RPAS 300. Level 1 Complex Operations

TP15530 (Level 1 Complex Operations) ground school.
You may start flying BVLOS, EVLOS, or Sheltered operations after November 4, 2025.
Victoria Air Photos and Survey Training has been added to the TP 15530 RPAS Training Providers list.
Competency Based Training (CBT) A competency is manifested and observed through behaviours that mobilize the relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes of a person to successfully carry out activities or tasks under specified conditions. CBT in aviation is effective learning and training that addresses underlying competencies in pilots covering all phases of a pilot’s career – from initial to recurrency training and evaluation.
VAP is offering 5-Days of ground school coupled with practical flight training to exceed Transport Canada's training and ground school requirements for Complex Level 1 Pilots
Course subjects and Duration of ground training (hours of classroom time and hours of online training specifically dedicated to TP 15530 material)
Course Subjects:
(i) Advanced Study: Air law, air traffic rules and procedures
(ii) RPA airframes, power plants, propulsion, and systems
(iii) Human factor
(iv) Meteorology
(v) Navigation
(vi) Flight operations (including practicals)
(vii) Theory of flight
(viii) Radiotelephony
Hours of study: 30
Email info@victoriaairphotos.com for query, to register, or to be added to the interest list for next session TBA. Call 250 507 6421.
The new regulations introduce a new pilot certification process for lower-risk BVLOS called Level 1 Complex Operations. To conduct lower-risk BVLOS, you must:
- ► Be at least 18 years old
- ► Pass the online exam for advanced and Level 1 Complex Operations
- ► Complete at least 20 hours of ground school and successfully pass a flight review
Training Dates TBA and/or may we set to accommodate private groups
Individuals, businesses, and organizations wishing to conduct BVLOS operations must have an RPAS Operator Certificate (RPOC). To obtain an RPOC, pilots, businesses, and organizations will be required to have policies and procedures in place that reflect the size and complexity of the operations they will carry out.
Where you will be able to fly BVLOS
All lower-risk BVLOS operations must
- ► remain in uncontrolled airspace.
- ► stay below 122 metres (400 feet).
- ► stay away from airports and aerodromes.
- ► If you are flying a small or medium drone, you may operate at least 1 km away from a populated area.
- ► If you are flying a small drone, you may also operate over a sparsely populated area or less than 1 km from a populated area.

Sheltered operations
► Sheltered operations are flights with a small drone that are close to a structure, such as a building. To conduct sheltered operations, you must fly the drone:
- More than 30 metres (100 feet) away from people not involved in the operation
- No greater than 30 metres (100 feet) above the structure
- Less than 61 metres (200 feet) horizontally from the structure
Extended visual line-of-sight (EVLOS) operations
► EVLOS operations are short-range flights with a small drone, but where the drone is far away enough from the pilot that it cannot be seen by an unaided eye. To conduct EVLOS, you must:
- Remain in uncontrolled airspace
- Fly more than 30 metres (100 feet) away from people not involved in the operation
- Receive assistance from a trained Visual Observer (VO) holding an RPA pilot certificate
- Fly the drone within 2 nautical miles (3.6 km) of yourself, the VO and the Control Station