

33. Why should a drone's compass be calibrated away from cars and steel structures?

    1. Nearby metal and magnetic fields distort the compass reading
    2. Cars give off heat that damages the drone's battery
    3. Steel structures block all GPS signals during calibration
    4. Calibration only works when the drone is above 400 ft

34. Which rule applies when you use a visual observer?

    1. One observer may watch up to five drones in a basic flight
    2. The observer may also drive the vehicle you launch from
    3. The observer must hold an advanced pilot certificate
    4. You and the observer must keep reliable, timely communication

35. How close to the centre of a certified airport may a basic pilot fly?

    1. No closer than 1 NM (1.9 km)
    2. No closer than 5 NM (9.3 km)
    3. No closer than 10 NM (18.5 km)
    4. No closer than 3 NM (5.6 km)