Advanced RPAS ground school.
Cleared for takeoff.
A complete online course for the Transport Canada Small Advanced Exam — the written knowledge test required for the Advanced Operations RPAS Pilot Certificate. Eight modules, hundreds of practice questions, full-length mock exams, and a completion certificate — study on your schedule, from any device.
Built to the standard.
Designed for real students.
The Advanced Operations RPAS Pilot Certificate lets you fly commercially in controlled airspace, near people, and near aerodromes — the flight profiles most real-world surveying, mapping, film, and inspection work requires. To earn it you must pass the Transport Canada Small Advanced Exam and a Flight Review with an approved Flight Reviewer.
Our course walks you through every knowledge area on the Small Advanced Exam — from CARs Part IX and airspace to weather, navigation, RPAS systems, human factors, and radiotelephony — with clear lessons, illustrations, and continuous knowledge checks.
You'll build confidence with module quizzes (70% to advance) and prove readiness with full-length practice exams (80% to pass) modelled on the Transport Canada Small Advanced Exam. Every wrong answer comes with a plain-language explanation.
This is a knowledge-only course. The Small Advanced Exam and Flight Review are conducted separately through Transport Canada and an approved Flight Reviewer.
Ground school that respects your time.
Eight modules. Every subject Transport Canada tests.
Progress through the modules in order, or jump to any completed module for review. Every module ends with a knowledge check and links to the relevant CARs Part IX / AC 903-001 references.
Practice exams mirror the real thing.
Our full-length practice exams use the exact same format as the Transport Canada Small Advanced Exam — so on exam day, nothing catches you off guard.
One course. One price. Everything included.
Small Advanced Exam Prep · Complete Package
- 8 modules · ~30 study hours
- Practice quizzes with answer rationale
- 50-question / 60-min practice exams
- Progress tracking on any device
- Downloadable PDF study guides
- Certificate of Completion (PDF)
- QR-verified certificate serial
- Lifetime access · no renewals
This course prepares you for the Transport Canada exam. It is not the exam.
Thunderbird Geospatial does not administer the Transport Canada Small Advanced Exam and does not issue the Advanced Operations RPAS Pilot Certificate. To earn the certificate you must independently:
- Register on the Transport Canada Drone Management Portal and write the Small Advanced Exam (80% pass mark).
- Book and pass a Flight Review with a Transport Canada–approved Flight Reviewer.
Content is aligned with Transport Canada's TP 15263 (03/2025) Knowledge Requirements for Pilots of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (CARs Part IX; AC 903-001).
What most students ask before enrolling.
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