Course
Funding Opportunities
Are you a retired veteran? You may be eligible for drone training course funding through Veterans Affairs Canada, Manulife Services, or other eligible programs.
VETERANS AFFAIRS CANADA FUNDING
How do I get my drone training course funded by Veteran Affairs Canada? (VAC)
​
Before you can apply for funding to support your education plan, we must first determine that you qualify. If:
-
you have been honourably released from the Canadian Armed Forces on or after 1 April 2006, or are a member of the Supplementary Reserve; and
-
you have at least 2,191 paid days of service.
You have 10 years from the date of your release (or transfer date to the Supplementary Reserve) to apply for this funding.
​
As this benefit was only launched on 1 April 2018 if you released between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2018 you can access funding up to 1 April 2028.
​
If you are eligible, follow these steps.
​
STAGE ONE
​
1 - Get a My VAC account with Veterans Affairs Canada if you don’t already have one.
2 - Once you have an account, apply for the Education and Training benefit with form VAC 1537.
3 - Once that gets approved you usually have an envelope of money that you can spend on education and training. This is the completion of STAGE ONE.
​
STAGE TWO
4 - Next, apply for the Education and Training Short Course with form VAC 1549e and include the invoice that VEdTS Inc provides to you.
5 - Once you have the money in your account, click the pay link on the invoice provided by VEdTS and make your payment. This will trigger the onboarding process.
6 - Complete the ground school and then write the Transport Canada Basic Drone Pilot and Advance Drone pilot exams online ($10 each).
7 - Attend a VEdTS Flight Training Course which includes your flight Review. You now have a Commercial Drone Pilot Licence that cost you $0 thanks to VAC.
​​
*** Course registration dates close 28 days before the start date, so It is important to apply as soon as possible. Approval from VAC can take a few weeks and this must be organized well before the course starts. Please see the applicant guide for more information.
​
If you are a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member, a Military or a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Veteran, you can also call the Canadian Armed Forces Member Assistance Program (CFMAP) and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Assistance Service 24-hour toll-free line at 1-800-268-7708 or 1-800-567-5803 (TDD).
Other funding opportunities
Manulife Rehabilitation Services
​
Manulife Rehabilitation Services is another source of funding that many of our students have been able to access.
- Speak to your case officer.
- Confirm the method of sponsorship and level of eligibility.
- Make a note on your registration form to ensure the billing process is completed to the specifications of your program sponsor.
​
Other programs and services
​
If you are eligible for another type of funding, please contact us so that we may assist you in the application process.
​
​
