Taking a drone on an airplane

[gnirtS]

One piece of advice. Fireproof battery bags. I've flown 8 times with my drone and batteries in my carry on. I normally carry 4 and have them in Individual battery bags. Six times TSA has checked and I've gotten a "Thanks for putting the batteries in fireproof bags" comment from someone

Pointless. Just because some minimum wage moron at TSA likes a bag doesnt mean the bags do anything.
No airline, no country and not even TSA say you need to use them and theres absolutely no evidence they're useful in the event of a fire from a mavic sized battery.
You need to protect the terminals. Thats it.

 

[gnirtS]

Yikes..I just flew domestic last week and packed the drone and 4 batteries in my checked luggage. Won't do that again.

That says more about airport security (or lack of) than anything else.

 

[LeRoytheBoy]

My wife flew with three of my MA batteries on United from CT to MT in her carry on bag. Each battery was in a zip lock bag - TSA asked what they were for - she told them for a drone - no problems.

Thanks for taking the time.

 

[LeRoytheBoy]

Pointless. Just because some minimum wage moron at TSA likes a bag doesnt mean the bags do anything.
No airline, no country and not even TSA say you need to use them and theres absolutely no evidence they're useful in the event of a fire from a mavic sized battery.
You need to protect the terminals. Thats it.

Prevention is much better than cure in the event of a disaster.

 

[gnirtS]

But you have absolutely no evidence the bag prevents anything at all (and in fact no evidence the bag doesnt CREATE new problems).

There's a good reason that no agency on the planet say you need to use them. As far as the evidence is concerned, you may get the same effect wrapping the things in chewing gum or gift wrapping them.

 

[Tim S]

Batteries fully charged doesnt matter. I just went through airport security 2 days ago with drone, 3 batteries, controller, etc. They didnt even bat an eye and asked no questions. Simple. No goofy bags for batteries needed.

 

[Jonnyrocket]

I flew from Washington state to Australia, zero issues. You just need to Google drone policy for the airline you're flying. I carried all my gear with me with the batteries at 20% and in lipo bags. At one point, I had to give my wife one of the batteries, because I was only allowed to carry 2. Only once was I asked to take the drone out of the carrying case while going through security in New Zealand. Also, research the area where you are flying.

 

[Brojon]

Just got back from Europe. Be aware that some connecting flights are puddle jumpers and the internal baggage bins are too small for a regular small suitcase carry on.
I had to take my batteries out in their bag and let them put the rest in the hold. It got shook so hard the back cover for the camera was ripped off (the gimbal clamp slides into it).
Moral of the story is pack such that you can carry on your drone and batteries in a small bag - you DON'T want them in the hold..

BTW - anyone know where you can buy a replacement cover?

 

[Te Rangitira]

What are the restrictions regarding taking a drone AND the batteries on an internacional airline flight?

I have been to Hawaii and Alaska from New Zealand with my Mavic Pro. I put my laptop and camera in my carry on and carry the drone in it's own bag with the batteries and accessories. No problems anywhere

 

[dstuart]

I flew to Australia twice and Brazil last week with my Mavic Pro, no issues at all. I carried everything in my carry on, batteries were not in the drone. I will never check my drone in checked baggage.

 

[noosaguy]

Did 4 longhaul flights from Brisbane Australia to Manchester UK and return recently and had no problems at all. As mentioned, all batteries MUST be in carry on baggage and best if not at 100% charge.

 

[Meta4]

As mentioned, all batteries MUST be in carry on baggage and best if not at 100% charge.

If it was really "best" you'd think at least one airline would recommend it .. and for mobile phones, laptops, tablets etc.

 

[noosaguy]

If it was really "best" you'd think at least one airline would recommend it .. and for mobile phones, laptops, tablets etc.

Maybe you're right but during check-in, when asked about batteries by security staff and I told them the batteries were 50% (approx) discharged, they all said "good!"

 

[Meta4]

Maybe you're right but during check-in, when asked about batteries by security staff and I told them the batteries were 50% (approx) discharged, they all said "good!"

They don't care if your batteries are at 150%.
It's only in drone forums that you hear the myth about traveling with discharged batteries.
Rather than airlines encouraging discharged batteries, you find chargers in your airplane seat so you can keep your lipo batteries topped up !!

 

[noosaguy]

They don't care if your batteries are at 150%.
It's only in drone forums that you hear the myth about traveling with discharged batteries.
Rather than airlines encouraging discharged batteries, you find chargers in your airplane seat so you can keep your lipo batteries topped up !!

There you go!

 

[dawgpilot]

They don't care if your batteries are at 150%.
It's only in drone forums that you hear the myth about traveling with discharged batteries.
Rather than airlines encouraging discharged batteries, you find chargers in your airplane seat so you can keep your lipo batteries topped up !!

It's actually recommended in the included battery safety manual for the Mavic Air.

 

[Meta4]

It's actually recommended in the included battery safety manual for the Mavic Air.

You are correct .. the only place you can find such a recommendation is in DJI documentation.
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 aviation safety authority or 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:

Dangerous Goods Documentation

Documents and downloads complementing the current edition of the IATA DGR.

www.iata.org

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 Passengers Traveling With Lithium Batteries:

Dangerous Goods Documentation

Documents and downloads complementing the current edition of the IATA DGR.

www.iata.org

.... 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 devices charged on long flights!!

 

[noosaguy]

It's actually recommended in the included battery safety manual for the Mavic Air.

I don't have the 'Air' so I didn't see that, but I'd read it on forums on many occasions. Each time I was questioned about the M2P at security or check-in, when I mentioned the batteries were half discharged and packed inside LiPo bags, they all said "Good".

 

[WithTheBirds]

Batteries *must* go in carry on - that's non negotiable for all airlines as it's a legal requirement in all jurisdictions I am aware of. You could check the drone if you wanted to and had a suitably robust case, but most people around here (me included) would keep it in their carry on with a battery installed rather than trust it to baggage handling.

If the drone goes in checked baggage you can have a lipo installed in it. You will find that is permissible and meets the prescribed requirements for most (if not all) jurisdictions.

 

[noosaguy]

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 devices charged on long flights!!

I won't argue about something I'm not at all certain of and to be honest I'm not going to bother anyway. I did reduce my battery charge AND put them in LiPo pouches because in my experience as a frequent traveller, I've have found busy security staff, that I'm guessing are tired of regularly being abused, seem to take pleasure in f**king up someone's day. I didn't, and will not in future, take the risk of some d**k head in a uniform telling me I can't do that and confiscating my M2P. That said, there is a substantial difference in scale between an LiPo battery in a phone and a Mavic 2 Pro.