How efficient are they at checking the battery levels when you carry on and go through customs?  Do they have to be at 30% or is 50% or less acceptable.  I store my batteries at 50% and am wondering if i need to run them down a bit before i go or whether that level is aceeptable.  Do they even check the levels?

Thanks

50 -60% should be fine.  USA FAA rules stipulate that battery max should be 100 Wh or less--does not address current battery level.  Phantom 3 batteries are 76 Wh.  I don't know what the Aussie rules are.

50 -60% should be fine.  USA FAA rules stipulate that battery max should be 100 Wh or less--does not address current battery level.  Phantom 3 batteries are 76 Wh.  I don't know what the Aussie rules are.

I'm lost as to why a battery level would matter. I assume it's all about the likelihood of explosion or fire, which surely could occur regardless of the amount of charge. I'd be interested to be enlightened here.

Punchbuggy Posted at 2017-3-6 14:27 I'm lost as to why a battery level would matter. I assume it's all about the likelihood of explosion or fire, which surely could occur regardless of the amount of charge. I'd be interested to be enlightened here.

Battery storage level has more to do with a battery's health, not safty. But I wouldn't want one fully charged either, on my plane. Consider yourself enlightened.[image not found]

disregard my note on battery level charge requirements.  I looked again at the FAA docs on this and could not locate the charge level so now i am not sure where i got that figure from.  Certainly the Watt hours are of primary concern.  Now i am not so concerned about taking them on board at my normal storage levels.

Cheers

Aussie4220 Posted at 2017-3-6 17:04
disregard my note on battery level charge requirements.  I looked again at the FAA docs on this and could not locate the charge level so now i am not sure where i got that figure from.  Certainly the Watt hours are of primary concern.  Now i am not so concerned about taking them on board at my normal storage levels.

Cheers

Yeah, I did wonder. I checked CASA (Australia) guidelines and they only specify watt-hours (Wh), as you mentioned. Batteries below 100 Wh are fine as in-cabin luggage (the P4P high capacity is 89 Wh).

As you say, all good.

You are fine with your battery level. Airports don't check and you will be okay. Just remember to pack tons of portable chargers!

No airport security people will ever check your battery levels and no airline dangerous goods website has any mention of battery levels for your carry-on batteries.
But forums continue to perpetuate the myths around this.
This comes from an IATA directive for carrying bulk lots of batteries in freight planes - not passengers carrying a couple of personal use batteries.

The explosions of battery packs in phones and more recently lap tops, most commonly occurred during a charging cycle.

But then we have also seen phone batteries go up in flames, while bring carried, in a pocket by the owner.
You would think, a well drained flight pack would be safer to transport, on a plane, but there are no guarantees.

Each airline will have their own stipulations. Best to call ahead, for assurance.

RedHotPoker

thank you for the responses, it has helped and i am feeling a little more confident in taking my gear aboard and not being subjected to any hassles from battery levels etc.    Going to the snow so it will be my first flight in the cold, have looked at numerous tutorials regarding this and will head their advice regarding keeping the batteries warm and allowing the drone to hover for a couple of minutes in order to warm up the installed battery.

Aussie4220 Posted at 2017-3-7 19:30
thank you for the responses, it has helped and i am feeling a little more confident in taking my gear aboard and not being subjected to any hassles from battery levels etc.    Going to the snow so it will be my first flight in the cold, have looked at numerous tutorials regarding this and will head their advice regarding keeping the batteries warm and allowing the drone to hover for a couple of minutes in order to warm up the installed battery.

If it gets too cold, you can always fly, using the onboard flight SIM. ;-)

The SIM is also a great way to drain your flight packs.


RedHotPoker

cheers, i will keep that in mind