Although drone insurance is one of the most searched-for forms of cover on our Insurr platform for brokers, there had not been any major drone accidents in Canada – until now.

A commercial airplane has been hit by an unmanned drone in Quebec – the first accident of its kind in Canada.

“I am extremely relieved that the aircraft only sustained minor damage and was able to land safely,” said Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau in a statement Sunday.

The plane, operated by charter airline Skyjet, was carrying six passengers and two crew members as it approached Jean Lesage International Airport on Thursday when a drone crashed into one of its wings.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said that it was not aware of any previous recorded cases of drones colliding with passenger planes.

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“Transport Canada is monitoring the situation and is in contact with its transportation partners including Skyjet, the Jean Lesage International Airport and NAV CANADA. My department is in contact with the Service de police de la Ville de Québec and we will cooperate with the Transportation Safety Board should they decide to investigate,” Garneau stated.

The federal government made it illegal to fly recreational drones within 5.5 kilometers of an airport and restricted drones’ flight height to 90 meters, earlier this year. Violators of the restrictions could be fined as much as $25,000 on top of serving a prison sentence.

CNN reported that the drone involved in last week’s accident was following the 5.5 kilometers restriction from the airport, but was flying way beyond the height restriction – the device was hovering about 450 meters above the ground.

“I would like to remind the public that all drone users are required to abide by the Canadian Aviation Regulations, including the Interim Order Respecting the use of Model Aircraft,” noted Garneau in his statement.


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