Transport Canada’s Drone Exam Portal is Down — and I’m Losing My Mind

It’s been over a week. I’ve called Transport Canada. They admitted it. The drone exam portal is down and nobody knows when it’s coming back.

Meanwhile, I’ve got a brand new DJI Air 3S — shiny, hungry, sitting on my desk like a dog that wants out. Registered, insured, begging to stretch its wings. And me? I can only legally fly it in a handful of spots because I can’t write the damn Advanced exam.

This is the definition of cruel and unusual punishment for a drone addict.

I’m up early, coffee in hand, sun coming up over the Westshore, and instead of flying my Air 3S I’m staring at a Transport Canada login page that might as well say: “Sorry bud, not today.”

Close-up of a DJI Air 3S drone sitting on a desk indoors, ready to fly, representing the frustration of being grounded during Transport Canada’s exam portal outage.

New DJI Air 3S

How long does it take to reboot a website? We’re not talking about a Mars mission here — it’s a multiple-choice test with a credit card checkout. And yet here we are, grounded, because the one portal that actually lets Canadians level up is taking a nap.

So if you see me out flying the Mini 3 again, don’t judge. It’s not because I don’t want to take the next step. It’s because Ottawa has me on drone probation until further notice.

Some people get their morning fix with coffee. Me? I just need my Air 3S in the sky. And right now, Transport Canada is holding the stash.

Related Stories

Vancouver Island From Above — James Bay Athletic Association
A personal story about history, community, and the places that stay with you.

Willows Beach — A Quiet Morning on the Edge of Victoria
A calm, reflective look at one of the Island’s most peaceful shoreline spots.

Why Vancouver Island Is Perfect for Quiet Cinematic Aerial Stories
How light, texture, and solitude shape the Island’s unique visual identity.

Previous
Previous

Cordova Bay on Fire — Maiden Flight with the DJI Air 3S

Next
Next

VicPD Joins the Drone Age in Victoria