Airplane travel for P4

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So I am about to purchase a P4 and I think that I want to be able to take it on a Airplane. What do you guys use to carry it? Is the included styrofoam case good enough? or do I need to buy a backpack? also do you guys check your drone or take it as a carry on?

Thanks All.
 
Absolutely carry on and you should drain the batterys before taking on a plane. If you feel the styrofoam case is good enough then by all means use it, it's what the whole package ships in so you can consider it safe, eventually you will outgrow that case with accessories, batteries, upgraded antenna etc.
The case does not come with any type of external straps so will have to be carried by hand which will also eventually annoy you, especially whilst travelling. In my opinion you should use the original case for now until you outgrow it and decide which accessories and how many batteries you need etc by that time P4 cases will be put through their trials and get some more reviews, also prices may settle down a bit. Also here is what seems to be turning into the P4 backpack thread New Phantom 4 Backpack
 
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So I am about to purchase a P4 and I think that I want to be able to take it on a Airplane. What do you guys use to carry it? Is the included styrofoam case good enough? or do I need to buy a backpack? also do you guys check your drone or take it as a carry on?
Some sort of case is always a good idea.
Check your airline's website and search for batteries to see their requirements.
You will have to keep the batteries in your carry on luggage.
 
Thanks! yeah i think that i will do that and keep the case until i need another. Why do you have to drain the batteries? does it have to do with the faa laws?
 
Some sort of case is always a good idea.
Check your airline's website and search for batteries to see their requirements.
You will have to keep the batteries in your carry on luggage.
What type of case do you have? because I dont really like the hardshell, do the regular backpacks give enough protection?
 
Absolutely carry on and you must drain the batterys before taking on a plane.
Why do you have to drain the batteries? does it have to do with the faa laws?
The only place you'll find that info (myth) is in online forums.
The FAA and airlines never mention it and no-one's ever been asked to show their battery level.
 
Thanks! yeah i think that i will do that and keep the case until i need another. Why do you have to drain the batteries? does it have to do with the faa laws?
The rules for larger batteries are skewed from airline to airline and from country to country, from capacity/size of battery to quantity of batteries to charge state. The best thing to do is phone the airline and airport and confirm before traveling, you definitely do not want $500 worth of batteries rejected at an airport it's painfully lol.
 
The rules for larger batteries are skewed from airline to airline and from country to country, from capacity/size of battery to quantity of batteries to charge state. The best thing to do is phone the airline and airport and confirm before traveling, you definitely do not want $500 worth of batteries rejected at an airport it's painfully lol.
Yeah that makes a lot of sense, has anybody asked when you went through security?
 
I don't see any problem in carrying batteries in check in bag but safer to keep them in fireproof LiPo bags.

Once I was asked to show that terminals are properly wrapped/ secured and there is no chance of any short circuiting.
 
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The only place you'll find that info (myth) is in online forums.
The FAA and airlines never mention it and no-one's ever been asked to show their battery level.
Battery level perhaps not, but some airlines/countries will require a plug on the terminal connections, they will also only allow a maximum watt hours capacity etc etc. Always check first or you may be in a situation where it comes down to leaving your batteries and getting on the plane or staying with your batteries and watching your plane leave, as for discharging Li-Po's or any other high powered rechargable batteries before getting on a commercial flight, I would consider this standard practice for your and all other passengers safety, under the right circumstances you are essentially carrying a small electronic bomb. Have you ever received a high discharge rate battery fully charged through international mail?
 
as for discharging Li-Po's or any other high powered rechargable batteries before getting on a commercial flight, I would consider this standard practice for your and all other passengers safety, under the right circumstances you are essentially carrying a small electronic bomb.
Lipo batteries are in everyone's phones, ipods and laptops as well as Phantoms.
You don't see anyone at the airport demanding people discharge their batteries and I still haven't seen any airline or FAA website mention it.
It just seems to be one of those forum myths that get spread so readily.
Do it if it makes you feel good but it's not a requirement anywhere yet.
 
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Yeah that makes a lot of sense, has anybody asked when you went through security?
No not personally and to be honest I travel with fully charged batteries all the time, but, I have also flown over 400ft altitude a couple of times as well :oops: ermmm.... do as I say and not as I do?:D
 
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If you don't have accessories yet the styrofoam box will be fine. If however you are carrying some accessories as well or if you're only allowed one carry on bag then take a backpack

As for draining the batteries, none of us have had our batteries checked. Not in Europe, not in the US and not in Brazil. But, as mentioned before, why risk it? Personally I'd rather spend some time re-charging at my destination than risking having to leave them behind
That looks like a great backpack, and a great review! I think at least for the first time I will just charge it when I get there because it not worth the risk.
 
That looks like a great backpack, and a great review! I think at least for the first time I will just charge it when I get there because it not worth the risk.
The backpack is indeed nice and performing well so far. Now, like always, we just have to see how it stands the test of time :)
 
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The backpack is indeed nice and performing well so far. Now, like always, we just have to see how it stands the test of time :)

Do you use it for the P3 as well?
 
If you don't have accessories yet the styrofoam box will be fine. If however you are carrying some accessories as well or if you're only allowed one carry on bag then take a backpack

As for draining the batteries, none of us have had our batteries checked. Not in Europe, not in the US and not in Brazil. But, as mentioned before, why risk it? Personally I'd rather spend some time re-charging at my destination than risking having to leave them behind

+1 on the battery comment.

If for some reason you do find a specific watt hr max requirement, you can easily calculate the wH of your battery as follows:

Formula is (mAh)*(V)/1000 = (Wh).

For example, if you have a 300mAh battery rated at 5V, the power is 300mAh * 5V / 1000 = 1.5Wh.

For a P4 battery:

Full charge is 5350mAh. Half charge would be approx. 2675mAh. etc.

5350 * 15.2v = 81,320 / 1000 = 81.32 Wh

Online calculator can be found at Convert mAh to Watt hours.
 
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No. I keep the P3 in a case with lots of accessories. I don't think I'd be able to get all of that in this backpack. But, if that's what your curious about, somebody else asked me to try it and it fits.

Yeah my P3 is in a GPC case with wheels. Hold a lot of stuff, but not sure if it'd be good for carry on like a backpack would. Thinking of taking one of the Phantoms to Europe.

Or has anybody taken a larger case and checked it in?
 

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