I'll be traveling next week to the Philippines and thinking of taking my P3P with me. I've heard that airlines are now restricting those hoover board from getting on board since the lipos are getting on fire. Anyone know if airlines are doing the same with dji phantoms batteries ..?
One other thing to consider now is if
airports will ban drones even though they are not specifically banned by the FAA / TSA for carriage on planes.
See the story below.
Hoverboards themselves are not banned by the FAA / TSA unless they exceed the watt hours per battery limit. The decision is left up to the individual airline for approval and almost all domestic airlines have now banned them all no matter their watt hours. The same
could happen with drones at airports. Even though P3 batteries are within the watt hours per battery range that would normally allow carriage on planes [P3 batteries are 68Wh], airports could ban them even if individual airlines do not.
I'm not sure how an airport would ban drones without a full screening on entry to the building. The thing is, I have been to Manila's NAIA many times (not with my P3) and I know that they
do have full screening on entry to the airport when you enter the building to check in for a departing flight. See if you can check with NAIA if you are departing from there for your return flight.
One issue domestically is that you are at the mercy of whatever TSA agent you happen to encounter and I have found that many are not up to date with current restrictions. Should you decide to travel with your gear, be sure to have print outs of the related information in case they try to confiscate anything. Of course, once outside the US those regulations are not always applicable.
Also, things change quickly. You see how fast the hoverboard ban spread throughout the airline industry. It was a matter of days, right? This could also happen to drones or to anything really. Check the current restrictions
again before your return flight in case things have changed since you left.
Chances are that you will have no issues at all if you just follow the guidelines for carrying lipo batteries. Just try to stay informed with supporting documents and you will likely be fine.
Hoverboard Ban On Airlines May Extend To Drones
Small excerpt:
"Recent concern over the battery safety in hoverboards has led many of the nation’s airlines to prohibit the toys in aircraft over the holiday season. Now, that ban may be extending to the drone industry.
According to NBC Miami Greg Meyer, an official at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport suggested that drones are “not allowed at the airport in any way, shape or form, whether they are flying or coming through your checked luggage.”
So far, however, that ban appears to be only limited to specific airports."