{"id":1415,"date":"2019-12-06T16:34:45","date_gmt":"2019-12-06T16:34:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/?p=1415"},"modified":"2021-12-08T16:02:56","modified_gmt":"2021-12-08T16:02:56","slug":"drones-in-hand-luggage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/drones-in-hand-luggage\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Take Drones On Planes?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/drones-in-hand-luggage.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a question that is popular among those who wish to\ncapture their journey experiences as they cross boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, it is difficult to give a cut and dried\nanswer. Regulations change as you move from one place to another and what might\nbe accepted practice at one airport could get your drone confiscated at\nanother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not to worry, we compiled a guide to help you through the\ndecision making process when you decide to travel with your drone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Are Drones Allowed in Hand Luggage<\/strong>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The answer to this will depend on where you wish to travel to with your drone. As a drone-owning traveller, you will do well to research on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/are-drones-illegal\/\">rules and regulations regarding drones<\/a> in the destination you wish to travel to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In some areas, your drone will be confiscated at the airport\nupon arrival if you don\u2019t notify authorities before travelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other airports you can travel with your drone, provided\nit is part of your hand luggage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other areas have rules for carrying the drone batteries, while others are a little less strict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do your research while you are planning the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bringing Your Drone\non a Plane<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Assuming you are about to leave from an airport that\ntolerates drones to another that is equally tolerant, here is a procedure you\nwant to follow when packing your drone into your hand baggage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Make doubly sure that your drone is turned off and any buttons are covered so they don\u2019t accidentally activate. As you bag goes through both airports, and even while on the plane, you can expect that it will be tossed left and right. The last thing you want is for all that movement to activate the rotors.<\/li><li>Think about getting a specialized <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/review\/best-drone-bags\/\">drone-carrying bag<\/a>. You can easily get these online or from your local drone retailer. These special backpacks are carefully designed to keep your drone from getting damaged.<\/li><li>Lastly, you will need to make sure to do your research about how your specific airliner feels about drones. Are you allowed to put your UAV into your hand luggage or would they prefer checked baggage? A few airlines will only allow drones and accessories in hand baggage, due to restrictions about lithium polymer batteries in baggage spaces of planes.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bringing Your\nBatteries on a Plane<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most drones run on lithium polymer batteries, and as such it\nmakes sense to be well informed on the existing regulations about their\nhandling and disposal whenever you want to travel with your drone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lithium polymer batteries should be kept in hand luggage,\nalthough in some instances you might be able to store them in your checked\nbaggage. Expect the latter though; instructions on how to store batteries in\ncarry-on baggage are usually very clear and easy to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Packing Lithium\nPolymer Batteries in Carry-On Baggage<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When travelling with lithium polymer batteries in your hand\nluggage, it is important for you to know the Watt Hours (Wh) of the battery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to Determine the\nWatt Hours of Your Drone Batteries<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The majority of small consumer drone batteries will have\nless than 100Wh. But it is still important to verify for yourself about your\nspecific batteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To determine watt hours, simply multiply the volts by the\nampere hours: Wh= V x Ah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a 12-volt battery rated to 8 amp hours is rated\nat 96 watt hours (12 x 8 = 96)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Drone batteries that are rated below or equal to 100Wh are\nclassified as \u201csmall batteries\u201d. There are usually no restrictions on\ntravelling with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Drone batteries that are rated between 100Wh and 160Wh are\nclassifies as \u201cmedium batteries\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And drones that are rates above 160Wh are classified as\n\u201clarge batteries\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike small batteries, transporting medium and large\nbatteries can come with some ifs and buts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Organizations like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/faa-drone-registration\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"the FAA have laid out rules (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">the FAA have laid out rules<\/a> to ensure the safe packaging of lithium polymer batteries, and rules may vary with location. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Considering you have small batteries, the following\nguidelines are worth keeping in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>To protect your lithium polymer batteries in\nyour carry-on from short-circuiting, ensure to store them using the following\nsuggested methods: leave the batteries in their original packaging, seal battery\nterminals with sellotape, employ a battery case if you have one, use the\nbattery sleeve found in camera sacs, or you put slot them into a plastic\nwrapping or protective pocket.<\/li><li>The batteries you bring travel with must be\nmeant for personal use (this includes professional purposes). They must not be\nmeant for retail or redistribution by a merchant.<\/li><li>Check for any airline special instructions\nconcerning travelling with lithium-ion in hand luggage on a plane.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When carrying medium lithium polymer batteries (with Wh\nbetween 100 and 160) you should keep the following procedures in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>To bring larger batteries with more than 100Wh\nonboard any aircraft, you will need to check with the airline authorities.<\/li><li>Do not come along more than 2 extra batteries\nthat are rated at more than 100Wh.<\/li><li>Store batteries in several ways considered safe\nlike in their retail packets, or in a separate case or pocket to keep them from\nshort circuit.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Lithium Batteries in\nChecked Baggage<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Lithium batteries which are rated at less than 100Wh or\nequal to 100Wh should go inside checked baggage ONLY when they are safely left\ninside the drone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lithium polymer batteries that are rated at more than 100Wh\ncan only be stored in checked baggage after obtaining the nod from the airline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You are not allowed to pack spare lithium polymer batteries\nof any watt hour rating into your checked luggage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Solely the battery which your drone is carrying at that\nmoment can go into checked baggage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Any spare batteries should be packed in the carry-on baggage\ninstead; and ensure they are stored in the original package, a battery case, or\na separate pocket or pouch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>On the Other Side:\nTaking Your Drone Through Customs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two gateways you have to deal with when\ntravelling, one on your side and another at your destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At your destination, it is likely the aviation authorities\nwill have their own set of rules and regulations in place concerning drones and\nother aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most crucial steps while planning to take your\ntrip abroad consists in finding what the drone regulations at your destination\nare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Generally you should only take your drones to countries\nwhere drones are allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When travelling with your drone to a drone friendly country,\nyou should:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Read up on the country\u2019s drone regulations\nthoroughly to know about any general processes and other laws you need to\ncomply with as a drone flyer.<\/li><li>Check for any foreigner-facing drone regulations\nespecially those that expect foreigners to get special passes to fly a drone\nwhen citizens are not expected to. You may be shocked to realized foreigners\ncan\u2019t come with their own drones at all even though they may fly a drone gotten\ninside the country.<\/li><li>Find out whether or not you need to register your\ndrone with the aviation services or security services.<\/li><li>Follow the destination country\u2019s requirement for\ndrone certification and licensing to the letter. For example, some countries\nmight require you to take an aeronautical quiz to test your knowledge or show\nyour flight proficiency under the country\u2019s regulations. This could be very\nimportant if you intend to fly for professional or commercial purposes.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are going to countries that have made it illegal to\nfly drones, you had better leave your UAV behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You could have your drone confiscated at the customs offices\nof the destination airport if you bring it along for your trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you have no guarantee that it will be returned to you as\nyou return. There have been many cases of people having their drones seized and\nnever seeing them again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When there are no drone laws stated, you can go out on a\nlimb and assume that you will be allowed to bring your own drone or at least\nfly a drone in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the lack of drone laws doesn\u2019t imply you can operate your\ndrone with reckless abandon wherever and whenever you like. In fact, there is a\nhigh chance that the authorities may actually not like the idea of tourists\nflying drones in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The same caution should be applied when going through the\ncustoms of countries that don\u2019t have explicit drone laws. Sometimes, the\nabsence of drone laws means that jurisdiction lies completely in the hands of\nthe custom officers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of them might choose to seize your drone while others\nmay decide not to. How things play out is pretty much a coin toss and thus hard\nto predict. You can only know what will happen when you show up at the gate\nwith your drone in hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Travelling with your drone can add so many extra dimensions\nto your trip. Imagine all the exciting footage and photography you could capture.\nThat\u2019s why many people consider drones as among the best travel companions a\nperson can have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Things get better when you don\u2019t have to worry about causing\nany legal problems or having your UAV seized at the gate, so make sure you do\nyour homework on what you are allowed to do before you pack up your drone the\nright way.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is a question that is popular among those who wish to capture their journey &#8230; <a title=\"Can You Take Drones On Planes?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/drones-in-hand-luggage\/\" aria-label=\"More on Can You Take Drones On Planes?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1506,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/drones-in-hand-luggage.jpg",825,457,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/drones-in-hand-luggage-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/drones-in-hand-luggage-300x166.jpg",300,166,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/drones-in-hand-luggage-768x425.jpg",768,425,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/drones-in-hand-luggage.jpg",825,457,false],"img_rate_products_categories":["https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/drones-in-hand-luggage-552x306.jpg",552,306,true],"img_rate_products_slideshow":["https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/drones-in-hand-luggage.jpg",825,457,false],"img_rate_products_preview":["https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/drones-in-hand-luggage-168x93.jpg",168,93,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/drones-in-hand-luggage.jpg",825,457,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/drones-in-hand-luggage.jpg",825,457,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Sam","author_link":"https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/author\/sam\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"This is a question that is popular among those who wish to capture their journey ... 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