Air travel with P4

[Tradarcher]

Beg your pardon if this has been discussed before. I did search and really didn't find what I was looking for. Don't need info on what the rules are. I am asking about a solution.

This is the first time my son is traveling for a shoot and will be flying with my P4 and a bunch of other video gear including mirrorless DSLR, lenses, gimbal, monitor, small tripod, and laptop. He is driving with the client to the destination and flying home. I am considering the following options.
1. Son flies home. Client drives home a week later and brings P4 back with him. Son will still have to drive 3 hours 1 way to client to pick up P4. Could combine trip with some audio and b roll capture and the location is a great destination (Boone NC).
2. Son will mail drone home via USPS,UPS or Fedex before getting on flight home. I have the original styro case and a good cardboard box.
3. Fly with P4
a. Carry-on P4 along with other camera bag and check suitcase. P4 will be in original styro case. Could put it in backpack designed for the factory styro case.
b. Get good hard case and put P4 in checked baggage with suitcase, carry-on camera bag.
c. Get large backpack that will hold P4 and some camera gear to use as carry-on, put other gear in suitcase with clothes and put it in checked baggage.
Any other ideas?

 

[Saigondave]

We always travel with our UAVs, either checked-in in a locked hard shell case inside another hard shell suitcase with other gear, or as hand-carry, soft or hard case, doesn’t matter too much as we’re handling it ourselves.

Hope this helps.
Dave

 

[athearnsd45]

I flew with mine from Hartford to Memphis recently without incident, using the stock styrofoam case. I expected more hassle from the TSA, but it went incredibly smoothly. Since they now want ALL electronics larger than a cell phone to be taken out and sent through the x-ray on a tray, I asked for a hand inspection. On both ends (Hartford and Memphis) they said just keep it in the case, and the person viewing the image would let me know if it needed to be taken out. It didn't in either case. I also expected more issue with the batteries, and in fact discharged them down to 20% and taped over the contacts as was recommended on another site I found. That was also not necessary.