Canada’s drone industry is expected to surge as the government moves to relax regulations, with plans to establish a comprehensive drone industry promotion strategy this year.
According to a report by KOTRA’s Toronto Trade Office on the 6th, Transport Canada is anticipated to allow beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights and increased payload capacities for drones as early as January. The agency is reviewing measures to eliminate the need for individual permits for each drone flight and fully permit BVLOS operations in low-risk areas.
Transport Canada has maintained strict drone regulations since 2015, following incidents such as drone-assisted contraband deliveries to prisons and a 2017 collision between a commercial aircraft and a drone.
Additionally, Transport Canada plans to finalize Canada’s first-ever “Drone Strategy to 2025” this year, aiming to actively foster the drone industry.
Market research firm Grand View Research projected that as the Canadian government pushes for drone industry growth, the sector could expand at an average annual rate of 16% through 2030, reaching a market size of $9.9 billion. While hardware components like drone frames, motors, and batteries currently drive revenue, Grand View Research expects higher profitability in service sectors such as logistics, delivery, agriculture, and aerial photography in the future.
KOTRA’s Toronto Trade Office stated, “The Canadian government plans to ease drone regulations this year,” adding, “Regulatory relaxation will accelerate the commercialization of the drone industry and spur innovative changes.”
