Transport Canada has granted Volatus Aerospace additional nationwide Special Flight Operations Certificates (SFOC) that expand the scope and flexibility of Volatus’ commercial drone operations and allows for expanded use of the company’s Operations Control Center (OCC) in Vaughan, Ontario.
The new authorities encompass operating procedure permissions that include:
- Beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations using small drones (250g to 25kg) across the country, both day and night in uncontrolled airspace, outside of aerodrome environments, expanding the previously announced authority for nation-wide BVLOS authority at night.
- Operating an RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System) BVLOS without a pilot or visual observer maintaining visual contact within 100 feet vertically and 200 feet horizontally of structures such as buildings, towers, powerlines, and rail corridors, enabling close-proximity and long-range inspections, surveillance, and security patrols.
- Approval to operate within Class F restricted airspace and NOTAM-defined zones, enabling missions in complex or dynamically managed environments.
- Clearance for BVLOS drone flight operations at altitudes up to 400 feet AGL in Canada’s Northern Domestic Airspace, supporting high-latitude missions for environmental monitoring, infrastructure inspection, cargo delivery and Indigenous community services.
- Specific authorization to operate RPAS BVLOS without the pilot or observer maintaining direct visual contact, using Transport Canada-accepted detect-and-avoid technologies and operational protocols.
- Integration with automated and remote drone operations, including nested (drone-in-a-box) systems through accepted SORA-based risk mitigation and oversight.
Rob Walker, Chief Commercial Officer for Volatus, said the approvals mean the company can deploy heavier, longer-range drones capable of carrying larger payloads or extended sensors. Volatus will also be able to commercialise its Operations Control Centre (OCC) offering a managed service for enterprise clients and partners, providing real-time drone oversight, mission management, and data collection including large scale deployment of drone-in-a-box systems, nationwide with regulatory compliance.”
The new authorisations build on the national nighttime BVLOS authority announced in March 2025, as well as Volatus’ existing and renewed SFOCs.
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Image: Volatus
