Taking a drone on holiday

[Patmurphy34]

hi
im looking to take my drone to the USA and Canada in July, is there anything i need to do. i have the fire proof bags for the batteries, and the airlines say i have to put the batteries in hand luggage, but no i need to register my drone to fly in these countries?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

No LIPO battery bags needed, just ensure batteries are in carry on and terminals are taped off or isolated.
I put then in small ziplock bags and all good.

I think you do need to do something to fly in both the US and Canada.
I'll let those there give you the local rules on that.

 

[zocalo]

As a tourist you need to do a little paperwork on entry to the US to register your drone. There's something similar for Canada, but you'll need to jump through a few extra hoops and get something called a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC), which is supposedly a bit of a PITA to do as you need to take tests, etc.

You don't specifically need LiPo bags for flights (doesn't hurt though, or just tape the terminals - surgical tape doesn't leave residue), but your batteries *must* be in your carry on. I wouldn't check a drone anyway, although some do using suitable cases, especially for larger drones. If you do check it, make sure you don't do it with a battery installed.

Make sure you look into the current legal restrictions on drones for both countries (UAV Coach is pretty good for this) and get a suitable app, or apps, to inform you of NFZs. This is particularly important for the US as hobbyist pilots have additional restrictions at present and no way to seek exemptions as they did previously. Mostly that applies near airfields though, so you'll probably be OK on this, but better safe than sorry.

 

[Rattydude77]

Welcome to the forum first off Patmurphy34 I live in the United States and fly 4to5 times a yrs just make sure your drone is for carry on I put my lipos in a fire safe bag tape the ends and when I get ready to pass threw TSA I open my backpack up and they usually are like wow cool pass threw and 2to3 workers have questions lol other than that good luck and oh ya make sure it's registered and the number are visible on the out side....Happy flying

 

[Simmo]

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

As per Simmos post above, all SPARE batteris must go into carry on (cabin) baggage.
Emirates also post this the checked bag in hold, you can secure a battery in it, others in cabin.

Frequently Asked Questions | Help | Emirates

www.emirates.com

I would just take all lipos in cabin, heck the drone stays in the bag too if possible, but Emirates (as per the link policy) now require drone itself in checked hold bag, after that YouTube whacker flew a drone (Spark ?) in the cabin on an inflight Emirates plane.

 

[zocalo]

Emirates (as per the link policy) now require drone itself in checked hold bag, after that YouTube whacker flew a drone (Spark ?) in the cabin on an inflight Emirates plane.

I wonder how they'd feel about a cheap drone (assuming one exists) with an embedded and non-removable LiPo, or just a DJI checked with the battery installed for that matter? Does the fact that it's in the equipment and contacts presumably can't be shorted negate the IATA requirement to have LiPo batteries in the cabin? Pretty sure Emirates (like most international airlines) has to comply with IATA regs first, and only then put their own policies into place.

Given some people might not think to remove the battery and the increased chance of a battery suffering impact damage if checked, I can't help but feel that this is a poorly thought out knee-jerk reaction by Emirates. Yes, the Youtuber was an idiot, but surely a better approach would have been to prosecute them directly (at the very least for endangering people and the aircraft), ban them from flying Emirates for good measure, and leave it at that - example made. Seems to me this just upped the odds of them getting a battery fire in the hold where it's much harder to deal with.

 

[Smokieflies]

Another option may be to ship the drone to your destination. Although in the USA there is special requirements for shipping lithium-ion batteries.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I wonder how they'd feel about a cheap drone (assuming one exists) with an embedded and non-removable LiPo, or just a DJI checked with the battery installed for that matter? Does the fact that it's in the equipment and contacts presumably can't be shorted negate the IATA requirement to have LiPo batteries in the cabin? Pretty sure Emirates (like most international airlines) has to comply with IATA regs first, and only then put their own policies into place.

Given some people might not think to remove the battery and the increased chance of a battery suffering impact damage if checked, I can't help but feel that this is a poorly thought out knee-jerk reaction by Emirates. Yes, the Youtuber was an idiot, but surely a better approach would have been to prosecute them directly (at the very least for endangering people and the aircraft), ban them from flying Emirates for good measure, and leave it at that - example made. Seems to me this just upped the odds of them getting a battery fire in the hold where it's much harder to deal with.

I know what you're saying zocalo, it leaves me perplexed as to how international standard of being able to leave a lipo fitted in a drone (or other such) in a checked bag is best practice.
The whole thing with lipos is they CAN be unstable and catch fire, mainly if old, damaged, swollen etc, but who's to know if that one in the hold in the bird might go anytime with increased cold / air pressure changes etc.

I agree wholeheartedly with you on the Emirates new policy . . . it's like ALL laws really, we have SO many laws that cover everything, but still govcos Worldwide still come up with new ones, with new regs to fly drones etc for example, when ALL the time they have to laws to prosecute offenders, they just don't have the resources or priority to DO SO !!!
It is frustrating.
All these new laws will do is make the 'good guys' lives harder, more hoops top jump through.
The badly behaved will continue, unless there ARE the resources in place to find them and prosecute them hard.

Ah well, we'll just have to see if somewhere, sometime, lawmakers and politicians can get it right with drone rules / regs, and trying to get everyone compliant.