Health Canada sets rules for drone spraying

Jun 16, 2025
By Jean-Paul McDonald
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

Drone Use for Certain Pest Control Products Approved

Health Canada has approved the use of drones, also called Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), for the application of certain pest control products.

Drones are considered aircraft by Transport Canada, but Health Canada treats them differently due to their unique features like lower pesticide load and limited flight time.

For drone spraying to be legal, the pesticide label must mention "Remotely Piloted Aircraft System" or "RPAS." Without this wording, using drones for application is not allowed. Labels must also provide clear directions, including safety procedures and usage limits.

Drone pilots must have certification from Transport Canada. Additionally, provinces and territories may require separate pesticide application training and certification. It's important to check local requirements before using drones for this purpose.

Only certain pest control products, such as some biological larvicides approved in September 2022, are currently registered for drone use. These were approved without extra drone-specific data because they posed low risk.

Health Canada has yet to approve drone use for pesticides that need a drone-specific risk evaluation. To expand drone use, registrants must submit detailed data to Health Canada, proving the drone application is safe and effective.

To help companies prepare, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) offers a free pre-submission consultation service. This helps registrants understand the application process for label amendments related to drone use.

Using any pesticide in a way not listed on the label is a violation of the law. Farmers are encouraged to read the label thoroughly and consult Health Canada’s online pesticide label database for the most current information.

As a result of the changes, the Ministry of Agriculture in Saskatchewan is proposing to revise The Pest Control Products Regulations, 2015 to permit a licence category of RPAS in Saskatchewan, it is soliciting feedback from stakeholders on the proposed changes.

Please note, there are currently no row crop protection products approved for use in Canada.

Drone pesticide spraying is a new step in modern farming, offering access to hard-to-reach areas while maintaining safety and environmental standards.

Photo Credit: Pexels - JE Shoots

Video: From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.