Travelling with drone questions

[kennedye]

Also, what is the best way to discharge the batteries completely if I could not fly enough to discharge them?

If you have somewhere to set up, you can just run the battery down in the aircraft itself - however, you should *not* do so with the propellers off as it will (eventually) damage the motors.

 

[ElGuapo]

I'm travelling to Hawaii in May from San Francisco. I am planning to carry-on my P3P in my manfrotto D1 backpack. As recommended will discharge all my batteries prior. Will there be any issues going through TSA security and the baggage checks?

Also, what is the best way to discharge the batteries completely if I could not fly enough to discharge them?

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No issues at all while traveling with a drone.
I am currently traveling in Costa Rica, we arrived from Los Angeles last Thursday and flew here with my Mavic.
TSA at Los Angeles did not even question the bag.

If anything TSA questioned my wife's carry on, she brought a box of domino. When she put her carry on thru the X-ray she made the machine light up like a Christmas tree.

 

[av8shunmeckaneck]

I have traveled several times with my Phantom. I always do airline research and TSA research before going.

As of right now, no batteries over 100 watts, Phantoms are only 60 watts.

There are no requirements to discharge nor have I seen an airline require that. Southwest has some requirements about covering the battery terminals OR storing them in such a way that the terminals cannot be shorted. The padded bags shown in the previous post (much the same as my bag too) would prevent the terminals from shorting. Have the TSA website and the airline website pages loaded on your mobile device in case they try to give you a hard time and be nice about it. Some of the TSA and gate agents dont know any better.

The batteries CANNOT be checked and MUST be carried on.

I had a secondary screening a few times going through the x-ray machine but it was nothing to do with the Phantom. My second carry on is my laptop backpack which always has too much stuff in it and they cant tell what is in there.

I like when they ask if there is anything sharp in there. I tell them about the propellers and that they aren't really that sharp.

All of my travels have been in the US with the Phantom, so I dont know how this applies other countries.




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[brolland]

Sorry, I should have added that wooden box would be going inside my suitcase, which would then be checked in.

I didn't want to take it on as hand luggage as that would take up my allowance, and then won't have any room for laptops etc.


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I'd still get a foam insert of some sort. It'll provide the best protection overall. Or simply buy a case with the insert made for your Drone.


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[Randy2747]

I would definitely put your drone in a carry on bag.....From what I have seen those guys throw the luggage around all day long and they dont care whats inside

 

[regdawg]

I would definitely put your drone in a carry on bag.....From what I have seen those guys throw the luggage around all day long and they dont care whats inside

I wouldnt be at ease if it were in the cargo hold.

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[toddster]

Carry on.


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[Phantom NSX]

I'm planning on just using the hard shell backpack case I got off eBay as a carry on.... got this for like $45 shipped....perfect!!!

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[Meta4]

As recommended will discharge all my batteries prior. Will there be any issues going through TSA security and the baggage checks?
Also, what is the best way to discharge the batteries completely if I could not fly enough to discharge them?

Don't bother discharging your batteries.
This is often recommended in forums but it's a forum myth.
No airline has any mention of it in their dangerous goods/lithium batteries section of their website.
The TSA don't care either and won't be looking for the state of charge in your batteries just as they don't require laptops, cameras, or iPads batteries to be discharged.

 

[Vichian-Bruno]

I'm planning on just using the hard shell backpack case I got off eBay as a carry on.... got this for like $45 shipped....perfect!!!

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Got a similar bag as you, instead of hard shell the outer layer is of a water proof textile including side bags and additional space on the back side.
However you should not fix the belt as shown in your image, place it between controller unit and folded antennas as shown in the image below, not over the cross folded antennas.

 

[Numone]

I'm planning on just using the hard shell backpack case I got off eBay as a carry on.... got this for like $45 shipped....perfect!!!

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Same as my 12m old hardshell. It's excellent and it's been all over Europe on many airlines without a single issue, as well as falling to the back seat of our car, causing zero damage.
I also get my iPad Air and screen shade in there too, by removing the foam insert from the backrest; there's plenty of space. Again, never had an issue.

 

[Deleted member 76824]

I'm travelling to Hawaii in May from San Francisco. I am planning to carry-on my P3P in my manfrotto D1 backpack. As recommended will discharge all my batteries prior. Will there be any issues going through TSA security and the baggage checks?

Also, what is the best way to discharge the batteries completely if I could not fly enough to discharge them?

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They should slowly discharge automatically if not used for 10 days. When you turn on your P3P and DJI Go app, you can set the amount of days for the batteries to discharge themselves if inactive. I believe the default setting is 10 days.

 

[emanuel_matoss]

Selfmade case, too easy



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