hi man i make a lot of research on youtube about everything like drones notebooks cameras tvs smartphones and a bunch of other stuff and i have to say i NEVER saw a youtube video in this case a whole channel that accurate as yours !! i mean those guys like casey neistat or ijustine they're okay as humans but they talk for my opinion too much about bullshit that i don't care about i mean the have like 15 min videos on youtube an the talk about the "actual thing" like 2min or so and the rest is just crap i mean i am "online" since i don't know hahah but i never subscribe to a channel or just anything because i am afraid of the annoying spam an commercials but after i saw this video from you i instantly hit the subscribe button because i exactly need this kind of information !!!and i just ordered a mavic a few days ago you're great man ! you talk about the serious stuff and leave the bullshit right away i saw all your videos i like that i was looking for information about traveling with a drone and i saw like 3 or 4 videos they're just crap but this video is perfect i dont know what you can add! keep on like that and happy drone greetings from switzerland
Hi Drone Valley when a video is good done then is always good, thanks for your clear infor video even through this video is from 2016 about Drone on Plane...Cheers from Holland
Hey, Ino I have probably introduced myself before, but just in case I haven’t, my name is James Kenley Chastain. I loved your video, and learned a lot of good information that I needed to know because I’m planning on going from my home state of Georgia, to my girlfriends home state of Washington, just about an hour outside of Seattle, and there’s mount Reiner, and plenty of cool nature sites to fly over and film, and I’m excited it’ll be my first trip with a drone, and I’ve been flying for about a little over a year maybe more, but I just got a Mavic Pro Platinum, for Christmas, and that’s what I’m taking because it’s the smallest and most compact drone I have now, my other drone is my most expensive favorited, phantom 4 pro plus, white edition, not obsidian, I bought it before, well, like right before DJI released the obsidian model. I don’t mind having the white one, although I can’t lie, I love that new obsidian color with the silver camera, but I’m just happy to have the drone at all, I saved up a lot to buy it, it’s my prize, and I’m glad I got the Mavic Pro Platinum, to travel with now, because I was scared to death to travel with my Phantom 4 Pro +, not to mention the size. Anyway, I did have one question, and that is, if I carry my battery with the rubber battery connection cover, I have them for the battery connection port and one for the actual Mavic connection port, do I still need one of those fireproof bags for the battery? I’m curious because I have the rubber connection covers but not the lipo-safe bag, but if I have to I’ll buy one or two, because right now I only own one battery for the Mavic Pro Platinum, but I was hoping I could find the money to buy another platinum battery before I have to leave for the trip, but may only be going with one battery. Anyway love your channel and have learned so much Thankyou, and don’t stop making videos!
Wow you have the best information Chanel on RU-vid about drones so far!! Finally i got some answers about how i will travel with my drone. Very informative video! As well all the videos about dji spark were really useful for me! Thank you, and keep recording more interesting videos! :)
I want to share my recent cruise experience with my Phantom 4. I went on a cruise with Celebrity in Japan/Korea/China. I checked all the local by-laws prior to the trip and took all the safety precaution for air travel as per your recommendation. Sadly, my drone was confiscated when I embarked on the ship. The explanation provided by the security officer was that they have to comply with port authority of the individual ports and not with the city by-laws. Fortunately, I was able to capture some video in Yokohama before boarding and after the cruise in Hong Kong. You may want to add this to your video for your subscribers.
I bought a Phantom 3 Professional couple months ago. Haven't traveled with it yet. Was a bit nervous about the airports, and worst case scenario: getting my drone confiscated at the airport in a foreign country. Learned a few great tips from this video, but even more so you inspired me and gave me more confidence in actually bringing my drone with me next time I travel abroad. Thanks so much!
Thanks for posting and watching the clip and I'm really glad it helped inspire you to take the quad with you. Imagine me standing on my desk right now and shouting - TAKE THE DRONE!!! As much as I love flying my quad locally, seeing clips that others have posted from across the world inspires me to want to travel there. This experience lifts us all up and is a wonderful thing. I look forward to seeing some of the great locations you travel to posted on your channel when you get back. Thanks again for commenting and be sure to sub the channel. Rick
The cargo hold is always pressurised, so the batteries would go through the same atmospheric pressure changes as in the cabin, the problem is the abuse bags receive down in the cargo hold
Thanks for the post and I'm glad you enjoyed the content. I travel a lot with my quad and never have a problem bringing it on the plane with me. I'll have more content posting this week so be sure to stop back and sub the channel. Rick
Thanks man, that was really helpful. I’m about to take my Mavic 2 Pro to Italy for the first time. I spend a lot of time there and know I can fly there under certain guidelines but I hadn’t considered checking out my airline specifically. MUCH appreciated.
Thank you for being multi national . A lot of the video's I see are are only referenced to their own country or state . I'm Australian so your approach is very helpful . Keep up the great work and happy new year
Thanks for these great in-depth and very informative videos mate. You should be on TV with the way you conduct yourself in presentations. Very professional and to the point. Thank you for your hard work in doing these again mate, really helped me a lot 👍🏻
I've traveled a few times with my Phantom 4 and had no problems. Manchester, U.K. was a much more serious location. For our trip back to the states the security check was very extensive and very time-consuming. The X-ray point had two exits to it. If there was nothing to require further inspection then the item passed straight through and the traveler went on to the gate. If the X-ray operator required there to be a more detailed check then the item was pushed out to the side and onto another queue. Bags were taken from this queue by secondary inspectors to be opened and evaluated. The real problem with this system was that there were not enough secondary inspectors to handle the huge number of X-ray "rejects". My own carry-ons required two separate passes through the X-ray after the secondary inspection was complete. Combined with the large number of other passengers waiting for their bags to be inspected, he delay was nearly 30 minutes after the initial X-ray. Plan accordingly.
Thanks a lot for the kind words and I appreciate you stopping by. I have a lot more content upload this week so be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
Thanks for the great videos and informative content. I was just wondering where the guidance to have the batteries depleted to 30% came from? Is this just a recommendation or is there an actual mandate? I was unable to find anything on the FAA site or airline resources.
Rick as usual highly comprehensive review and thank you for sharing this.. I’m off to Hawaii in 5 weeks from Sydney Australia and I’ve done my home work at this end CASA here allows them onto planes they are the governing body here in Aus as your FAA relates to the USA only I am assuming.. Happy flying Jerome 🇦🇺
Flying a drone in Los Angeles limited by the beaches because of all the people. I had to call LAX airport towers and Santa Monica towers to film they it was fine at Venice Beach, California. Also I had to ask the lifeguards and the LAPD to film their they real cool about it. I had a great attitude about the situation. I told them I was going to stay from the grounds and showed them my FAA certificate with my photo on it. All worked out because I wasn't a jerk about. Personality and attitude goes a long ways when flying drones where your not suppose to. But some beaches said no to me like at Hermosa Beach, California.
Rich, I always try and find someone in charge at a location before putting the bird up. By approaching them early it gives me a chance to have a conversation before it turns into a confrontation. most often they are really cool about it and very curious about the quad. The worst that I've had happen so far is that they want to see me takeoff and land in a safe area first to make sure I know how to fly the drone. I also carry business cards with me and hand them one so they can contact me later if needed and watch the clips I'm shooting on RU-vid. Sounds like you had a great time flying so be sure to post the clips soon!
Excellent video, very informative. Thank you. Quick question: Do you keep a battery in the battery compartment of the quadcopter when traveling or pull it out and package it separately with the spare batteries? Thanks in advance.
Thanks for the comment. I always remove the battery from the quad when I travel for a few reasons. I know the power is off on the cell but want to eliminate any chance of the quad powering-up during the flight. I'm also worried that the longer the battery is in the drone, the more stressed the connections for the power become. Remember that they are spring-tensioned to ensure a good connection and may lose their tension over time. I'm sure I'm just being over cautious but it's something I do when traveling. I hope that helps and be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss any new clips I'll be posting. Thanks, Rick
I had my Phantom 3 confiscated by New Delhi customs 3 months ago because they said drones are not allowed to pass through airport security as carry on baggage, they said they must be in checked baggage
Thanks for the Information, Rick. I'll be going to Spain this July, and will be researching the countries restrictions on Drones. Thanks, again. Danny.
Thanks Rick. Going to Naples Fl in a few weeks from NY. Watch many videos about traveling by air with your drone. I know my Evo1 batteries are no problem with the WH hours. My question is that I'm using the soft case that came with the Evo1.The drone and 2 batteries will be kept in my personal bag that can fit under the seat. 1 battery will be in the drone and the other in a protective lipo bag. So can that be placed under my seat or do they have to be in the overhead compartment. Thanks for all your advice. I know this video is lol, but didn't notice any changes in the rules.
Drone batteries depending from the airport you flying. I fly from London to Germany with 15 DJI Mavic Batteries with no problems and when i returned with the same airline they were asking questions...I guess if you're leaving London you're cool :P
Great info. Although I'm new in drone buisness I realy worry taking drone abroad. I have this constant feeling that customs just take it from me. For example in Germany you can't fly camera drone near buildings even if you have license (they don't even have Google Streat View!). I have this feeling that the moment I cross border I get shot in head and my drone will be taken away from me... :) Yeah, I know, it's paranoia...
You use the term LiPo, are you referring to all Lithium Bats, ie. LiIon, LiFe, LiPo. Mavic uses Li-Ion which I understand is more stable than LiPo batteries. I have been flying RC Airplanes for many years, Am I wrong in my understanding?
try Manchester airport in the UK.... T3 is a nightmare. T1 not too bad, but batteries are all swabbed for leaks and explosives. yes it's true. I'm flying out of T2 in 3 weeks time, let's see what they do !!!
Thank you for the very informative explanation. I'm a newbie and leaving for the Middle East in a week unaware of all the restrictions during transport. Checked website from Emirates and they won't allow drones in the cabin only the batteries. Good to know in advance.
Very informative, I just have a question. I am traveling to Curacao in a week with my phantom 3pro drone to and I haven't registered it with the FAA, I would like to know if it mandatory for the drone to be registered before I travel, or will I get in any trouble?
Do you absolutely HAVE to have your spare batteries in a LiPo fire safe bag? Or can i just wrap up the terminals with electrical tape and suran wrap and put them in their own ziploc bag?
Am I the only one who finds it infinitely irritating that with all the banned and prohibited items that get thru TSA and are potentially dangerous, law abiding travelers need to be paranoid and carry unnecessary documentation for items we are legally allowed to possess aboard a plane? To have to be worried about having a “conversation” with the feds for what reason? I appreciate the video and all the info. But I’m seriously disturbed that our rights are under such an assault.
Hi thks four you video I have a Mavic Pro Platinum can I travel all 3 battery in same case and I carrying whit me ??? Thank you very much four your advice
If you prepaid your Mavic order and have waited over six weeks for any information about the order, please view this video about walkingin and buying one without any wait. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U1Bcni9P7hU.html
Great vid, I see so many questions asked about this on rcgroups & social media. Saved this link and this will save me a lot of typing. Thanks for sharing :-)
Bill, thanks for watching and I'm glad it helped answer some questions. I travel a lot with my drone and have a lot of questions from folks as well about what's permitted so I did the clip to clear up some of the confusion. I appreciate the post and hope you sub the channel. Rick
i have a dji mavic pro with only one battery that was never used and is attached to the drone in its proper location. can i put it in my luggage bag ? or should i take only the battery with me on the plane?
Good for you! I know its a little bit of a pain to drag it along but every time I do the footage I capture is so worth the effort. Thanks for the post and be sure to subscribe so you don't miss anything.
Thanks for making this video. One day I hope to expand my business to destination weddings and this will really help. (Will be 107 certified soon I think) I have fuji mirrorless cameras and the mavic mini so definitely traveling light. 😃 your battery explanation was super helpful. Quick question do you think they would let you bring 3 or so batteries of different types? For example 3 drone batteries, 4-6 fuji camera batteries and 2-3 Sony batteries for lights, flash, external monitor etc and 2 gimbal batteries.
Thanks for the post and you'll be fine with taking those cells along. I travel a ton and as long as you have the batteries protected, stay below the 100 Wh limit and carry less than 8 or so you should be OK. Stay tuned for more updates and good luck with the Part 107. I have a clip posting next week that reviews a great course if you need to prep.
GREAT recommendations ! To be a "tour guide", we can not take others where we have not been. I can not be a tour guide for you to Tierra del Fuego, because I have never been. Thanks for sharing your experiences and thanks too for your seasoned advice. I am subscribing to your channel.
Joel, that's what I do as well. I like having everything with me on the plane because of the cost and fragile nature of the quads. I used to check the quad in the past but have stopped doing that because of the fear of loss or damage. Thanks for the post and I hope you enjoyed the clip. Rick
I've read once that a lipo bag is required. Is it true ? I intend to fly with my drone in a few days that's why I clicked on your video ! And by the way, thank you, it was very helpful! So do I need to buy a "lipo bag" and put my phantom 4's lithium-ion battery into it ? Can I have have two luggage with me? My backpack and my drone bag ? It depends on the airlines, right?
Damian, thanks for the post and you don't need a Lipo bag, it's just a good idea and safer to transport the batteries if you do. The one thing you do have to make sure of is that you eliminate the chance of the contacts shorting. If you don't have a Lipo bag, put a piece of tape over the terminals and put each of them in a ziploc bag. This will provide plenty of protection and help you whiz through security. For the next trip, I would suggest you pickup a Lipo bag for each of your cells, it just makes it safer to store and transport them, even locally. Heres a link on our site for the ones that fit the Phantom 4 cells - tinyurl.com/y6h4sofr. I will be posting a clip tomorrow on some battery basics so be sure to sub the channel or stop back for that one. Rick
Thumbs up ere' and great advice - I get this question many times and added it to my Playlists - I've subscribed to your channel - many thanks for sharing :-)
Shaun, Thanks for the comment and I'm glad it helped. I did the clip because its the most common question I get asked on this channel and the website. I'm hoping it helps clear up a bit of confusion. Happy flying!
You can check the drone and controller (in a hard case) and carry up to (2) of the batteries on the plane per person. If you're traveling alone be sure to call your airline and they may allow you to bring 3 along. Thanks for watching the clip and I'm glad that you enjoyed the clip and hope you sub the channel. Rick
I travel internationally for work frequently and have given up taking my drone as a carry on as people freak out at check in even thought I carry papers to show the drone is legal to carry. It just results in hassle and delay and I have almost missed my flights. Now I carry my drone in my checked in luggage in its DJI case and carry the batteries separately in their lipo bags which I find far easier.
I've been lucky with flying so far and haven't had any issues with taking it as a carry-on. The problem I have with checking it is that TSA sometimes will open the case and not put everything back carefully and I've had bent blades so now keep the kit close. Thanks for posting and watching.
I have a Yuneec Q500 4K. I recently went to California..and I was under the impression, I was not able to fly with the batteries, so I left my drone. I have 5400mAh Batteries. It reads 11.1V (59.9Wh) Does that mean that these batteries were admissible for flight?
The baggage hold is part of the same pressure vessel as the passenger compartment. Rapid depressurization is a potential hazard for LiPo batteries so you don't want them inaccessible. A fire onboard with access on the cabin is a manageable risk.
Thanks for the post and you're right that in modern aircraft the hold is pressurized, similar to the cabin. The temperature controls in the hold are not as great as the cabin (which drives Lipo technology crazy) and if a fire broke out, it would be hard to address it in flight. All of these are good reasons to insist on the Lipos being a carry-on item. Rick
Thanks for the information! I want to take my drone to Mexico (Los Cabos) and want to know if I can fly it without a data plan. I have a Samsung tablet with data and that's what I use in the US. Thanks!
Thanks for watching and posting. You'll be fine with most drones that only use Wifi for connecting to the quad. GPS doesn't require a data plan but some drone applications do use a data connection for upload flight data and drawing the maps. A good test would be to turn on "cellular data" on the tablet and try and fly the quad. That would simulate not having a data plan and you'll know for sure if it will work or not. Thanks for watching and be sure to sub the channel.
Flying with a Micro Drone (Tiny Whoop) was easy. I took two with me, had them in a hard case inside my backpack, had the 1.8Wh batteries all taped and in a lipo firebag, and my radio uses 4 x AA batteries, my FPV Goggles use an internal, non-removable LIPO so they gave it all a quick once-over and sent me on my way.
I purchased a drone on my last trip and used your method of not calling attention to myself through security and no one even questioned me about anything concerning the drone, it just wasn't an issue. Good video
Dean, I'm glad the clip was helpful and I travel a ton with my quads and really never have an issue. The ones that I have seen that were stopped by TSA were folks that made a big deal out of the quad going through Security. I leave it in the bag with the batteries and it just zips through the scanner and I'm on my way. Thanks for the post and I hope you stop back soon. Rick
Mark, thanks for keeping me honest and what I meant to say was that the temperature difference in the rear compartments (where luggage may end up) are typically not as temperature-controlled as the forward compartments where pets are normally kept. This change in temperature is bad for LiPo batteries and creates an unnecessary hazard. Thanks again for pointing that out. I'm hoping our comments help clarify the goof for people watching the clip. While the bottom line is the same, the reasons are different. Thanks, Rick
Thanks for the kind words and the bags we sell are designed for a single cell. There are larger bags that can fit a few cells but I'm not carrying them yet. Let me know if you think we should and I can order a case.
I went from Juneau, Alaska to Seattle no problems with my P4 with 4 batteries. From Seattle to Los Angeles no problem, but when I flew back from LAX TSA took everything out my Drone back pack ran it through scanners twice and ran a peace of like tape across the drone motors and top of of the drone. I guess to make sure that I did not have a bomb in my drone. Then patted me down twice. Everybody at LAX at the TSA lines where looking at me like I was some kind of threat, but then I flew back from LAX on 9-11 which I can see why. I'm wasn't upset at all because I want to protect myself and others who I fly with. They wanted to know what I was using my P4 for and I told them. So 45 minutes later I was on my way back home. By the way I flew with Alaska Airlines. By the Rick great video...
there's some things I agree with and things I don't. I some times strap my mini quadcopters to the outside of my bags. not to show off or anything but it's best for caring for them. less stuff in my bag the better so they don't get hung up on any thing in the bag like radio batteries or goggles.
Eric, I use a specialized hard case when I travel and that keeps the drone and all of the accessories tucked away nicely. My only concern with having the drone outside of the backpack is that it draws attention to the quad. Even though you might be doing everything right, attention is never a good thing at an airport and will cause delays. I know it's unfair but I am just relating my experience after flying more than a few million miles in the last few decades on United. Thanks for the post and I hope you stop back often. RIck
Easier to take a firearm on a plane than a drone ;-) (checked of course ) My mavic has an adapter that allows you to power phones/tablets, wonder if they'd let me take that fully charged? I know you have a mavic, have you come across this? We're flying to the UK in 2 weeks, just wondering... Love your channel :-)
many people like you advice to bring the drone in the plane but in the plane i need a bag for my laptop, my camera, my tablet, my hard drive, my papers, my food and some other useful or important things. where do you put your other things if you just bring the drone box in the plane? only one hand luggage is allowed + a laptop bag.
You should be OK but it's always a good idea to give the airline a call to make sure. You can also split them with someone you may be traveling with. Thanks for the post and be sure to sub the channel. Rick
Thanks for your clear and informative video. I'm flying to the USA from the UK soon. Will be taking my Mavic pro with me and follow your advice, hopefully have a trouble free passage through security.
I already carry a backpack that has a special compartment for my laptop. And, I usually take my police scanner, which has it's own small Pelican travel case. I now plan to take my new Mavic 2 Zoom along too. Since I bought the Fly More kit, that bag will also fit in my backpack too. I also carry my Bose headphones and iPad mini. I wonder, the next time I put that bag on the conveyor, what they are going to think! I do fly TSA Pre.
