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Flying with a drone (Travel not actual drone flight)

zakeblack

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All,

looking to hear from those who a gone through commercial airport in the last 6 to 12 months and your experiences of taking a drone. Was it hand luggage or stowed? if so how did you pack it? were you questioned about it?

I understand batteries need to go in a special bag. Fine with that I'm worried about the drone itself. I'm flying to Turkey next week (already dismissed the idea of taking it) and Budapest in June. from what I have read for Budapest its fine as carry on on the way out but not on the return.

Thanks in advance.

Andrew
 
Have a look at this link, should answer your question Search results for query: Travelling with my drone

Take your drone/ batteries on as “carry on” not in your suitcase that gets stowed. Batteries will always need to be taken on as hand luggage.

Ive never had any problems with security at airports, you’ll be fine. The above link will answer all your questions, it seems to be a common question everyone asks?

Hope it helps in some way and enjoy your holiday/ vacation ?
 
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Flew Perth - Phuket a coiple of weeks ago. UAV and batteries were in my camera bag with camera filters cables etc. No special bags for batteries and used one to charge my phone while transiting KL.

No problems anywhere with security or customs. Never even opened camera bag
 
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LAX had me open my case and checked (every single one) to make certain batteries were under 25% charged...must have gotten that “one guy” that knows the rules...and I always carry batteries in a fireproof bag...just cautious I guess..
 
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What would you do if one of the drone batteries was +25% charged? Is there any way to quickly discharge them, or would TSA throw it in the bin.
 
Just returned from a trip to Hawaii on Sunday. Carried my Mavic and the batteries (in Lipo-safe bags) inside a carry-on. I was never questioned or asked to open it.
 
Went to Antigua about a month ago, packed everything in the Fly More kit through my "carry on" bag.

I did not have lipo bags but I did have connector plugs on the 2 spare batteries (3rd battery attached to AC) and brought the other plugs in case they wanted me to detach the 3rd battery from the aircraft. All batteries were below 25% charge.

I'm sure the lipo bags are a great precaution, but they do not seem to be required by the FAA. To the community, has anyone been rejected due to no lipo bags from any airline?

No issues departing or arriving through Newark Liberty International Airport (USA) or V. C. Bird International Airport (Antigua).
 
LAX had me open my case and checked (every single one) to make certain batteries were under 25% charged...must have gotten that “one guy” that knows the rules...and I always carry batteries in a fireproof bag...just cautious I guess..

Good to know. I've never had an issue at any other US airport. Will be flying in/out of LAX in June. I'll definitely discharge my batts! I recommend that anyone from the US flying with or without a drone get a KTN (Known Traveller Number) from TSA which gets you through security quickly and with less scrutiny.
 
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At this moment I am at Houston (IAH) about to board for LHR with my mavic beside me. Absolutely no problem or comment on drone either coming from UK or going through IAH security just now. Same when I took it to Miami last year. I do transport batts discharged with those not mounted on drone in LIPO bags. Both times flying British Airways.
 
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LAX had me open my case and checked (every single one) to make certain batteries were under 25% charged...must have gotten that “one guy” that knows the rules.
Having read hundreds of posts about travelling, that's the only one that's mentioned anyone checking battery level.
As there are no rules requiring you to discharge batteries for travel, I think you found that one guy that doesn't know the rules.
Perhaps he got his (misunderstanding from reading myths here?
Was he checking everyone's mobile phone batteries and laptop batteries as well?
There's also no requirement to use Lipo bags either.
 
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All,

looking to hear from those who a gone through commercial airport in the last 6 to 12 months and your experiences of taking a drone. Was it hand luggage or stowed? if so how did you pack it? were you questioned about it?

I understand batteries need to go in a special bag. Fine with that I'm worried about the drone itself. I'm flying to Turkey next week (already dismissed the idea of taking it) and Budapest in June. from what I have read for Budapest its fine as carry on on the way out but not on the return.

Thanks in advance.

Andrew
Hi.

I spent a week in Turkey about a month ago. Took my drone and flew it many times, mostly down south and around small villages and hills etc.
I printed off their rules in both Turkish and also English just in case. The rules basically say if it’s below a certain weight and you abide by the general rules (LOS, not over people etc) you’re all good. Be careful as there are a lot of military bases around in random places so check first.
To be fair, their immigration is extremely lax and they didn’t seem concerned once. Lots of baggage scans and all they were concerned with was did I have a laptop. The drone, batteries etc must have shown up on their scanners.
The only people worried were the airlines. Out of the six I used, only Emirates wanted the drone in checked luggage. All wanted the batteries in carry on and isolated. I put them in a Lipo bag.
 
LAX had me open my case and checked (every single one) to make certain batteries were under 25% charged...must have gotten that “one guy” that knows the rules...and I always carry batteries in a fireproof bag...just cautious I guess..
Except 1,that is not a TSA rule and 2 it is not all airline rules. So there is a reason not TSA agent does that. You got the one TSA agent that did not know the rules.

Besides a battery under 25 percent charge is no less dangerous then one at 50 percent or 100 percent.
 
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Having read hundreds of posts about travelling, that's the only one that's mentioned anyone checking battery level.
As there are no rules requiring you to discharge batteries for travel, I think you found that one guy that doesn't know the rules.
Perhaps he got his (misunderstanding from reading myths here?
Was he checking everyone's mobile phone batteries and laptop batteries as well?
There's also no requirement to use Lipo bags either.
Read your post after I made mine. Yup.
 
Having read hundreds of posts about travelling, that's the only one that's mentioned anyone checking battery level.
As there are no rules requiring you to discharge batteries for travel, I think you found that one guy that doesn't know the rules.
Perhaps he got his (misunderstanding from reading myths here?
Was he checking everyone's mobile phone batteries and laptop batteries as well?
There's also no requirement to use Lipo bags either.
FAA does require the batteries to be at 25% charge or less. Search it on the FAA site.
 
FAA does require the batteries to be at 25% charge or less. Search it on the FAA site.
Gotta love when someone says, look it up yourself instead of supporting their own statement.

But to follow your advise:

TSA, as I mentioned

And the FAA link is listed on the same page. Can you point out where either have a discharge requirement?

Nope.

Because of the reason I mentioned above.
 
To clear up any confusion; there is NOT an FAA regulation requiring lithium ion batteries to be at a certain charge when brought into the cabin of the plane. (Ie think to how people are fully charging their lithium ion batteries in their phones/tablets/laptops prior to flight) and there are not any additional special requirements for removable batteries either.
 
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well folks I stand corrected. I must have gotten things from a private travel site. As you say, I can’t find it on the FAA site. Good news! Thank you all for setting me straight
 
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well folks I stand corrected. I must have gotten things from a private travel site. As you say, I can’t find it on the FAA site. Good news! Thank you all for setting me straight
Here's a little background to this common forum myth.
It seems to come from some poor documentation by DJI.

According to their Intelligent Flight Battery Safety Guidelines ...
Travel Notice
1. Before carrying the batteries on an airline flight, they must first be discharged to a battery level lower than 30%

Extensive searching doesn't show any airline in the world asking for this.
The only place I find any mention of it is in the IATA's guidance document for shipping lithium batteries as air cargo:
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is the international body that supports aviation with global standards for airline safety, security, efficiency and sustainability.

All airline lithium battery policies are based on the IATA standards.
And the IATA's guidelines for Passeneger Traveling With Lithium Batteries:
.... makes absolutely no mention of discharging batteries before traveling by plane.

The fact is that no airline recommends discharging before flight.
Neither do the FAA, CAA, or other air safety authorities.
It's only in forums like this that the myth gets spread.

If it was a thing, you would see the safety scanners at the airport checking every laptop, mobile phone, camera, iPad etc to make sure their lithium batteries were discharged (and you don't)
But you do see planes with power outlets to keep your sevices charged on long flights!!

ps .. no airline suggests Lipo bags either and no airport security checkin people are looking for battery charge levels or Lipo bags either.
It's all a forum myth.
 
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