Air travel with copters.

[dolby]

I'm wondering what kind of things to expect traveling with my multi rotor? I have a Pelican 1510 (FAA approved size carry on) and reading over the rules only 8gram lipo batteries are allowed? http://safetravel.dot.gov/documents/airline_passengers_and_batteries.pdf

How do you travel with your mutlirotor? My copter is a heavy lifter and will be using 2 5000mah 4s so they are way over the max weight allowed. So do they give you any greif about the props?

 

[dolby]

Found the answer to my question. It's not the actual weight of the battery they are talking about its the amount of Lithium. I found a nice math example from Fedex... So I should be good

5000 mAh / 1000 = 5 Ah
5 Ah x 0.3gm = 1.5 grams per cell
1.5 grams/cell x 4 cells = 6 total grams

Reading the guidelines I posted above... if its under 8grams of lithium per battery you can take as many as you want. If its larger than 8 grams you can only bring 2.

I just wonder how well the TSA knows this. Any one have experience with being hassled?

 

[Droider]

MM.. Just starting to pack my kit for next week.. best go check out my airlines restrictions..

Bart can you shed any light on airlines rules

Dave

 

[swisser]

The UK CAA rules are as follows:

Lipos up to 100 Wh (e.g. 3S 2200maH LIPO = 27.72 Wh) must be carried in hand luggage and in original packaging or with insulated terminals (e.g. tape). No limit on quantity, up to allowable hand luggage weight.

A battery inside the device (i.e. your copter) can be in hand luggage OR in checked baggage, with size limits as above. Spares must never be put in checked baggage.

Lipos over 100 Wh but less than 160 Wh must be in hand luggage, in original packaging or with insulated terminals, and no more than 2 of them.

Reference for the CAA is here: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/1219/srg_dgo_WhatCanICarry20100416.pdf

Might be worth printing that out and taking it with you.

My understanding of the US FAA rules is as above for the UK, but you can take up to two 100 to 300 Wh as well as one in the copter, rather than the limit of 160 Wh. I have heard it said that each battery must be in its own insulating safety pouch, though have seen contradictions of this too.

 

[Droider]

Thats what I just love about this forum.. Thanks Swisser.. great find

Dave

 

[Explorocam]

Any updates on this info?
I may be taking a trip to Mongolia in the summer and bringing a hex with me. I'm wondering about the Lipo on planes thing in 2013.

 

[gtranquilla]

While one might expect these regulations to be similar between all airlines and countries such that e.g., one could return with the same batteries, some homework might be worthwhile.
Return trip from a foreign country via the same airline should be least problematic.
Here are the Canadian regulations for comparison:
http://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/Page.a...teries_ConseilsRelatifsAuxPiles&lang=en#chart

The Dreamliner was developed c/w lithium battery UPS to reduce weight and increase efficiency but then they grounded one due to a battery fire and since have switched back to NiCds.
And now there is a new hybrid vehicle coming out of South Korea powered by lithium polymer batteries!!!!!!
I am not sure I could sleep at night with that vehicle parked inside my garage overnight while recharging..... but I would not be surprised if there is already electrical and/or building code regulations ruling against that option.

 

[Explorocam]

I just looked over the link gtranquilla sent me and it says that batteries cannot exceed 100-160Wh. Now that to me sounds huge, until you dig further and realize what they mean is the spare batteries cannot exceed 1 to 1.6 Watt hours. This is a very small battery capable of getting our multi-rotor off the ground.

Anyone ever try shipping batteries outside of Canada? Say Mongolia?
May have to build a Gas Heli.

 

[gtranquilla]

We can still ship LiPos into Canada from USA but not from Hong Kong. These might fall under a hazmat category.

I flew in to Canada from Arizona just after Christmas c/w one 4S - 5000 mah LiPo battery w/o realizing these batteries might be restricted. Battery was packed in stowed luggage. No checks until I arrived in Calgary Canada when random check was done for an individual just behind me! Not sure what would have happened after landing at destination if they had checked my luggage for LiPo batteries. Just lucky that time I guess. Many developing world countries likely don't have much in place for these kind of detailed checks but may be focused more on drug smuggling.

 

[Explorocam]

We can still ship LiPos into Canada from USA but not from Hong Kong. These might fall under a hazmat category.

I flew in to Canada from Arizona just after Christmas c/w one 4S - 5000 mah LiPo battery w/o realizing these batteries might be restricted. Battery was packed in stowed luggage. No checks until I arrived in Calgary Canada when random check was done for an individual just behind me! Not sure what would have happened after landing at destination if they had checked my luggage for LiPo batteries. Just lucky that time I guess. Many developing world countries likely don't have much in place for these kind of detailed checks but may be focused more on drug smuggling.

I'm having some trouble finding info about all this and how I'll ship batteries to Mongolia. Found one site that seems to suggest that Mongolia doesn't permit the shipment of batteries into Mongolia. This sounds completely stupid to me. I know they have battery operated things in Ulaanbaatar. I must be missing something.