How do you travel with a drone on a plane?

Most drones are powered with lithium-ion batteries and are required by the FAA to be stored in your carry-on baggage. I say “most”…to know for sure you'll need to know the watt hours of your battery. If your battery is 100 watts or less, place them in a plastic bag, battery case, or sleeve in your camera bag.



People Also Ask

Batteries rated for 101 to 160 watt hours Batteries installed in a drone are acceptable as well as up to two spare batteries in your carry-on. These batteries installed in a drone are also able to be checked, again with airline approval. However, spare batteries of this size cannot be packed in checked baggage.

MORE DETAILS

American Airlines passengers are allowed to travel with drones. However, the drone's battery must not exceed 160-watt-hours. Passengers may take a drone as carry on luggage if it or its box is less than 22 x 14 x 9 inches / 56 x 36 x 23 centimeters in size.

MORE DETAILS

Yes, you can take a drone on a plane — but there are a few rules. As DJI explains, yes you can take a drone on a plane as either a piece of carry-on luggage, or as a piece of checked luggage, depending on its size. But, no matter what, you must take out the drone's batteries and put those in your carry-on bag.

MORE DETAILS

You must fly your drone at or below 400 feet in Class G (uncontrolled) airspace. 4. You need to have authorization using LAANC or DroneZone before flying at or below FAA-authorized altitudes in Class B, C, D, and E controlled airspace.

MORE DETAILS

Spare (uninstalled) lithium ion and lithium metal batteries, including power banks and cell phone battery charging cases, must be carried in carry-on baggage only. With airline approval, passengers may also carry up to two spare larger lithium ion batteries (101–160 Wh) or lithium metal batteries (2-8 grams).

MORE DETAILS

Batteries allowed in carry-on baggage include: • Dry cell alkaline batteries: typical AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt, button-sized cells, etc. consumer-sized lithium ion batteries (up to 100 watt hours per battery).

MORE DETAILS

Delta Airlines At this time of writing, there are no policies or rules in regard to having a drone on any of Delta's planes in regard to their Restricted Items list.

MORE DETAILS

A: The bags are scanned for security, not specifically for lithium batteries. If you leave a lithium battery in your bag it will travel with you. It is safer for the battery to be in the cabin so that if a thermal runaway occurs the cabin crew can deal with it.

MORE DETAILS

Lithium batteries can catch fire
While not all batteries are prohibited in checked luggage, lithium batteries are considered hazardous and should not be packed in checked bags. If a lithium battery overheats and catches fire inside the cargo hold, the fire can quickly spread and become difficult to control.

MORE DETAILS