Transport Canada launched a new advisory committee to serve as a national forum for a range of industry stakeholders to provide input and ultimately inform priority policy and regulatory areas of focus. The Canadian Drone Advisory Committee (CanaDAC) is set to meet virtually for the first time on May 12, 2021.

This new committee will convene for at least two years and bring together up to 35 leaders and subject matter experts, explains Transport Canada, from a range of sectors with ties to the drone, or Remotely Piloted Aerial System, sector. Membership for the committee was determined through an internal nomination process, explains Transport Canada, based on its need to ensure overall objectives of diversity and representation are met.

CanaDAC will include the participation from Christine Gervais, President and CEO of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA), who was invited to table to represent the interests of traditional aviation operators. COPA plans to launch its previously announced, new RPAS membership program this May.

The inaugural CanaDAC committee is to be co-chaired by Ryan Coates, who serves as the Director, RPAS Taskforce, with Transport Canada, and a second “stakeholder chair”, who is to be elected after the first May meeting.

Through CanaDAC, Transport Canada explains it and industry will focus on:

• Engaging in meaningful dialogue in order to support a better shared understanding of future industry needs, directions and constraints;
•Identifying emerging areas of innovation, discussing key challenges, issues and opportunities, and examining the economic, environmental and social impacts of RPAS for the Canadian industry and broader public; and
• Supporting the development of future RPAS policy and planning by TC.

Transport Canada has provided more information about CanaDAC by publishing Draft Terms of Reference and a Membership List. Materials from the meetings will be publicly made available, with various channels being open for external input and feedback.

(Photo: Adobestock)