RC India

Guys,I have an aunt carrying a lipo for me from the USA.I've been reading online and everyone says that they should be in the carry on(cabin) baggage.How many of you have traveled with lipos on international flights and what have your experiences been?It would help me a lot.I don't want her to be hassled by airport security.

You should've asked her to carry a better RC product than just Lipos..... :giggle:... they are now easily available here too. You may request her to carry a good quality FPV camera or eye gears....or something which is better and cheaply available in US.

 :thumbsup: just a suggestion.

I don't have any experience travelling with Lipos, but I think one can travel with LiPos and you are right about it being in the cabin bag.
http://safetravel.dot.gov/documents/airline_passengers_and_batteries.pdf
They determine by lithium content if its allowed or not.
Small ones like 3S 2200 should be OK

@asinghatiya:I'm a car guy.Our lipos are somehwat expensive over here.FPV would've been worse.

@rajamastana:There is also a limitation on the power of the pack.I think the limit is 100 Wh.My lipos are going to be 37 Wh.That won't be a problem.I've found a table which says that it is safe to carry lipos on board.I'll send the link so that she can show it if needed.

Thanks for the suggestions guys.Keep them coming. :)

Oh.. I didnt know that, but still FPV on cars i guess would be more interesting ....reaching to unreachable places...... >:D >:D

It sure would be fun.But will require lots of changes.

Hey post the link here too for refrence.

100WH limit is when you multiply the AH of the battery with its voltage.  And the guidelines specify that the connectors are sealed with tape, so as to prevent any possibility of shorting.

This is the table.

http://safetravel.dot.gov/quick_chart.html

Our batteries are regarded as lithium-ion from what I read.If they're rechargeable,they are considered as lithium ion batteries.So with this table in her hand,she should get through incase of any trouble right?Eitherway,the website is associated with the TSA.

I once carried a 2 "3" ch helis from Delhi and the management at the airport said to put it in check in Baggage only as the cabin baggage checking guys will throw it away.
I put it the heli (with a li-po and a li-ion battery each) and i put it in the check in baggage and got it safely in Goa

Well,I just sent links(to my aunt) to two documents that show that my lipos are allowed on planes.The first one says that lipos and Li ion batteries are similar.(this fits in with the next link).This also gives the formula to calculate the wh rating of the battery.Since it already has the specs on it,it should be easy for anyone(even the dumbest security guard  >:D ) to get the wh rating of the battery.

http://safetravel.dot.gov/definitions.html#lithium_ion

The next one says that lipos(or Li ion batteries)should be carried on in the cabin.This leaves no room for any problems whatsoever 8) .The guys can't question her anymore and my lipos are on the way! ;D

http://safetravel.dot.gov/quick_chart.html

Also,the authenticity of these documents is proved in the .gov domain.There should be absolutely no problem carrying it on with these documents right?I don't see any way they can stop the lipos getting on the plane  ;D .

What do you guys think?

Hey guys,any opinions?

I guess you shouldnt have problems with the docs.

cool.

once i had a problem when i was going to Tel-a-viv with lipo! got held up by scanning crew at Delhi and started to ask "what it is and it dosen't look like battery,and i need to cease this item"
reason it was not looking like battery , it dosen't had wire's and mainly it was sealed into fiberglass case!
at last my boss showed his ex-serviceman card and convinced him,than only they allowed!

So,do they expect the batteries to have wires or not?If they do,I'll just have them plugged in,if they don't,they wont be plugged in.And a simple explanation that can be given is that the wires aren't plugged in during transport to avoid damage to the wires.(bending et cetera)

no no that was my one experience ! prior to that and after that i have carried lipos all over India and also my friends and relatives have brought me lipo many times from US without any problems!

well,good to hear.Thanks for sharing your experience :thanks: .Gives me more confidence that my lipos will arrive without any problems.

In India, you are better off carrying batteries in checked in baggage. They are more worried about something being assembled in the cabin and you will be asked to check them in or throw them away.

I have carried lipos in checked in baggage from US and haven't had any problems. If you keep them in cabin luggage, they will go through scrutiny at transit airports too where the policies might be different. With checked in baggage if it gets past the first security check, you are not likely to be bothered for the rest of the travel. Atleast that was my logic and it has worked so far. As for minimising risk, make sure you don't carry charged lipos.

It is partly dependent on your luck. Though TSA written rule says that it should be in cabin baggage and not checked in, it primarily depends on the disposition of the person checking your bag,  as proven by experiences(available online) of several travellers.
At many instances, LiPos in carry on were confiscated and thrown out, even when the passenger showed the TSA information page print outs that they had with them.
Due to this, though they mention that spare batteries shouldn't be carried in checked in baggage, I transported 7 LiPos(3 *3s, 1*6S, 3*2s) in my checked in baggage on my last trip from US to India. I had all of them put in a LiPO Safe bag and they arrived safely here in India. TSA had inspected my suitcase, 'cos they left the inspection slip. Maybe I was just lucky :)

So it depends, just trust your luck and take the chance

Read these links and you'd see experiences have quite a variety..
http://www.rcmf.co.uk/4um/index.php?topic=72629.0

I wouldn't suggest her to check it in because of the baggage handlers.Also,the guys at airport security don't even put the stuff back properly if they open bags.


How about I tell her to call a senior TSA official at the airport incase of a problem?They should go with directives right?

PS:If they are in a lipo safe bag in the cabin baggage,would the guys allow them?One can say that there is no risk of shorting out when it is in the bag.

Yes but sadly, these are debatable occasions where you realise that not following written rules are a pattern not just in our country :'(

May be the securiy guys are scared that if something happens, it might fall on their heads and this opinion varies from person to person.

In one of the links I read, a person travelled with LiPos in the carry on in his onward interstate journey in US, but they were confiscated on the return.

I would say trust your luck, blindly  ;D

alright.If I decide to tell her to check it in,I'll tell her to have a small bag with this stuff in it.If they open a bag with lots of stuff just for this,it would be a PITA.Or I'll tell her to go with the directive and keep the battery in its original packaging inside the lipo bag.I'll have her tape the terminals as well.

Either way, best of luck ji  :thumbsup:
 Let us know how it turns out

Sure.

You should be saying best of luck dude.I'm just a 15 year old kid.  ;D

Well, then best of luck kidji  ;)

lol

Got my stuff today.Survived the transit from Cedar Rapids,Iowa-->.....-->Pune to Bangalore.

I made sure that female relatives carried it all along the way  

http://s1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff461/Gandhar1/aaa/?action=view&current=IMG_0348.jpg

[Moderator note:I split this topic into a new thread.]

http://www.rcindia.org/batteries-and-chargers/got-my-lipos(finally)/   <---- (if you want more info on the battery,post in this thread.)

RC Experts,

any advice on how many LiPo batteries spare allowed in carry-on/check-in baggage USA to India-Chennai via Frankfurt-Europe?

I have some FYI links from TSA.gov and tonnes of internet posts, but need real experiences, which I can get only here  :)

So, I can plan on carrying these for MERV, ERevo 1/16 model and would be buying 2S, per advice on my other posts.

MERV already has Ni batteries, so thic should be considered as well when carrying MERV.

Thanks in Advance,

MM

Would you be able to share the details on how many allowed in carryone Vs checkin and other details?

does anyone here has an experience travelling with lipo batteries in domestic flights ?
if yes, then please share your experience with me. :help:

i want to carry 2x 2200mah 11.1v
and a 3000mah 11.1v

Always travel with Lipo. But in Checked in baggage. Never cabin baggage. 

ok so, i have to carry them in my hand baggage in international flight.

Who said hand baggage? Checked in baggage.

no no, i can check-in in India, but i have to carry it along in international flight as per their regulations.

http://safetravel.dot.gov/larger_batt.html
also read
http://safetravel.dot.gov/definitions.html#elc

beyond 25 gms ELC (equivalent lithium content is forbidden)

read through and submit your understanding

read that, couldnt get it in my head

Have carried both domestic and international flights, multiple times, no issues

tell me how?

i want to carry 2x 2200mah 11.1v
and a 3000mah 11.1v

let me tell you my experience of recent times (a week ago). From Hyde to Pune bag opened and quized at hyde, Pune to Mumbai no issues, Mum to Goa bag retained at Mum without any reason, had to explain on phone as to it is harmless and much less than max permitted, had to fax credentials, local naval officer intervened got the bag after two days. goa to jamnagar via mumbai once again had to go the basement to explain, this time one lady let me go, jam to delhi no issues, delhi to hyde once again had to go down to the basement and explain, all i had was 2x22oo mah till mumbai and picked 2x6000 mah at mumbai.

with this experience i am in a quandary whether to carry the lipo or courier it to the destination

Thanks Gusty for pointing that out.

By that defenition of lithium content you can't carry more than 22000mah of lipo in flight.

May be I have been lucky all this while because I have been carrying in few numbers close to that mah only.

Courier zindabad from now on!!!! Courier too has similar rules now a days. They dont even take electronic items if you declare. Only DTDC allows surface courier where rules are relaxed but takes more than 15 days inside india outside not possible.

2200 mah above edited later to 22000mah

Whats happened to my maths skills  ;D

2200/1000x11.1=24.5 wh

100wh=8gms lithium

25gms lithium max so infact you can still carry 2200×4×3=26400mah before you touch 25gms lithium max limit.

I believe one would have a tough time explaining that maths to authorities.  :giggle:  :giggle:

Smaller 6cell Laptop battery is 4800mah. larger ones with 18.5Volts and higher capacity say 6000mah.

6000/1000x18.5= 111wh (approx 8gms plus lithium) thats one laptop. people carry two laptops or even three.

Gusty's harrowing experience is real. Need of the hour is for everyone to be well informed I believe.

Guys don't get wrong ideas with my experience though. Because mostly I have been lucky due to the perks of the job I am currently in and 90% security personnel are Ex. I carry mostly in checked in baggage. Unlike other guys I am already ready on the other side of the scanner anticipating their reaction. I have been always asked to open and show all the contents. Since apart from Lipos the electronic parts, spares and wires in the content paint such a scary picture in the x ray scanner. Mostly it ends up in a quick tutorial on aero-modelling and hobby flying and what purpose it is used for, that I am travelling for some airshow( which is mostly not the case when I carry on my leave station for just fun fly). Surprisingly in contradiction to my earlier contention, 60% of the time I have not yet had to declared my identity. They make special entries on their charts highlighting peculiar content in the luggage. Mostly I have been questioned is that "are you from electronic industry" for which mostly I have agreed stating my job profile involves wk in electronics which is actually not the case at all  ;D. Then the baggage is then checked in.

I dont know if its airline or country specific but on my way back from the US (Air India), I was asked to move batteries (including dry cells) at the checkin counter to cabin baggage... the reason they gave for this sounded most sensible..."In case something goes wrong, we will have higher chances of detecting a problem mid flight and be able to help. Whereas if you put it in checked in baggage it is hard to know if something goes wrong".

Cant really say about the limits of Li.

http://airsafe.com/issues/baggage/batteries.htm

Sorry 2 Bump this old thread ...But was looking for a similar topic
So would be travelling with my Thunder Tiger E-MTA 1/8 Scale from Mumbai 2 Madurai, Spicejet Airlines.
Would be getting a hard case bag to pack my truck and would put it on the check in luggage.
Now i have never ever traveled with a Lipo Battery, reading this topic itself has so many different answers...
So whats the best way 2 travel with a Lipo battery ? Check in luggage ? cabin luggage ? or should i courier it ?
5200mah 7.4v x2 would be what i will ne carrying along.
If courier is the option then is it ok to tell them that its a lipo ?

Keep lipos in hand baggage. But radio should be in the check in baggage as its not allowed onboard the cabin. Also cover the lipo connector with tape or something.

I carried
2x10000mah 6s
6x 5000mah 6s
And almost 7x 2000mah and others
In a single box in lipo safe bags

In domestic flights more than 3 or 4 times
Without any problem.. while checking they may ask you to open the bag..
But no issuess

^ u carried them n check in luggage or cabin luggage ?

did u get the lipo without any problem