USA Recreational Drone Operations Guide

Taking your drone south of the border? Know the US rules before you fly.

Your Transport Canada certificate doesn't cover you in the United States. This 21-page field guide is written for Canadian recreational pilots visiting the US, and walks you through the FAA rules for flying for fun under the recreational exception, with any brand or type of small drone.

What's inside

• Choosing the correct US operating rules for your flight
• FAA TRUST certificate and core recreational requirements
• Canadian visitors and foreign-registered drones
• Registration, marking and Remote ID
• Airspace, LAANC authorization and flight restrictions
• Operational safety and night flight
• Travel and pre-flight checklists
• Incident response, reporting and a quick reference card

Who it's for: Canadian pilots bringing a drone on a US trip and flying purely for personal enjoyment.

Format: Instant PDF download, 21 pages, 5.5" × 8.5" field guide size. Updated August 2026.

*Includes a free flip-book version for phone or tablet.

Covers recreational flying only, not business, volunteer or other non-recreational operations. Independent educational resource, not affiliated with the FAA. Verify current requirements at faa.gov/uas before each trip.