Glossary
SFOC (Special Flight Operations Certificate)
A Transport Canada certificate authorizing drone operations that fall outside the Part IX standard rules — required for almost all agricultural spray and spread missions in Canada.
Definition
A Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) is issued by Transport Canada under the Canadian Aviation Regulations. It is required whenever a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) operation falls outside what Part IX of the regs already permits — for example, drones over 25 kg, dispensing payloads (spray and granular spreading), beyond visual line of sight, or operations in controlled airspace not covered by a NAV CANADA RPAS Flight Authorization.
In an Alberta Context
Every legitimate Alberta agricultural drone operator dispensing crop-protection product or fertilizer holds an SFOC. The certificate names specific aircraft (e.g. DJI Agras T100, T50, T25), the pilots authorized to operate them, and the conditions — minimum-distance rules, ground-crew requirements, NOTAM filing, and so on. A drone operator that cannot show you a current SFOC for the work they are quoting is not legally permitted to do that work in Canada.
Why It Matters
Hiring an unlicensed sprayer puts the grower’s crop, neighbours, and downstream insurance and traceability at risk. The SFOC is the single document that proves the operation is authorized; certificate number and expiry should appear on any quote for spray or spreading work. SFOC compliance is also a prerequisite for any future pesticide registration changes (e.g. the 2026 PMRA aerial drone proposal).