How to Discharge a P4 Battery to 20-30% for air travel.

[Deleted member 76824]

Hi all.

I'm going away soon and am really looking to understand the best method (I do not own a discharge hub) to discharge my batteries to a safe percentage for travel. I believe, correct me if I am wrong please, that this is 20 - 30%.

Please could you help me with the best way to discharge my batteries safely? I have never done this before.

Thanks!

 

[N017RW]

Why not fly to 50%?

Having said that, there's no need for special travel levels (in USA at least).

Who is going to measure them and how?

Allow self discharge as per the 'auto' feature to storage level or fly to 50% and pack in carry-on..

 

[jogforfitness]

Is there any harm powering up the drone and letting the battery run down that way? Then shut down when battery is at the desired level? I know here in Ohio is cold outside so flying to drain the battery is not a desirable option.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[Deleted member 76824]

Is there any harm powering up the drone and letting the battery run down that way? Then shut down when battery is at the desired level? I know here in Ohio is cold outside so flying to drain the battery is not a desirable option.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

Yeah I guess I could do that. I wouldn't run the motors unnecessarily though, just for the sake of longevity of use, so it may take a while to drain, but I think that's the easiest way for now! Thanks for the reply.

 

[jbrown630]

You can power on and idle the motors . These are brushless motors, which should almost outlast the plastic airframe unless abused.

 

[Kman]

I always fly with my batteries fully charged. Zero issues.

 

[neurotico]

But that's like saying "I unplug my USB drive without ejecting it first" or "I remove my disc without quitting the PS4 game" or "I drive without a seatbelt, zero issues". All of which are recommended against.

The point isn't what you've managed to get away with, a little luck in the mix there as well, but he is speaking about best practices and recommendations, which this is clearly a well documented DJI recommendation before traveling with the batteries.

Personally, I purchased an adapter to charge any USB device from the P3P battery, to drain it completely before recharge or drain to safe level before traveling.

 

[Fallguy]

But that's like saying "I unplug my USB drive without ejecting it first" or "I remove my disc without quitting the PS4 game" or "I drive without a seatbelt, zero issues". All of which are recommended against.

The point isn't what you've managed to get away with, a little luck in the mix there as well, but he is speaking about best practices and recommendations, which this is clearly a well documented DJI recommendation before traveling with the batteries.

Personally, I purchased an adapter to charge any USB device from the P3P battery, to drain it completely before recharge or drain to safe level before traveling.

 

[Kman]

But that's like saying "I unplug my USB drive without ejecting it first" or "I remove my disc without quitting the PS4 game" or "I drive without a seatbelt, zero issues". All of which are recommended against.

The point isn't what you've managed to get away with, a little luck in the mix there as well, but he is speaking about best practices and recommendations, which this is clearly a well documented DJI recommendation before traveling with the batteries.

Personally, I purchased an adapter to charge any USB device from the P3P battery, to drain it completely before recharge or drain to safe level before traveling.

Where does DJI say to drain battery to 20% before flying?

 

[John Locke]

When flying by plane I always travel with my batteries fully charged because when I arrive I don't have time to charge up. It's kinda like having a camera with you all the time. The best camera to have is one you can use on a moments notice. I've never seen a suggestion from the FAA for charge level for LiPo batteries, am I wrong?

 

[With The Birds]

There was some discussion about broad application of air cargo requirements which would have imposed a 30% max SOC on lithium ion packs, I looked at that last year when I was thinking about importing some large cells from china (April 16 if I recall correctly was the proposed date of effect. It didn't apply to batteries carried in hand luggage though. I note that most of my DJI batteries arrived above 30%.

There is no way the airport screening personnel will check the SOC of your packs. I wouldn't have them fully charged though (it is well known LiION chemistry is least stable at full charge). Let your auto discharge function do its work and relax.

 

[Kman]

When flying by plane I always travel with my batteries fully charged because when I arrive I don't have time to charge up. It's kinda like having a camera with you all the time. The best camera to have is one you can use on a moments notice. I've never seen a suggestion from the FAA for charge level for LiPo batteries, am I wrong?

I always leave mine fully charged. TSA has never even asked me to open my drone backpack.

 

[Deleted member 76824]

The reason I believe it is advisable to travel with them at 20-30% charge is because from research I have done, I believe that should they, worst case, catch fire, the burn time or explosiveness of them will be shorter and/or lesser due to the lower charge. A full charge would mean they have more power to do more damage, whether that is by exploding (albeit probably in a lipo bag) or being on fire. It's just another safety precaution I am trying to take to give myself the best chance of travelling through the airports hassle free.

 

[neurotico]

Where does DJI say to drain battery to 20% before flying?

On DJI's page for the battery is what they mention storing it and draining it lower. The link below. TSA, FAA and the CAA (along with the CSA) updated the standards for flying with Lithium Ion battery's specifically, and soon will be updating it again. Latest revision at the link below where you can read it, one mistake is that it is 30% not 20% as I stated...getting old and my memory skipped a beat! It states the following:
"UN 3480, PI 965, Section IA and IB. Lithium ion cells and batteries must be offered fortransport at a state of charge (SoC) not exceeding 30% of their rated design capacity."

Here are the links
DJI Website, storing battery and drain it first: Buy Phantom 3 - Intelligent Flight Battery | DJI Store
IATA Updated Regulations: http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dgr/Documents/lithium-battery-update.pdf

I work for the 2nd largest travel agency in the world and can tell you that no matter what the FAA regulations or laws are that get enacted in North America (as USA, Canada & Mexico all operate under the same TSA regulatory codes), that IATA will always be more strict and have tighter regulations governing what are protected, or prohibited items on-board commercial airliners. Looking up TSA's regulations only gets you the baseline and is not enough information. TSA, for example, will permit certain materials in the checked luggage, while IATA prohibits them and therefore they are not allowed. Interesting right? Because TSA has greater authority than IATA does...actually IATA is not a commissioned government entity, TSA is and therefore the only one with any authority. However, IATA controls everything airline related to code and regulations.

 

[neurotico]

When flying by plane I always travel with my batteries fully charged because when I arrive I don't have time to charge up. It's kinda like having a camera with you all the time. The best camera to have is one you can use on a moments notice. I've never seen a suggestion from the FAA for charge level for LiPo batteries, am I wrong?

Yes, you are wrong, sorry mate. And risking lives at the expense of a quick photo? Come on...it's 2016, buy a decent phone and the camera issue is avoided. But most people carry-on their cameras anyways so it is not an issue.

 

[neurotico]

There was some discussion about broad application of air cargo requirements which would have imposed a 30% max SOC on lithium ion packs, I looked at that last year when I was thinking about importing some large cells from china (April 16 if I recall correctly was the proposed date of effect. It didn't apply to batteries carried in hand luggage though. I note that most of my DJI batteries arrived above 30%.

There is no way the airport screening personnel will check the SOC of your packs. I wouldn't have them fully charged though (it is well known LiION chemistry is least stable at full charge). Let your auto discharge function do its work and relax.

These regulations are for Commercial Airliners. Has naught to do with importation companies or freight airlines.

 

[neurotico]

The reason I believe it is advisable to travel with them at 20-30% charge is because from research I have done, I believe that should they, worst case, catch fire, the burn time or explosiveness of them will be shorter and/or lesser due to the lower charge. A full charge would mean they have more power to do more damage, whether that is by exploding (albeit probably in a lipo bag) or being on fire. It's just another safety precaution I am trying to take to give myself the best chance of travelling through the airports hassle free.

Close. It is more that at higher charge, they are more unstable due to molecular activity and amount of stored current (current? charge?), so having them at full capacity signifies a greater possibility of combustion occurring. You are right also though, the more charge in the battery, the greater the explosion could happen...but not the duration as the "electrical charge" is not responsible for the continued burning, just the materials it set on fire.

 

[Deleted member 76824]

Ver

Close. It is more that at higher charge, they are more unstable due to molecular activity and amount of stored current (current? charge?), so having them at full capacity signifies a greater possibility of combustion occurring. You are right also though, the more charge in the battery, the greater the explosion could happen...but not the duration as the "electrical charge" is not responsible for the continued burning, just the materials it set on fire.

Very interesting! thanks for the knowledge!

 

[Aotearoa Kiwi]

No one seems to mention here, advice that airlines require you to have the batteries in your cabin baggage - presumably so that they can be noticed and got to easier if they decide to take up smoking - so you can then grab them, open up the door and throw them out of the plane. I always pack my drone in baggage bit carry my batteries in cabin. - Not sure but I think it is mentioned in FAA rules

 

[N017RW]

Throw them out the door?

Hilarious