I live on the east coast and will be visiting the west coast in October. Airline reservations are booked. I'd like to take my Mavic Pro along in my luggage with three batteries. I know the AC shouldn't be an issue, but what about the batteries? I can UPS them ahead separate if I need to. What are your guys' experience with all of this?
Travel/Flying with a Drone.
- Thread starter quister
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Everything in your carry on. That’s it. I fly all the time domestic and international. I put all my drone and camera gear and all the batteries in one bag and simply carry it on.
In literally hundreds of flights I have never been asked about my drone(s). One time I had to open my camera bag. Never a question about lipo batteries either. That includes flights out of almost every major airport in the country and several european and Caribbean airports.
I do occasionally put my Mavic Batteries in lipo bags I bought on Amazon depending on what other gear I’m bringing.
Im sure a ton of people will tell you 1000 different things but this is my own real world experiences from my actual travels and a frequent flier.
In literally hundreds of flights I have never been asked about my drone(s). One time I had to open my camera bag. Never a question about lipo batteries either. That includes flights out of almost every major airport in the country and several european and Caribbean airports.
I do occasionally put my Mavic Batteries in lipo bags I bought on Amazon depending on what other gear I’m bringing.
Im sure a ton of people will tell you 1000 different things but this is my own real world experiences from my actual travels and a frequent flier.
RoarRoar, thanks for the info. What do suppose might happen if the batts are in a checked bag...just curious.
They might be taken. Airlines don’t want Lithium Polymer batteries in their cargo because there is a small chance they can combust and ignite.
So it might be risky to pack the drone without batteries in the checked bag too for that reason, they may mistake that it has a battery somewhere. Thanks for your input. I'm just trying to understand the ins and out of this. I haven't looked up the official airline policy on this yet, but I should. Anyone know what that is? My concern is between my DSLR, lens, drone, RC and batts...things will be tight in my camera bag. I guess I can pack the lenses in checked baggage to make room too.
I don’t use a large case for my drones. I use the PolarPro minimalist cases they slide right into my backpack. I can get my dslr, 360, gopro, lenses, and all their accessories in a backpack.
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Most airlines will allow a drone with a battery fitted into checked baggage.
I say most, because there are one or two in the World that have special rules, don't think it will apply to any US airline.
Generally, it's easier to just have the drone and all batteries in carry on bag together.
Loose batteries definitely go in cabin, tape up the terminal ends (or use those special terminal caps), or even put them in small strong ziplock bags to isolate them.
It's not a requirement, but I leave my batteries at (auto) discharged state around 50%, but it doesn't matter if you fly with one or all charged fully.
As a precaution, I would search your airlines policy on batteries to be 100% sure.
Usually a ticket conditions will have this in the fine print, but a quick google of > airline name lithium batteries < should find the info quickly . . . or give them a call.
I say most, because there are one or two in the World that have special rules, don't think it will apply to any US airline.
Generally, it's easier to just have the drone and all batteries in carry on bag together.
Loose batteries definitely go in cabin, tape up the terminal ends (or use those special terminal caps), or even put them in small strong ziplock bags to isolate them.
It's not a requirement, but I leave my batteries at (auto) discharged state around 50%, but it doesn't matter if you fly with one or all charged fully.
As a precaution, I would search your airlines policy on batteries to be 100% sure.
Usually a ticket conditions will have this in the fine print, but a quick google of > airline name lithium batteries < should find the info quickly . . . or give them a call.
sarimento1
Well-Known Member
I am a frequent flyer and have never had a problem taking my Mavic 2 Pro or previously my Mavic Air (1). I put all of the batteries in LiPo bags and carry on the drone and batteries. To save weight in my carry on I might put the controlled in the checked bag. I have flown this way on American Airlines, United, and Delta.
You really don't want to put the batteries in your checked bags. If they spontaneously ignite, it could cause a big fire and explosion in the baggage compartment. Most airline ask you agree that you are not carrying LiPo batteries, but I think that is for checked bags. I always say no.
Lithium batteries with 100 watt hours or less in a device | Transportation Security Administration
Spare (uninstalled) lithium ion and lithium metal batteries, including power banks and cell phone battery charging cases, must be carried in carry-on baggage only. Lithium metal (non-rechargeable) batteries are limited to 2 grams of lithium per battery. Lithium ion (rechargeable) batteries are...
Jet skier
Well-Known Member
Never put camera stuff in your checked luggage, it won’t be there when you retrieve it
I flew with a drone in hand luggage in April 2021 from JFK to Florida and back. I have it in a special case (
Skyreat Portable Hard Carrying Case
) made for this very drone bought from Amazon. No problem.
The Fat Controller
Well-Known Member
I've never had anything stolen from my baggage (luck?) but I've seen the way some baggage handlers chuck the suitcases around so all my tech goes with me in the cabin because I don't want it broken. More often than not when my luggage goes through the x-ray machine I get pulled for a manual check. I think this is probably because the jumble of chargers, wires and batteries screams 'bomb' to the operator and I don't mind as it ensures my gear is safe. My carry-on, depending on where I'm going, is a rucksack, up to airline-specified size, containing some or all of: laptop, tablet, drone (Mini 2 or Mavic 2 Pro), Osmo Pocket, Osmo Action, DSLR, lenses, and Compact camera, together with all their associated batteries, wires and chargers. It's a lot of stuff, but I like my photography! I suppose I could split the gear between my own luggage and my wife's but having it all together in one bag speeds up any checks and so far it's always worked well for me.
Thank you all. It's all very helpful and informative input. I'll shoe-horn everything in my carry-on. It appears no has had any issues.
Last edited:
GregS
Well-Known Member
RoarRoar, I purchased the Lipo bags on Amazon as well. Haven't used them yet. Did the TSA react to the Lipo bags.
I am flying to Scotland early next year. It sounds like you did not have any trouble flying to Europe either.
Thanks
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There's no reason why you can't put batteries in a jacket pocket securely, isolate terminals or put in ziplock or lipo bags.
I wear a jacket if I need to keep cabin bag weight down to the ridiculous 7kg limit here with Australian airlines, stuffing my pockets with books, magazines, water bottle, etc to make it, lol.
Lipo bags are not usually required by any airline, but I feel they are a decent idea as they will contain a lipo runaway fire better than not having them.
But if they were substantially useful, I'm sure airlines would have made them mandatory for batteries such as ours.
Phones, laptops, etc, no special requirements, overall too hard to try and make such things compulsory for the masses of lithium batteries taken on board.
I wonder though, if lipo bags might actually make the cabin crews life harder in the event of a runaway lipo fire ?
The first thing they must do when a lipo starts runaway (heat and smoke) is cool it with water / soda water, etc !
My lipo bags (not used for batteries) at home are zippered up, with a flap over the zip all round, would be really hard to get big volumes of water onto them to cool them, if batteries are starting to smoke.
Once a lipo gets hot enough and virtually acts like a magnesium fire, a suitable fire extinguisher is also hampered if the batteries are contained in a lipo bag.
Maybe it best not to use them apart form storage at home for some sort of containment ?
That is the very thing I was exploring. The Lipo bags actually bring attention to the batteries. The airport TSA might think "this must be dangerous if he needs a Lipo bag." It might be better to down play it.
The Lipo bags do deprive the battery of oxygen, needed for a fire.
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