Aerial drones appear to have many commercial uses. If you use a drone in your business, you may be able to deduct capital cost allowance in respect of the drone.
In CRA Document 2016-0633111E5 "CCA Class of a Drone" (March 11, 2016), the CRA provided its views on the correct classification of a drone for the purposes of the capital cost allowance ("CCA") provisions of the Income Tax Act.
Under the CCA provisions of the Act, a taxpayer may deduct an amount in respect of the cost of certain property used in a business. The classes of property and the applicable allowance rates are described in section 1100 and Schedule II of the Income Tax Regulations.
The CRA stated that, where the cost of a property qualifies for inclusion in the classes of property described in Schedule II, the specific class of the property is determined by reference to the specific functions of the property and the circumstances of its usage.
The CRA stated that "drone" is not defined in the Act or Regulations, but that the CRA understands that an aerial drone is a type of unmanned aircraft. The CRA also stated that the Canadian Aviation Regulations "describe aerial drones as a type of aircraft" (ed. note: we were unable to find a reference to "drone" in the Canadian Aviation Regulations, but the definition of "unmanned air vehicle" appears to include aerial drones).
Accordingly, in the CRA's view, an aerial drone would be included in Class 9(g) ("an aircraft") of Schedule II of the Regulations, which has a CCA rate of 25 percent of the undepreciated capital cost of the property in the class.
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