Traveling with your P4P by plane...

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Has anyone traveled by plane with their drone? If so did you check it or carry on? Looking to travel to Florida in May from Chicago so would like to prepare for the trip.
 
I have always taken as carry on bag. If you have hard case, you can check in your aircraft but batteries should always be carried as carry on.

Check restrictions of your selected airline specially about the number and size of batteries allowed.
 
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Check restrictions of your selected airline specially about the number and size of batteries allowed.
The size of the batteries won't be a problem, but the number could be depending on the airline of choice. I know Frontier currently only allows two batteries to be carried on.
 
The size of the batteries won't be a problem, but the number could be depending on the airline of choice. I know Frontier currently only allows two batteries to be carried on.

By size I mean total AmpHr rating.
 
In my experience, I flew American Airlines, and they had no idea what I was carrying in my carryon. I went through TSA, and they didn't even have me open the case before scanning it. I carried my P4 in its styrofoam case inside of a canvas bag which was just big enough to carry my windsail box, iPad mini 4 and sun hood. The bag had, with all of that, had more than enough room under the seat. Also, I think I had just two batteries inside of the styrofoam case and not inside of a battery pouch, which I'd like to do next time.
 
The size of the batteries won't be a problem, but the number could be depending on the airline of choice. I know Frontier currently only allows two batteries to be carried on.
That's odd. How would Frontier know how many batteries you're carrying? They don't scan your bags, that's the responsibility of TSA, who scan bags for all airlines. Usually the airline asks no questions about what you carry on, they have never asked me what I'm carrying on when I'm at the gate. Only TSA security has opened my backpack, and I've never had TSA refuse me or even question me about my 6 P4P batteries inside. I have always read that if your batteries are over 100WH, you can only carry two of them onboard. If they are under 100WH (Phantom P4P batteries are 89WH) you can carry-on as many as you like. However I have never been questioned about the capacity of my batteries by TSA, so I assume you're on the honor system for that regulation by the FAA.

My suggestion to the OP about travelling is to use a drone backpack, a high quality one with battery compartments. You're suppose to individually protect batteries from shorting, so having separate compartments is convenient for this purpose. Alternatively you can buy caps for the bottom of your battery connectors, or tape them to ensure no shorts if you can't place batteries in separate compartments to avoid shorting. I would not advise to use a hard case and check the drone for the following reasons:
1. Airlines are known to drop bags and treat them like crap. They will also occasionally open up your bag. You must use a TSA approved lock, if you intend to lock your hard case.
2. Hard cases are a slug to tote around on travel, over 10lbs heavier than a good quality backpack. Hard cases are simply not suitable for hikes to good launch sites.
3. Hard cases don't hold as much as a good backpack, the foam inserts in a hard case take up a lot of valuable space. A good backpack costs $200 at B&H camera but sometimes they go on sale for $150.
4. When you check a hard case, you have to pull out the batteries and carry them on anyway, so you'll need to bring another bag with an appropriate method inside the bag to individually protect against shorts, such as the fireproof bags, which are bulky if you carry 6 batteries like me.
5. Chances are much less that your drone will be damaged if you keep it with you, above your head in the carry-on storage compartment.
6. Checked bags can get lost. Never check stuff that you cannot afford to lose or be without at your destination, if possible.
7. Most hard cases don't meet the FAA standard size restriction of 22X14X9". Although most airlines won't notice, and will let you carry on most Phantom hard cases, they won't fit inside those sizing racks they use at the gate. You could be refused at the gate when the hard case doesn't fit. If caught, you would have to check the case, and remove the batteries to do so. In that scenario you would have to be prepared with another bag to carry on those batteries.

Bottom line, it's unwise to check your drone or travel with a hard case. A backpack is the best method to travel, carry it on.
 
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Great question. I really don't know why they include that restriction in this document if they don't enforce it.
That's interesting, and incorrect I think. Even their maximum weight specs for Lithium Ion batteries wouldn't allow me to carry on a extra cellphone battery for my LG-G5. 8 grams? That's ridiculous.

I was impressed with their support to allow someone to bring their hang glider with them as checked baggage if it's no more than 15' long and less than 50lbs.
 
That's interesting, and incorrect I think. Even their maximum weight specs for Lithium Ion batteries wouldn't allow me to carry on a extra cellphone battery for my LG-G5. 8 grams? That's ridiculous.
It's also a mistake.
Here's what Frontier says:
For lithium metal batteries, the battery weight must be 2 grams or less per battery.
For lithium-ion batteries, the battery weight must be 8 grams or less per battery.

Here's what the FAA says in what Frontier have based their restriction on:
Lithium metal (non-rechargeable) batteries are limited to 2 grams of lithium per battery.
 
It's also a mistake.
Here's what Frontier says:
For lithium metal batteries, the battery weight must be 2 grams or less per battery.
For lithium-ion batteries, the battery weight must be 8 grams or less per battery.

Here's what the FAA says in what Frontier have based their restriction on:
Lithium metal (non-rechargeable) batteries are limited to 2 grams of lithium per battery.
And coincidentally another clue which suggests the airline guidlines are poorly drafted is that 8g of lithium in a LiPO gives roughly 100wh, the other often stated limit.

Clearly the airline isn’t mirroring the FAA guidlines. Of course they don’t need to, the can impose any restriction they like (as Long as it doesn’t exceed the legislated restrictions). It is very likely an error in this instance however. They probably carry larger LiION packs as cargo.
 
When traveling with my regular camera equipment, I always bring my fully loaded camera bag on board as carry-on. It barely fits the overhead compartment. My P4P case is even larger. As I am NOT photographing professionally, my approach to addressing this problem is to get a Mavic Air for travel. I will have to reduce the number of lenses in my camera bag to make room for the drone. I do feel the Mavic Air will meet most requirements. (See: www.schundlerphoto.com)
 
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Most airlines have a maximum size for "luggage" that is carried onto the plane and going into an overhead bin, and a separate maximum size for a bag that is going under the seat in front of you. The standard foam rigid case for the P4P will fit in this space under the seat in front so long as you do not have an aisle seat. The under seat bag can by up to 17 x 16 x 8 for hard sided bags.

I only check in luggage containing things I do not need at my destination, i.e. extra clothes and toiletries. I have had too many occurrences of bags being mis-routed or destroyed by the airline personnel over the years and that was before TSA when one could lock hard cases. Now anything inside the checked luggage is subject to theft by TSA and airline employees (400+ TSA employees have been fired for theft and those are only the people that have been caught).

It certainly makes sense for personal travel to take a Mavic or other very small drone and leave the Pro one at home.
 
Calsun and John Locke give excellent advice about not checking anything you don't want to lose. With over 500k of actual air miles under my belt, I've travelled a lot. I've never had the airline lose anything, but I've had bags delayed several times, which is why I don't put anything important in there. Not having your drone for 3 beautiful days of a 5 day trip to Florida is a compelling reason to carry it on.

I've travelled a few times with drones. I went to HI with my P4 and Italy with a P4 and a Spark. They were all carried on with this backpack: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J7UN1G8. I had no problems with security or airlines.
 
Hey latinsoldier77. When i purchased my P4P, I had portability in mind; not just walking out in the field with my gear, but also when i go on internationbal trips and plan on taking this on the plane. Most m,ight get a hard case and put it with their checked-baggage, however if I am travelling with $2000-3000 of equipment like a drone, I'll want it with me. So, i set out to find a good carry-on padded bag (NOT hard case) that met TSA and most airline restrictions for size and was light...I ended up purchasing the ThinkTank Airport Helipak v1, as v2 was too big.. Yet to use with an airline, but it's been great so far, you can fit so much in it. Checkjout some video reviews.

RoOSTA
 
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.I ended up purchasing the ThinkTank Airport Helipak v1, as v2 was too big
The V2 dimensions are:
Exterior Dimensions:
13.6” W x 19.7” H x 9.3” D (34.5 x 50 x 23.5 cm)
The V1 Dimensions:
14 x 20.5 x 9" / 35.6 x 52.1 x 22.9 cm

So you thought V1 is smaller? If you believe their specs, it appears the overall OD volume of the V2 is 5% smaller. Both are acceptable for airline travel, unless you consider 1/3" a deal breaker for depth for the V2.
I have the V1 also, and love the bag. I've had it for 2yrs now and it still looks like new, and I do a lot of travel and local drone flying. The only problem I have found with the V1 is the battery compartments are in the top of the bag, and they cannot be moved, as the reconfigurable Velcro walls only work in the top half of the bag. Heavy items need to be in the bottom of the bag so the bag is better balanced. V1 is top heavy if you carry 4 or more batteries, IMO. You will notice this mostly when carrying the bag with one strap over the shoulder, which is what I do 90% of the time when I'm carrying it less than 1/2mi, such as through the airport, or short hikes from the car. The V2 (which I haven't bought yet) is nice, I checked it out at the NAB show last April. It has the battery location problem fixed, putting the batteries in the bottom where they belong. They also made the outer lid compartment of the V2 easier to access with no zipper, just a Velcro flap. I think the Velcro flap offers more integrity and safety because sometimes I won't notice my V1 outer compartment lid zipper is unzipped, and my iPad Air2 could potentially fall out. Thankfully that hasn't happened, noticing it unzipped before catastrophe, but I have left the zipper unzipped. The Velcro flap automatically flips shut and adheres with Velcro. The V1 also has two handles, one on the side, which the V2 removed. At first I was disappointed they remove that second handle on the V2, but I noticed that I rarely use the side handle. They said the handle removal was to save weight, but both bags weigh the same if you believe the specs, 4.6lbs. The only improvement I'd like to see is adding Mole straps, sewn to both sides of the bag for expansion compartments if I get in a pinch to need more storage, or special compartments for small stuff with quick access that I don't want inside the bag.

The Mole strips onthe side of this bag is what I'd like to see in a V3 Helipak.
upload_2018-1-28_8-45-26.png
 
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Just returned from a trip to Milwaukee from Tucson. Had several commercial parcels to run topo surveys on.
We carry the drone and all batteries, accessories in a DJI backpack. We notify TSA at the gate that we have a drone in the carry on.
We also tape the contact end of the batteries.
Not a problem either direction. American nor Frontier asked a question.
On the return from Milwaukee TSA wanted to look at the drone closer but never questioned batteries, drone or any accessories.
Suggestion. Just be up front and they will most likely be very helpful.
 
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TSA sees drones all the time, carrying P4P batteries on a plane inside a backpack isn't a problem at all. I've flown with my Phantoms over 50 times in the last 3yrs. I've only been stopped 3 times going through security, and that was the typical swab test, more than 2yrs ago in the beginning of drone popularity. I've never been asked any questions, and it's never been a problem. I see others in the airport all the time with drone carry-ons. However, I have never flown outside of the US with my Phantoms, so I can't speak for international airline travel, as different countries may have different policies. Some countries don't allow drones (very few).
 
The V2 dimensions are:
Exterior Dimensions:
13.6” W x 19.7” H x 9.3” D (34.5 x 50 x 23.5 cm)
The V1 Dimensions:
14 x 20.5 x 9" / 35.6 x 52.1 x 22.9 cm

So you thought V1 is smaller? If you believe their specs, it appears the overall OD volume of the V2 is 5% smaller. Both are acceptable for airline travel, unless you consider 1/3" a deal breaker for depth for the V2.
View attachment 94074

V1 or V2 both are solid bags. I don't plan on buying droneS' to need more bags, or feel any need to upgrade myu current arrangement with next models up. I only carry 2 batteries since I mostly only go for short burst flights until I I improve my skills, but will take your word for it regarding carrying multiple. Also, in Australia, you don't have the luxuary of many retail/specialist stores stocking a thinktank to do a propper assessment on it in person before buying. I watched review videos for a few weeks and researched like crazy until I settled. 5% isn't muchbut its volume nonetheless, I'll get the biggest hthat fits within the typical limits for carry-on luggage with most airlines and fit as much in as possible.
 

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