What’s all the Buzz about drones? Flight Centre in Caledon talks RPAS

February 26, 2026 · 0 Comments

By Riley Murphy

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

With the Olympics said and done, the talk of the “whirring” is seemingly not.

Taking centre-stage at this year’s Olympics seems to be discussions surrounding the drones, often both in sight and in earshot of the athletes and surrounding cameras.

Although many have taken to the internet to complain about the noise, Richard Hubley, Chief Ground School Instructor, Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), and Manager of RPAS Operations at Brampton Flight Centre in Caledon, points out the benefits of drones and their advancements over recent years.

Back in 2016, Hubley, who has a PhD in Astrophysics and is retired from the United States Air Force, began the RPAS program at The Brampton Flight Centre, and has since taught hundreds of RPAS courses.

In 2016, he explained there were little to no regulations.

But now, in Transport Canada’s eyes, flying a drone is equal to operating an aircraft, bringing numerous regulations, training, and enforcement.

There are different levels of RPAS courses that drone pilots can take, including Basic Operations, Advanced Operations, Level 1 Complex Operations, Beyond Visual Line-of-Sight (BVLOS), and more.

In November of 2025, Transport Canada introduced more flexible and innovative ways for drone operators to conduct their work.

These changes aim to enhance safety and streamline operations.

The use of RPAS in these circumstances also opens new career opportunities, including in film, television, real estate, and agriculture.

Hubley explains that new regulations help RPAS be used to streamline operations, for example, during pipeline inspections.

Before the new regulations, companies had to place a Visual Observer (VO) every few feet; now, some distances no longer require VOs.

Some airports are now also using RPAS to survey and scan their planes for safety, which the Brampton Flight Centre has helped train for.

Drones are everywhere now, says Hubley, adding you most likely won’t watch a movie without a shot taken by a drone.

With the industry changing, you may begin to see them more and more. As Hubley notes, in certain countries, they are now being used for package and food deliveries.

More drone capabilities also focus on safety, as paramedics and EMS use RPAS systems to deliver resuscitation devices and other essential equipment when they can’t reach a site in time due to traffic or other issues.

Drones are now also being used for security scans, out in the wilderness for planting trees, and for surveilling forest fires.

They are also used in the military, police, mining operations, wildlife tracking and census, agriculture, energy, utilities, real estate and inspections.

“It’s a growth industry. It’s very big in the U.S. It is growing quite well in Canada. We’re really pleased to see so many people are really getting into it. There are some people who get into it and then they just decide it’s too much regulation,” explains Hubley.

Comparing how drones are now to when they started their RPAS programs in 2016, Hubley says they’ve been able to watch the industry grow immensely.

He says Transport Canada estimates that around 400,000 drones are in use in Canada, with more than 100,000 used commercially at various levels.

Hubley says, for example, that in a few weeks, a company that facilitates industrial roofing will be coming in to take their RPAS courses, as they wish to use drones for roof inspections.

He adds that more and more companies are seeking BVLOS courses, as they see the benefits of these operations.

For their more advanced programs, such as BVLOS, they run tabletop exercises that include potential hazards, site surveys, flight paths, and more.

They’ve seen numerous businesses and film crews come to the flight centre to take their courses, and they come from coast to coast.

He notes that people come from all across Canada to take their RPAS courses here at the Brampton Flight Centre.

What sets them apart is their in-person learning style.

Hubley explains that many RPAS courses are completely online, which many users find frustrating when it comes to the technical aspects.

At Brampton Flight Centre, they teach everything in person besides their basic program.

“When you get into complex chats about manned aviation components, parasitic drag and all kinds of other things that are manned aviation related that you have to know for the exam, people will get lost, “ says Hubley. “And [we] have that in-house support right there.”

He says they also support anyone who takes the course for a year after, and it all comes down to the personal touch they can offer.

The programs cover a lot of different areas, he explains, such as battery power, wind velocity, meteorology and more.

When it comes to technical aspects like meteorology and geometric calibration, Hubley says these are important considerations as you fly in airspace with other aircrafts.

This is what is so dangerous about those who take their drones out, fly them BVLOS, in any weather, or even over crowds of people, he adds.

“The more knowledge you have about land aviation, their [Transport Canada] thought is the more respect you’ll have for what you’re doing,” says Hubley. “Plus, it doesn’t hurt to understand meteorology if you’re flying,” he adds.

Understanding meteorology not only helps you protect others when flying, but also protect yourself. Hubley always flies with a lightning detection wand.

The rules are strict about the heights at which people fly their drones, sometimes resulting in equipment being confiscated or even jail time.

But, even with new regulations and restrictions, Hubley still hears numerous misconceptions about RPAS and their uses.

There are main issues which provide drones with their “bad name”, such as those who fly drones close to houses and windows and “spy,” he says.

“The issue of privacy, there are certain regulations about privacy regarding drones. You can’t hover over somebody’s house, or their windows,” he says. “I think there’s a lot of that conception that that’s what they’re [all] being used for.”

Despite the misconceptions they face, Hubley says he continues to see positive outcomes emerging from their RPAS programs, such as their recent partnership with a Peel Region High School specializing in STEM.

At their centre, they are currently finalizing a program with the school to teach high school students how to obtain their advanced drone technology license.

He says these licenses can open numerous doors for students in today’s world.

When asked if he’d heard the commotion about drones in the Olympics, Hubley laughed and reassured that they truly don’t make that much noise.

Drones have always been part of sports today, he explained, noting that they are often used to track cars in F1 racing and in Premier League Soccer in England.

When it comes to obtaining footage for movies or sports games, Hubley assures that using a drone has its advantages.

Not only is it more efficient to use a drone, but it also eliminates the potentially dangerous situation of people in helicopters trying to get a shot.

In their courses, Hubley will discuss past incidents in history with his students to reiterate the need for safety when it comes to RPAS.

“A lot of people will just say, it’s just a drone, it’s a toy. Well, it really isn’t,” he says. “It is an aircraft and you should have the respect to use it properly in the airspace with other aircraft and other people.”

To see the progress of the RPAS industry, Hubley says, feels great, even as they see growth reflected in their own programs, which are constantly changing and adapting to what their users need.

“I’m happy that Brampton [Flight Centre] has given me the opportunity to grow this, that the airport has been seen as a stakeholder in aviation, why it’s important to build these programs and continue to educate people to the safety side of it,” he says.

“It’s exciting to see the progress and it’s exciting for me to see the students actually get out there and actually work in the industry. That’s what it’s all about in the end,” says Hubley. “It’s another revenue stream for people in a time where jobs are not easy to get.”