Pulled Aside by Security at Heathrow

[Pietros]

I flew out of Heathrow last week enroute back to Australia. My Mavic Pro was in my checked baggage and the spare batteries were in my carry on. Each in a lipo bag with silicon contact caps taped on.

My bag was shunted aside for a physical search. At first the nice lady didn't say why but rummaged around in my stuff for a while. When I asked her what she was looking for she spun the x-ray screen around so I could see it, pointed at the image of the batteries and asked me if I was carrying tasers! The plastic battery case was barely visible but the lipo's wiring and contacts were very obvious and did look suspicious in the picture.

I pointed out the lipo bags and she opened them and I explained what the batteries were. For a while I thought I might lose my batteries but was good and I was allowed to keep them.

An unusual experience but the security team were friendly and helpful. Unlike some of the storm troopers we employ in Australia.

Cheers

Peter

 

[Boob8282]

Glad to see you didn't lose any of your batteries or drone.

 

[Plawa]

I got pulled aside once when flying on business... apparently 6 external drives in a bag with their USB cables dangling all over look a lot like a bomb in a x-ray..

 

[Former Member]

An unusual experience but the security team were friendly and helpful.

Crazy… I mean like, so many positive waves.

 

[DTC709]

I go through this for work quite a bit, travel for training/ field work as a mobile crane tech. Basically have a backpack carry on with a laptop, way to many cords, dongles, switch boxes, etc. Looks very suspicious on the X-ray, and more often the not gets check hahah!

 

[Youser]

How many batteries did you have? I thought that one person couldn't take more than 2 in their carry on bags. Or is it different rules for different airlines?

While we are on the subject, a somewhat dumb question, what are the risks of having lipos in the checked luggage?

 

[Squamer]

This seems pretty normal to me. I get this in almost every airport, then get the 10 questions about range, price, speed, camera etc and I’m on my way. no big deal

 

[colinfowler]

How many batteries did you have? I thought that one person couldn't take more than 2 in their carry on bags. Or is it different rules for different airlines?

While we are on the subject, a somewhat dumb question, what are the risks of having lipos in the checked luggage?

 

[darren6270]

i got pulled aside at Heathrow last year, they wanted to look at the controller. Ignored the Mavic and spare batteries etc. Quick look over and I was on my way

 

[Pietros]

How many batteries did you have? I thought that one person couldn't take more than 2 in their carry on bags. Or is it different rules for different airlines?

While we are on the subject, a somewhat dumb question, what are the risks of having lipos in the checked luggage?

I just had two in my carry on

 

[Ode]

I was carrying 4 Mavic batteries last year in Lipo bags. flying out international from Chicago. They did a full empty-and-check of my bag, when I tried to point out the batteries I was told to back off and not touch anything. When they got to the batteries I explained and we were good. They showed me that the Lipo bags had appeared as solid white blocks on their belt screen. The return flight was through Dublin so I had to go through airport security and US pre-clear security. I put the batteries in my backpack without the Lipo bags and breezed right through. The bags seemed to be the issue.

 

[Peter Barnes]

...

While we are on the subject, a somewhat dumb question, what are the risks of having lipos in the checked luggage?

Lithium Ion batteries can catch on fire, especially if shorted. I think the theory is that it is better to have a fire in the cabin where the crew can get to it, than to have them catch fire in the hold.

 

[Michigan_PI]

I've been pulled a couple times on return flights from Central America with several bags of whole bean coffee in my carry on. 1 bag is OK, more than 1, you get searched. After ruling out nefarious intent, I was on my way.

 

[born2drone]

I go through this for work quite a bit, travel for training/ field work as a mobile crane tech. Basically have a backpack carry on with a laptop, way to many cords, dongles, switch boxes, etc. Looks very suspicious on the X-ray, and more often the not gets check hahah!

I’m with you, same here and have gadgets galore with me all needed at some point in time...a Security lady once commented: Sir, what do you do because your bag is very busy! I now have to unpack all the toys in about 4 plastic trays otherwise my bag just gets emptied. so used to it now I know what’s coming...

 

[jedburgh01]

I flew out of Heathrow last week enroute back to Australia. My Mavic Pro was in my checked baggage and the spare batteries were in my carry on. Each in a lipo bag with silicon contact caps taped on.

My bag was shunted aside for a physical search. At first the nice lady didn't say why but rummaged around in my stuff for a while. When I asked her what she was looking for she spun the x-ray screen around so I could see it, pointed at the image of the batteries and asked me if I was carrying tasers! The plastic battery case was barely visible but the lipo's wiring and contacts were very obvious and did look suspicious in the picture.

I pointed out the lipo bags and she opened them and I explained what the batteries were. For a while I thought I might lose my batteries but was good and I was allowed to keep them.

An unusual experience but the security team were friendly and helpful. Unlike some of the storm troopers we employ in Australia.

Cheers

Peter

Lmao, I watch a lot of Border protection documentaries and the Aussies don't seem that bad.
If you want Stormtoopers, try Ireland, Canada, and the U.S.

 

[jedburgh01]

Lithium Ion batteries can catch on fire, especially if shorted. I think the theory is that it is better to have a fire in the cabin where the crew can get to it, than to have them catch fire in the hold.

That's exactly the reason

 

[Dizzy1971]

Lithium Ion batteries can catch on fire, especially if shorted. I think the theory is that it is better to have a fire in the cabin where the crew can get to it, than to have them catch fire in the hold.

. Oh yeah,and LIPO batteries that catch fire are nearly impossible to extinguish. Great batteries,but definitely to be handled with respect.

 

[holdthefone]

I got checked at Heathrow February 2017 as I had my mavic and 3 batteries in my carry on. Mainly because at that time the mavic was so new they had never seen it before. I was told there was something odd in my bag after the xray, I said probably the drone. He couldn't believe it was a drone so small. I showed it in the DJI bag but didn't volunteer the battery situation. After showing how it folded so small he seemed impressed and that was it. Not had any other problems anywhere since at Naples, Bristol, Mauritius, Kaunas Lithuania

 

[jmitteco]

I think you would be better off carrying the drone together with your spare batteries instead of separating them between checked & carryon.
Easier to explain the batteries if the drone is with it.
Carryon is legal & you can keep one battery in the drone.
You're not doing anything illegal. The Mavic batteries are well under the legal watt hour limit for most airlines.
I've never been stopped in my experience but just being polite & keep a printed copy of the airline rules for LiPo batteries in your bag would be helpful. In case you get a grouchy security agent or one that doesn't know the rules.

 

[Just_nick]

How many batteries did you have? I thought that one person couldn't take more than 2 in their carry on bags. Or is it different rules for different airlines?

While we are on the subject, a somewhat dumb question, what are the risks of having lipos in the checked luggage?

The checked luggage is not pressurized like the cabin is. Because the atmospheric pressure is lower at the significantly higher altitudes, the pressure exerted on the molecules inside the battery is lower, which in turn means that they are more free to move around. More movement=higher temperature=possibility of the battery catching fire. Furthermore, there is no getting to the fire by the crew.