NOTAMs not showing up on flight planning map? Well, it's you, not the map!

If you were to plan a drone flight without checking for NOTAMs, you could end up making a serious mistake.

Learn to check and understand flight restrictions and get certified. Click here to enroll in Coastal Drone Co's Basic and here to enroll in the Advanced online course.

Let's say you were planning a flight for March 18th 2023 in the vicinity of Queen's University in Kingston. You create your plan on March 16th using  the Nav Canada map for the area and see no additional NOTAMs,  just like the screenshot shows, so you assume everything is good to go.

However, little do you know that there is a future NOTAM starting at noon on March 17th in the vicinity of Queen's.

The NOTAM, as listed on the https://plan.navcanada.ca/wxrecall/ website, states that "the airspace within a radius of 0.5NM centering around 441346N 0762939W (Queen's University, approximately 4.5NM east of Kingston (CYGK) airport) is restricted. No person shall operate an aircraft, including remotely piloted aircraft (RPA-drone), within the area described except for IFR aircraft, medevac, DND, and police operations." The NOTAM is in effect from noon on March 17th until noon on March 19th.

If you had relied solely on the Nav Canada map on March 16th and not checked it again past 12pm on March 17th, you would have been flying in a no-fly zone on March 18th. This would not only be illegal but also potentially dangerous. The airspace restriction was put in place for Police operations to ensure that St. Patrick's Day parties don't get out of hand, and failure to comply with the NOTAM could result in serious consequences, including fines or legal action.

The solution to this is simple, don't rely on map layers for NOTAMs when doing future flight planning because they only show the current state of airspace. Now, after publishing a hypothetical flight plan within the boundaries and times of the NOTAM, there is a warning under the Airspace tab. The warning indicates there is a Kingston Police St.Patrick's day plan.

This is just a warning, there is nothing immediately saying stop due to future NOTAM. After publishing and before the NOTAM is in effect, a notification and email will be sent to pilots with any published operations that would be occurring within the time and space boundaries of NOTAM. The email will say something specific to your operations like, "Your previously created operation, last validated on 18:32 16/03/2023 UTC needs attention". In NAV DRONE, under the legislation tab of the operation it will say, "Part or all of your operation is planned in a temporary No Drone Zone. Flying a drone is strictly prohibited in a No Drone Zone. The temporary No Drone Zone supersedes your NAV CANADA authorization while it is active". While the is quite clear, it is a message that might be missed if one does not go back into NAV DRONE after an operation was published outside of the active time of the NOTAM. While this could prevent a pilot from taking off before a NOTAM becomes active, it still does not exempt a pilot from properly checking for NOTAMs at https://plan.navcanada.ca/wxrecall/. 

Pilots must also be able to interpret NOTAMs. The best way to do that is to receive quality training through a training establishment like Coastal Drone Co. Click here to enroll in their Basic and here to enroll in their Advanced online courses. For now, here is a quick lesson/refresher. 

This NOTAM for Kingston this weekend is a good example of how to read and interpret a typical NOTAM. NOTAMs can be complex and use technical language, so it's important to take the time to read and understand them thoroughly. Here are the main components of the NOTAM for the Kingston area and what they mean:

1. Identification: The NOTAM begins with a unique identification number, in this case, H0655/23. This number is used to track the NOTAM and refer to it in any subsequent communications.

2. Location: The NOTAM then identifies the location of the restricted airspace. In this case, it's a radius of 0.5NM centering around 441346N 0762939W, which is the location of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.

3. Effective time period: The NOTAM specifies the effective time period when the restriction will be in place. In this case, the NOTAM is in effect from noon on March 17th until noon on March 19th, 2023.

4. Restriction details: The NOTAM describes the nature of the restriction, which is that no person shall operate an aircraft, including remotely piloted aircraft (RPA-drone), within the area described, except for IFR aircraft, medevac, DND, and police operations.

5. Controlling agency: The NOTAM provides contact information for the controlling agency, in this case, Montreal Centre on 135.05MHz or Kingston RDO on 122.50MHz. Pilots can contact the controlling agency to request authorization to fly in the restricted airspace if they fall under one of the excepted categories.

6. Altitude: Finally, the NOTAM specifies the altitude of the restriction. In this case, it's from the surface to 1200ft above mean sea level (AMSL).

In conclusion, flying a drone must be done safely and legally. Checking NOTAMs is a critical part of that process. The information provided in NOTAMs can change rapidly, so it's essential to check for updates regularly.

As a drone pilot, I have learned the importance of double-checking all information before a flight. I know that relying solely on map layers or other resources may not provide me with the most current and accurate information. To ensure a safe and enjoyable flying experience, I always properly check for NOTAMs the day before the flight and again several times on the day of the flight, including just before take-off.

The example of the NOTAM for Kingston this weekend clearly shows the need for such precautions. It specifies a restriction on flying within a certain radius around Queen's University during a particular time period. Failure to comply with this NOTAM could result in serious consequences, including fines or legal action.

In summary, always double-check the information you have and make sure you are following all applicable laws and regulations. Be a responsible drone pilot, and enjoy the skies safely.

Thanks for reading.