Traveling with R/C's - Anybody do this?

[soze]

I've always wondered what the rules and regulations are around traveling with R/C's. In this particular case.... airline flights.

I'd like to bring a crawler with me on some of my trips, but I don't know what the rules are around carrying a transmitter or LiPo batteries on flights, etc.

Anyone travel with r/c's? What are your tips if you do?

 

[sherbs]

Most guys going to Snowbirds Race in FL either UPS or have someone who is driving bring their cars. Others say they have to put them in a checked bag not carry on. Never heard anything about bringing Lipo's or if they buy them when they arrive.

 

[ninja turtle]

Here’s a couple thread on this topic. They are several more, this is just what came up with a quick search of “traveling”.

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/chit-chat/602200-traveling-crawler-lipo.html

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/electronics/571838-traveling-lipos-need-help.html

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/electronics/564153-traveling-hawaii-lipos-need-help.html

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/newbie-general/441016-traveling-rcs.html

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/electronics/380090-traveling-lipo-batteries.html

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/general-crawlers/362093-traveling.html

 

[soze]

Here’s a couple thread on this topic. They are several more, this is just what came up with a quick search of “traveling”.

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/chit-chat/602200-traveling-crawler-lipo.html

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/electronics/571838-traveling-lipos-need-help.html

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/electronics/564153-traveling-hawaii-lipos-need-help.html

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/newbie-general/441016-traveling-rcs.html

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/electronics/380090-traveling-lipo-batteries.html

http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/general-crawlers/362093-traveling.html

Thanks for that. I usually am good about searching... just had a rushed derp moment.

 

[Jim85IROC]

I just took one of my RCs with me on a recent trip to CA for work. I brought my Barrage because its smaller size was much more luggage-friendly. All of my batteries were put into a lipo bag and added to my carry-on luggage.

I also brought a handful of tools and some upgrade parts, and ended up working on the truck in my hotel room for fun.

 

[soze]

^ That's exactly what I wanted to do.

So I guess we've established it's ok flying around in the states. I guess it would be YMMV if you fly internationally. (I did have an air duster for camera lenses confiscated in Germany, because they said it looked like a bomb.)

 

[Jim85IROC]

Lipo batteries are so common that all the airlines have a pretty standard set of rules. Most say that it's got to be in a lipo fire bag, and each battery needs to be individually wrapped/separated to eliminate the potential for shorts. I put each of my lipos into a separate ziplock bag inside of the lipo pouch. I had a bunch of batteries because I brought some of my video gear with me, which all have lithium batteries too. On my way out I went right through TSA without issue. On the way back they decided to open up the lipo bag and have a look around, handed it all to me to re-assemble, and then sent me on my way.

Since the truck itself was in checked baggage, it was a non-issue.

 

[furadi]

As a drone racer I travel quite a bit around the world with lipos and tools. Most of the basics have been covered. Most guidelines have specific requirements for carrying lipos but I have yet to come across a security agent in any country that really knew what they were looking at. After my first trip in 2015 I stopped putting my lipos in lipo bags or wrapping the connectors. They literally don't know the difference. Usually get through with all my tools ok including drivers, a soldering iron, snips and scissors. I think the cutting tools have to be under 3". Only time I've had an issue was going through hong kong in route to thailand. They have stricter rules on tools so I lost my cutters and my drivers. No issues going in our out of Dubai, Canada, the UK or anywhere in the US.

 

[robert@castle]

I carried my crawler on with me when I went to Alaska. Fit perfectly in the overhead bin. I had all of my tools, radio, and batteries in my backpack just in case they wanted me to power it on or take it apart. They didn't hassle me at all, but did always ask if it was for a lucky nephew. Tools had to be less than 7" so I undid the handle on my only one that was over the limit and collapsed it down on itself to be safe. Lipo's were in a bag with a heat shrink cover on every plug.

 

[nightcrawler48]

Something I've done that might work for travelling with RC batteries. I have a "bench test" battery I throw in my tool drawer and to reduce the chance of shorting across the connector I do this -

For my example, I'm using a Deans. Take some head shrink tube, in this case 1/8" diameter. Cut about 1/8" longer than the tab the wire is normally soldered to. Heat shrink in place.

Cut a 1/2" piece of heat shrink so it extends about 1/8" beyond the heat shrink tube from the step above. Heat shrink in place.

Plug in to battery.

Adjust the process to suit the battery connectors you are using.

 

[Frank211]

Kinda off topic, but
traveling with those smoking pen thing-ma bobs , i think those are worse than your lipo batterys, cuz apparently, one went off(fire) the other day above the overhead compartment.... I never seen a lipo or heard of one blowing up in your pocket, or your overhead compartment. Apparently lipos are a lil safer now.

 

[furadi]

Kinda off topic, but
traveling with those smoking pen thing-ma bobs , i think those are worse than your lipo batterys, cuz apparently, one went off(fire) the other day above the overhead compartment.... I never seen a lipo or heard of one blowing up in your pocket, or your overhead compartment. Apparently lipos are a lil safer now.

Vape batteries are li-ion which are inherently safe compared to lipos. Usually when a vape catches fire it's user error. I saw the article about the one that vented in the overhead compartment. I'm guessing the way the bag was placed in the bin activated the firing mechanism on the vape. Held long enough it would just cause the battery to vent.

 

[alexleblanc]

I brought one of my rigs with me to Hawaii last March, I packed the rig in a pelican case with everything except for the batteries that I forgot!! No issue back and forth but I did have a hell of a time finding batteries while there. Found some shop in Hilo that was pretty much some dudes private shop/collection in the back of a muffler shop that hooked me up with a battery - made it through most of that pack when my rear driveshaft snapped..... tons of grip in that lava rock!

All in all it proved to be more of a pain in the butt to haul it there but no problems with the authorities.