Airplanes and Batteries

[Stealthbomber]

Anyone with experience know if a lipo fireproof bag is necessary to store the Mavic Air’s batteries in while travelling on an airplane? My wife and I will be travelling to Iceland in a couple of weeks from Canada. First time taking a drone. The bag for 3 battery storage is around $30CDN. but if I don’t need it I’d prefer to save that $30. Would the drone carry bag that came with the fly more combo be sufficient for battery storage? I know it has to be in my carry-on. The 3 batteries combined fall well below the 100WH rule.

 

[Deleted member 94047]

Fireproof bags are not required by most airlines; I have traveled with mine without any no questions asked. It is however best to consult the safety guidelines and requirements of the specific airline you will be traveling with. If in doubt, better to call the airline or e-mail them and be sure. You will only get generic advice here.

 

[gnirtS]

Anyone with experience know if a lipo fireproof bag is necessary to store the Mavic Air’s batteries in while travelling on an airplane? My wife and I will be travelling to Iceland in a couple of weeks from Canada. First time taking a drone. The bag for 3 battery storage is around $30CDN. but if I don’t need it I’d prefer to save that $30. Would the drone carry bag that came with the fly more combo be sufficient for battery storage? I know it has to be in my carry-on. The 3 batteries combined fall well below the 100WH rule.

You don't need the bag. No airline or safety agency in the world needs a bag and theres zero evidence the bags would actually do any good anyway.
The batteries are a low enough capacity that (i) they must go in carry on and (ii) terminals protected.
Thats all you need. Save $30.

And yes the drone carry bag is fine with batteries. Ive used it many times.

 

[WithTheBirds]

The general rules for most airlines prescribe a 100wh limit is for an individual battery (not multiple combined total). Loose batteries must go in carry on (if you were checking your drone you could have one battery installed but not extras).

 

[Stealthbomber]

Thanks guys for saving me $30. I called the airline yesterday and checked in the drone for the flight but the girl on the line couldn’t give me a straight answer on battery storage. Didn’t seem like they had a lot of drone calls! The real life experiences from you guys are good to know.

 

[Meta4]

Thanks guys for saving me $30. I called the airline yesterday and checked in the drone for the flight but the girl on the line couldn’t give me a straight answer on battery storage. Didn’t seem like they had a lot of drone calls! The real life experiences from you guys are good to know.

Every airline has a website where you can read their luggage rules and restrictions.
Just go to their website and search for batteries.
You'll find the advice already given is correct.

 

[MAVIC_2_YTS]

The general rules for most airlines prescribe a 100wh limit is for an individual battery (not multiple combined total). Loose batteries must go in carry on (if you were checking your drone you could have one battery installed but not extras).

I don't believe the last part to be correct, at least not with all Carriers. Air Canada (which I could be mistakenly assuming the OP is flying with as he is from Canada) states that the drone can be checked however the battery needs to be removed and packed as carry on.

 

[MAVIC_2_YTS]

@Stealthbomber

Not sure if you are flying Air Canada or not, but found this on the PhantomPilots forum.

 

[WithTheBirds]

I don't believe the last part to be correct, at least not with all Carriers. Air Canada (which I could be mistakenly assuming the OP is flying with as he is from Canada) states that the drone can be checked however the battery needs to be removed and packed as carry on.

I did say most Airlines- not all. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that some may have different requirements

 

[MAVIC_2_YTS]

I did say most Airlines- not all. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that some may have different requirements

Agreed, or at the very least ones that change "on the fly"

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Emirates are one airline that won't allow drone bodies in cabin, after some YouTube 'star' flew a Spark in a cabin while in flight.
Others may follow, interesting seeing that comment in Canada Air policy above, shame they have to spell out the obvious to not fly your drone in the cabin !

I am really surprised some allow lipos in checked baggage if fitted to the drone.
If it's in the same hold I'm travelling on, I'd rather have it in cabin where cabin crew are probably advised how to deal with battery fires.
Plenty of phone batteries go up . . . well, at least you hear a lot more of this than drones batteries so far.

I think the advice to check any individual airline policy you are going to travel on, it's usually written down somewhere online in B&W.

 

[WithTheBirds]

Emirates are one airline that won't allow drone bodies in cabin, after some YouTube 'star' flew a Spark in a cabin while in flight.
Others may follow, interesting seeing that comment in Canada Air policy above, shame they have to spell out the obvious to not fly your drone in the cabin !

I am really surprised some allow lipos in checked baggage if fitted to the drone.
If it's in the same hold I'm travelling on, I'd rather have it in cabin where cabin crew are probably advised how to deal with battery fires.
Plenty of phone batteries go up . . . well, at least you hear a lot more of this than drones batteries so far.

I think the advice to check any individual airline policy you are going to travel on, it's usually written down somewhere online in B&W.

There are a lot more phones than drones.

The battery fitted in cargo hold policy isn't drone specific as you may have noticed. It would seem the logic is that if the battery is fitted to the device it was manufactured for it should be mechanically protected.

 

[superstarpup]

There are a lot more phones than drones.

The battery fitted in cargo hold policy isn't drone specific as you may have noticed. It would seem the logic is that if the battery is fitted to the device it was manufactured for it should be mechanically protected.

The logic is some devices don’t have removable batteries.

The safest place for batteries is in carry on, accessibility would be key with a thermal runaway. A fire on board wouldn’t be the least bit fun. A fire on board where the fire can’t be fought or is difficult to fight would be a nightmare.

If the fire spreads beyond the battery it won’t take long for it to be sporty. Fire doesn’t spread linearly. For a successful outcome of an in flight fire the pilots have an average of 15-20 minutes to get the plane on the ground. With current etops times that’s a problem over an ocean.

https://www.faa.gov/documentlibrary/media/advisory_circular/ac_120-80a.pdf

“Fire tests conducted by various regulatory authorities have shown that fires allowed to spread into the aircraft’s overhead area may become uncontrollable in as few as 8–10 minutes. Studies have also shown that a flightcrew may have as few as 15–20 minutes to get an aircraft on the ground if the crew allows a hidden fire to progress without any intervention.”

 

[WithTheBirds]

The logic is some devices don’t have removable batteries.

The safest place for batteries is in carry on, accessibility would be key with a thermal runaway. A fire on board wouldn’t be the least bit fun. A fire on board where the fire can’t be fought or is difficult to fight would be a nightmare.

If the fire spreads beyond the battery it won’t take long for it to be sporty. Fire doesn’t spread linearly. For a successful outcome of an in flight fire the pilots have an average of 15-20 minutes to get the plane on the ground. With current etops times that’s a problem over an ocean.

https://www.faa.gov/documentlibrary/media/advisory_circular/ac_120-80a.pdf

“Fire tests conducted by various regulatory authorities have shown that fires allowed to spread into the aircraft’s overhead area may become uncontrollable in as few as 8–10 minutes. Studies have also shown that a flightcrew may have as few as 15–20 minutes to get an aircraft on the ground if the crew allows a hidden fire to progress without any intervention.”

Your logic is wrong. The policy I was referring to relates specifically to batteries installed in devices- not to items that don’t have a user removable battery. There is a clear distinction made between installed in device and spare or loose.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

There are a lot more phones than drones.

Absolutely.
And drone batteries are much larger in capacity.

Having seen some of the results of iPhone and such battery fires, lately a couple of vids of drone lipo batteries going up, it'd be crazy to deal with in a plane in cabin, let alone the hold . . . smoke alarms would obviously be in place, but not sure how suppressants would work on a lipo fire, it's like magnesium going up !!

Cabin crew must have a policy on fighting such fire incidents.
I'm flying next Tues inside Australia, must bail up a crew member and nicely ask about that, see how much they know and do in such cases.

 

[superstarpup]

Your logic is wrong. The policy I was referring to relates specifically to batteries installed in devices- not to items that don’t have a user removable battery. There is a clear distinction made between installed in device and spare or loose.

And the distinction is a moot point. The safest place for batteries is in the cabin.

 

[gnirtS]

uppressants would work on a lipo fire, it's like magnesium going up !!

Cabin crew must have a policy on fighting such fire incidents.

Basically Halon and water.

Lithium batteries: safe to fly? | Safety First is a good way to kill a few minutes reading.

 

[WithTheBirds]

And the distinction is a moot point. The safest place for batteries is in the cabin.

Moot point? No. You are confused.

I made no comment with respect to where on the aircraft might be the safest place for LiPO batteries to be carried- I was responding directly to Mavic_South_Oz and specifically concerning what the regulations prescribe.

It seems obvious that a battery issue would be easier to address in the cabin. How does that impact the OP's question? Thats a rhetorical question- the answer is it doesn't and it certainly has nothing to do with what the regulations say or the point I was making.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Basically Halon and water.

Lithium batteries: safe to fly? | Safety First is a good way to kill a few minutes reading.

Now THAT is good reading.
Especially the cabin crew procedures, good for all drone owners to know how to deal with it.

Downloaded the PDF and saved to my iPhone (uh oh) for reading further.

 

[Stealthbomber]

Ok. Made it through security without a hitch. The security guy politely (maybe its a Canadian thing) asked me to remove any large electronics from my carry-on and place them in a separate tray for the xray. Told him I had a drone inside. He asked me to remove it from its case and place it uncovered in the tray with my other electronics; Osmo Mobile 2 and the DJI carry bag with the three batteries inside. I walked through the metal detector and waited for my stuff to exit the xray conveyor. I thought the lady studying the screen would push my tray to the conveyor that required extra screening after seeing on her screen what was inside, but no questions asked. Grabbed my stuff and now waiting for my flight. Nice. I must say all the employees at Pearson International AP in Toronto CA. were all polite and courteous. 49 million passengers a year makes it Canada’s largest AP.