Traveling/Airports/Carry-On Dji Phantom

Joined
Apr 21, 2014
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Hi everyone,
I'll be traveling to Southeast Asia and I would like to bring my Phantom 2 Vision + with me as a carry-on.
What were some of your experiences? Did the airport (security) give you a hard time? Did they make you open the phantom? I would like to know if it was difficult traveling with the Phantom. I don't want them to look at me like I'm a terrorist with this crazy gadget that some people may not even heard of.

I apologize in advance if there is another thread regarding this. If you could provide me the link for that thread, that would be great. Thanks!
 
You will not receive a hard time. Keep your batteries in the case, and everything packed neatly. Slide it through the X-ray machine and you're done. That's it.
 
I'm also heading out to SE Asia with my Phantom. I've flown with it domestically in a Tradecraft hardcase. At SFO, I put it on the belt and it went through the xray machine no problem.

Flying back from Denver, the guy had to open it and then take it for someone else to look at it. The P1 batteries look like a brick of C4 with detonators, I guess.

I've searched Youtube and the other countries I've visited and Phantoms are everywhere I'm going. I hope it's not going to be a problem.
 
im flying to america from the uk and am also having serious anxiety over this, just checked airline regs and spare batteries must be on carry on luggage, worried that an american customs officer or similar will take it off me and ask what the batteries are for and what they power, the dji will be in check in luggage, aghhhh struggling with this might well leave it at home for fear of it being taken off me...

here are the FAA guidelines for carrying batteries on board , I would assume SE asia they are more chilled as I have been to Thailand before and the airport staff were really relaxed, in fact american airports are the only ones that make me feel guilty before i have even travelled -http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/hazmat/passenger_info/media/faa_airline_passengers_and_batteries.pdf
 
I took mine to Costa Rica a few weeks ago. I have TSA PRECHECK status... although that should not make a difference.

Going through TSA in Orlando, they were taking an extra hard look at the bag in front of mine, although I thought it was mine.

They did open my case, and they took a swab inside for the explosive detector. They took a quick look, but did not remove anything from the case, neatly put the foam back, and carefully closed the case. They (TSA) said they see them all the time.

I flew on JetBlue, and my case is the EXACT dimensions allowed by that airline... and that particular airline allows slightly larger carryon's then most other airlines. The case would not fit "wheels in" in the overhead storage, which they prefer.

MAKE SURE YOU REMOVE THE AIR RELEASE TAB IF YOU HAVE A HARD WATERPROOF CASE! My case was all sucked in from the pressure differences on the plane. It could have damaged my phantom... although it didn't.

My compass and IMU settings got all screwed up at some point during the trip... maybe the XRAY. I had to find a strangers laptop to borrow, download the software, and recalibrate it all.

The gimble clamp fell off on the rough costa rican roads... again, not good.

Costa Rica security coming home didn't take a second look at it when it went through the X-RAY. In Costa Rica your carryon's have to be opened and inspected immediately before boarding the aircraft... they are looking for liquids and fish. They didn't take a second look either.
 
thanks for the info, having searched for several threads on the topic here it does not seem anyone has actually had any issues at all, my only issue is not having a case, will just wrap in foam and put in suitcase and hope for the best :)
 
chaghal said:
thanks for the info, having searched for several threads on the topic here it does not seem anyone has actually had any issues at all, my only issue is not having a case, will just wrap in foam and put in suitcase and hope for the best :)

I just took mine from the US to the UK and back again - no problems at all. I did print the battery regulations just in case they questioned anything at security nobody even batted an eyelid. I would recommend buying a hard sided case though - even if it's just a cheap one. Or at least partially disassemble the phantom if you are going to pack it in a suitcase: take off the props, legs and gimbal. I would have the gimbal in my hand luggage, but the main airframe is pretty robust once you've taken off the parts that can snap.
 
Just returned from a trip, Seattle to KC and back. Zero problems putting it through the security checkpoints. I was carrying 4 batteries total.
 
I just flew from Texas to California and back. No problems. All carry on. I have my batteries in a lipo-safe bag. Everything is in a Vangard Uprise 48 backpack.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,355
Members
104,934
Latest member
jody.paugh@fullerandsons.