The New Drone Standard: From Domestic Compliance to Global Excellence in Canada’s Drone Industry

By: Dan Juhlin, AG Ambassador – Canada

The freewheeling “Wild West” days for Canadian drone operations have ended, replaced by frameworks that demand professionalism, safety and verifiable trust. For any Canadian drone company looking to not just survive but thrive, success depends on understanding and navigating two distinct tiers of operation: mandatory domestic compliance and voluntary international excellence with two key frameworks: Transport Canada’s RPAS Operator Certificate (RPOC), the essential license to fly complex missions in our country and the new global benchmark, ISO 21384-3:2023 for Unmanned aircraft systems, an international standard that defines what it means to be a world-class operator. 

This article breaks down both frameworks, compares them to global regulations and makes the case that for any serious Canadian drone company, embracing the ISO standard is the single most important strategic move to win high-value corporate clients and unlock the global market.

In Canada, proving your worth as a drone operator involves a tiered process. Think of it like a driver’s license. The first tier is the standard license that makes it legal to drive, and the second is an advanced professional qualification that proves you’re an expert.

Tier 1: The RPOC Legal Mandate

Transport Canada’s RPOC remains the foundational requirement to conduct what are known as “advanced” or complex operations. This is your legal license to operate in controlled airspace, near people or beyond the pilot’s visual line-of-sight (BVLOS). It’s non-negotiable.

To obtain an RPOC, an operator must demonstrate to the federal government that they have the basic building blocks of a safe operation in place. This includes appointing an accountable executive, documenting standard operating procedures (SOPs) and establishing a foundational Safety Management System (SMS). In essence, the RPOC proves you meet Canada’s minimum legal requirements. It gets you in the game, but it doesn’t set you apart from the competition.

Tier 2: ISO 21384-3 Certification Gold Standard

The ISO 21384-3 standard is a different beast entirely. It’s not a government regulation but a voluntary, international framework that defines operational excellence. It provides a comprehensive playbook to run a drone operation with the same level of discipline and rigor as a traditional airline.

While it covers all the elements of a basic SMS, it goes significantly further by mandating a much more robust and holistic system. Key components of the ISO standard include:

• Dual-System Security: It requires operators to implement not just a SMS but also a formal Information Security Management System (ISMS). Data is as valuable as the drone itself, so this is a critical differentiator. It demands audited processes to protect command links, client data and network infrastructure from cyber threats.
• Defined Accountability: The standard mandates specific, accountable roles within the organization, such as a Safety Officer (SAFO) and a Compliance Monitoring Officer (COMO), and details their explicit responsibilities. This creates a clear structure of ownership for safety and quality.
• Comprehensive Operational Framework: ISO 21384-3 dives deep into every facet of the operation. It sets clear requirements for flight planning, communication protocols, maintenance, personnel competency and training. It even includes procedures to manage external service providers, such as the company that provides your critical command and control (C2) link.

How the RPOC and ISO Standard Work Together

The RPOC makes you a legal operator; ISO certification makes you a world-class operator. The RPOC is fundamentally a regulatory check that confirms you meet the legal minimums. The ISO certification is a deep, holistic business process audit conducted by an independent third party.

The mandatory inclusion of an ISMS alone puts the ISO standard in a different league. It demonstrates that an operator is serious not just about flight safety, but about protecting their clients’ valuable information. They are not mutually exclusive; a top-tier Canadian operator will have both. 

For drone companies looking to move beyond small jobs and win major contracts with Canada’s leading industrial firms, simply being “legal” will not be sufficient. Large corporations in sectors like energy, mining, utilities and infrastructure operate under a microscope of intense risk management. They expect the same from their suppliers.

Speaking the Language of Risk Management

These corporate giants live and breathe safety and quality management. They often build their internal operations on other ISO standards, like ISO 9001 (Quality Management) or ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety). When they vet a contractor, they look for objective, verifiable proof that the supplier can meet their incredibly high standards and will not introduce new risks into their operations.

An RPOC, while necessary, doesn’t speak this language. It’s a government license, not a comprehensive quality credential. An ISO 21384-3 certification, however, fits perfectly into their existing frameworks. It’s a signal that your drone company understands and has implemented the same principles of process control, continuous improvement and risk management that govern their own business.

De-risking the Supply Chain

For example, a project manager at a large energy company, hiring a drone contractor presents a conundrum: how do you differentiate a truly professional aviation service from a potential liability in disguise? A low bid is tempting, but not if it comes with the risk of a safety incident, a data breach or a failed mission.

This is where ISO 21384-3 becomes a powerful procurement tool. By making certification a requirement in their tenders, these large companies can instantly de-risk their supply chain. It becomes a simple, objective filter. It elevates the contractors who have invested in robust systems and weeds out those who haven’t. It ensures they only work with the best of the best.

The Power of Third-Party Validation

Crucially, this system works because the certification is not a self-declaration. It’s earned through a rigorous audit by an independent, accredited body. And for this specific drone operations standard, that body is located right here in Canada.

Altomaxx, based in Newfoundland and Labrador, is the world’s first and only accredited third-party certifier for ISO 21384-3. Their role is to conduct a deep-dive audit of an operator’s manuals, records and procedures to ensure they meet every single requirement of the standard. This independent validation is what gives the certification its power and provides corporate clients with the assurance they need. It transforms an operator’s claim from “we are safe” to “an accredited global expert has proven we are safe.”

For ambitious Canadian drone companies, the opportunities don’t stop at our borders. But entering the international market means facing a bewildering maze of national regulations. This is where the ISO standard transitions from a mark of quality to a strategic passport for global expansion.

The analogy is simple: a national license like the RPOC is a “visa,” which is mandatory and only grants you permission to operate in one specific country. The ISO 21384-3 certificate is your “passport,” a globally recognized document that proves your identity and credibility, which makes it infinitely faster and easier to get the visas you need, wherever you want to go. Here’s how the ISO 21384-3 certificate fits into comparative key global markets (See prior AG coverage of international drone regulations):

• UK & Europe: The UK and Europe use a risk assessment methodology called the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA). To get flight approval, you must prove you can mitigate the risks of your specific mission. An ISO-certified operator can easily do this by using their audited SMS and ISMS as direct evidence that their mitigation strategies are real, repeatable and reliable. 
• Australia: To fly in Australia, you need a Remotely Piloted Aircraft Operator’s Certificate (ReOC) from their civil aviation authority. This is a national certificate very similar to our RPOC. A Canadian company with an ISO 21384-3 certification can present their audit reports and manuals to the Australian regulator to demonstrate they already meet or exceed most of the requirements. This will dramatically accelerate the approval process.
• United States: For high-stakes operations like package delivery, with the Part 108 Notice of Public Rulemaking underway, the US stands poised to require an FAA Part 108 Air Carrier Certificate. It will hold drone operators to the same standards as traditional cargo airlines. The requirements of Part 108 align almost perfectly with the comprehensive framework of ISO 21384-3, which will make an ISO-certified company a prime candidate for this lucrative US certificate.

By building your company around the ISO 21384-3 framework, you create a single, world-class operational system. This prevents the need to constantly reinvent your processes for every new country you enter. It ensures consistent quality, streamlines regulatory approvals and provides a powerful competitive advantage in the global marketplace.

The Canadian drone industry has matured. The path to success is about more than just having the latest technology. It’s about proving your professionalism. For any operator with serious ambitions, the strategy is clear and built on the two pillars of mandatory domestic compliance and voluntary international excellence. Here are the steps to 

Step 1: Secure your Transport Canada RPAS Operator Certificate. This is the foundation, your mandatory license to do business at home.

Step 2: Obtain your ISO 21384-3 certification. This is your key differentiator. It’s what will win you high-value corporate contracts and serve as your ticket to global expansion.Don’t simply follow the rules; choose to lead.

Embrace this two-tiered approach to build a sustainable, trusted and globally competitive business.