Canada
No Remote ID mandate is in force yet, but Transport Canada has a concrete proposed rule on the table naming DRIFT’s own wire format as an acceptable compliance path. This page reflects a proposal, not a finalized regulation.
Status
Transport Canada published NPA 2026-005 “RPAS: Remote Identification, Community-Based Organizations, and Designated Airspace” on 2026-06-08, proposing amendments to Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations. The public comment period closed 2026-09-09.
Proposed approach
- Applies to RPA weighing 250 g – 150 kg.
- Performance-based, not broadcast-only: an operator could use Broadcast Remote ID or Network Remote ID, or a future alternative means — Transport Canada does not prescribe which.
- ASTM F3411 is explicitly named as an acceptable means of compliance for the broadcast option:
“an RPA or broadcast module that meets ASTM F3411 — Standard Specification for Remote ID and Tracking would be an acceptable means of compliance for Remote ID, as it is recognized internationally as a consensus standard.”
This means DRIFT’s existing wire format is directly relevant to a future Canadian mandate with no protocol changes anticipated.
- Transport Canada’s own text notes it expects Broadcast RID to be the practically dominant compliance path given patchy rural network coverage, despite its historical preference for network-based RPAS traffic management.
Timeline (proposed, not yet final)
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2026-06-08 | NPA 2026-005 published |
| 2026-09-09 | Comment period closed |
| 2028 (targeted) | Canada Gazette, Part II publication |
| 2029 (targeted) | Manufacturer compliance deadline |
| 2030 (targeted) | Pilot/operator compliance deadline |
No Canada Gazette Part I/II publication exists yet — this is still the pre-Gazette consultation stage.
Sources
- Transport Canada, NPA 2026-005, §§3.4, 4.1.1.2, 4.1.2.1, 7 (direct text extraction)
- Secondary corroboration on dates: dronexl.co, Mondaq, rpascentre.com
Last verified 2026-09-10.