The following is the PowerPoint slide deck from a presentation recently provided by Transport Canada to the  Fraser Valley Real Estate Board in BC.

Using Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV’s) in Real Estate Marketing

Of particular note, and what often confuses many trying to use an Exemption, is the clarification and examples of built-up areas. The examples in the slide deck are all cases where Exemptions do not apply.  As per presentation commentary & notes:

As you can see, there are lots of areas where flights cannot be flown without a SFOC: the exemption is not applicable:

• in controlled or restricted airspace
• within 9km of aerodromes, or
• within 9km of a built up area

A SFOC must specifically permit operations within Class C airspace

Anything larger than a farmstead should be considered a built up area.

Specifically to slide 18:

While this is a non-built-up area, it is definitely within 9km of a built-up area and as such the exemption would not be applicable here. It is also within 9km of an aerodrome (CRF2 – Langley (Russell Farm) Heliport)

As has been stated before, Exemptions can rarely be used in most areas, beyond very rural farming/mining/forestry applications.  SFOCs are the primary means to work legally with your UAV.  The onus is on the user to ensure they are working within the regulations.