Aviation Radio Communication for RPAS Pilots
Canadian Aviation Radio Communication
Advanced drone operations in Canada allows pilots to fly close to aerodromes and people, giving pilots access to a lot of airspace. More airspace is great for expanding the possibility of drone operations but it also means a higher possibility of contact with manned aircraft, which is one of the worst case scenarios in the aviation world. In Canada, the use of aviation radios is not mandatory in all airspaces, but having basic radio knowledge and monitoring air traffic control frequencies is considered good practice incase of emergencies, and encouraged by Transport Canada.
In order to communicate over the radio (using a transceiver), pilots are required to have a ROC - A (Restricted Operator Certificate with Aeronautical qualification) license. However, receivers (just for listening) do not require any license and can be useful for drone operations and avoiding collisions.
Frequencies to be aware of (Canada):
When near an aerodrome: know the Mandatory Frequency (MF) and the Aerodrome Traffic Frequency (ATF) for that aerodrome.
When not near an aerodrome: monitor 126.7 MHz (the general air traffic frequency in Canada for Class G airspace with no mandatory frequency).
Aviation Emergency Frequency: 121.5 (for worst case scenarios, should only be used as a last resort).
Airport frequencies can be found in CFS (Canadian Flight Supplement) under the COMM section for each aerodrome entry.
It is very important to check the radio communication rules for each airspace. Class B, C, and D, all require pilots to have 2 way communication and a continuous listening watch during operations.
Transport Canada Airspace Classifications
Picture this:
Say you are out in the middle of nowhere, conducting a drone mission - there is no way to predict the manned air traffic in the area other than monitor 126.7 (the general air traffic frequency in Canada for Class G airspace with no mandatory frequency). Some examples of situations where you, as an RPAS pilot would need to broadcast on the radio (assuming you have your ROC-A Radio Operators License) are:
A manned aircraft will likely cross paths with the mission or flight path the drone is following
a manned aircraft is in the close vicinity and it will be safer to let them know you are there
There is any immediate safety risk and terminating the flight isn’t an option.
Here is a handy template of a typical radio call that manned aircraft will be able to interpret easily:
RPAS PILOT: 126.7 traffic in the vicinity of (location name)
This is (name of company/operation)
Conducting a drone operation at or below (altitude AGL)
(Any other relevant information about route/location)
126.7 traffic in the vicinity of (location name)
This radio call can also be used when necessary at uncontrolled airports, just swap “126.7” with the airport name i.e: “Vernon Traffic”.
Radio communication can be confusing as an RPAS pilot, you don’t have to tell us twice. If you have more questions about aviation radio communication don’t hesitate to reach out, one of our professionals will be happy to help you:)
Happy (and safe) flying!
