OTTAWA – Canada is bringing in strict measures and fines for recreational users of drones. Transport Minister Marc Garneau on Thursday announced restrictions to curb the number of incidents in which recreational drones have come too close to planes, which has more than tripled since 2014. Recreational drone operators must now mark their drone with their contact information and are forbidden to fly them at night or in cloudy conditions. Drones will no longer be allowed to fly higher than 90 meters (295 feet), within 75 meters (245 feet) of any buildings, vehicles or people, or within 9 km (5.6 miles) of airports. Violators are subject to a fine of up to 3,000 Canadian dollars ($2,251), and up to C$15,000 for corporations.

Canada is bringing in strict measures and fines for recreational users of drones. Transport Minister Marc Garneau on Thursday announced restrictions to curb the number of incidents in which recreational drones have come too close to planes, which has more than tripled since 2014. Recreational drone operators must now mark their drone with their contact information and are forbidden to fly them at night or in cloudy conditions. Drones will no longer be allowed to fly higher than 90 meters (295 feet), within 75 meters (245 feet) of any buildings, vehicles or people, or within 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) of airports. Violators are subject to a fine of up to $3,000 Canadian (US$2,251), and up to $15,000 Canadian (US$11,256) for corporations.

Whether a beginner, a serious aviation enthusiast, or just a fan of gadgets, many of you will have received drones as Christmas gifts. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have surged in popularity and affordability in recent years, and there's no doubt that recreational drone use is on the rise as a result. But not all recreational drone users know the law -- or if they do, they don't appear to be following it. There has been a string of near misses between drones and other aircraft, and other cases of irresponsible use. Only last month, a recreational drone user was investigated by Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) after evidently flying a drone over a crowded Bunnings carpark to pick up a sausage at a sausage sizzle.