RC India

Hi Guys, has anyone lately carried a drone ( dji mavic, spark, phantom etc etc) through dometic airport . Were there any issues you faced and how did you carry it through ? I want to carry dji air to goa from bangalore and back. Your views and advise will be really helpful.

No feedback? Anyone?

No personal experience, but from other similar posts I believe the best method is to post/courier it instead of carrying it...

So removing the propellers from my mavic air and putting them in check inluggage will help?

No idea.
I suggested post/courier, not check in baggage!

Sorting out a potential problem with check in baggage at the airport is probably too much of a hassle, and may take long enough to make you miss your flight.

Chances are that it will be stopped. 'Drone' is a sensitive subject currently...

My luggage was held last month even at Jammu Railway Station as there was about an inch of Whisky left in a bottle. They let me off "as a senior citizen", based, I guess on my ID/credentials!

Perhaps Speedpost is best...

No i meant i will keep the propellers in check in and drone folded in hand luggage. That way it's not a drone right?

We travel with our drones all the time within India. There is no problem as such. Most airports are now aware of drones and mavic anyway has a much smaller battery than what is legally allowed. (Less than 100 watt hour) You will have to put the aircraft in your checkin luggage and the batteries installed in the aircraft can go through checkin as well. Extra batteries can also go with the checkin baggage. Inform the checkin counter that you carrying a personal drone and there are batteries in your checkin luggage. They will guide you through. It’s an irony that in our country you can possess or carry a drone but can’t fly it...

Good luck.

Cool, Can i just carry it with my hand luggage without propellers. Wether check-in or hand baggage could it be impounded  by security?

I am taking it to goa and was planning to shoot some cool videos  where there is very less crowd

@saurabhsrivastavaa,

It would be of great help to members, if based on your experience, you could post (on a new thread)

1. What can be carried on domestic flights in (a) check in, (b) hand baggage
2. Precautions/limits for lipos
3. Checks at Railway Stations

Regards

I would suggest get it checked in. Security check guys may object to it in hand luggage.
The best thing is to declare it at the checkin counter and take their suggestion. We carry our drones in flight cases. Currently I am in Cochin (Vagamon) and carried my drone from Mumbai.
Only concern are the batteries. But since your batteries would be under specified limits, it won’t be a problem.

Awesome I will check with the people at check-in counter and hope they won't impound it lol. But if that works out nothing better then that. Thanks allot and yes like Mr iyer said we need a post where experienced people like you can share their knowledge and experiences. One last doubt can the security check guys confiscate it? I was planning to tell them it's a camera in case they ask me.

@Iyer sir,
Sure will do that once I get a little more time on my hand.
For the time being please note that carrying drone in domestic flights is NOT BANNED or Illegal.
However, bigger lipos can and will create problems at all metropolitan airports.
Any battery higher than 100watt hour is not allowed in civil aircrafts (neither checked in nor hand carry)
As we travel professionally for shoots, we have specific flight cases which are designed for traveling by air.
Personal drones can surely be carried in checked baggage. Just need to declare at the counter and take their advise on batteries.
However, all our batteries go only through checked baggage with fragile tags and unmounted. And through OOG (oversized baggage) in case of bigger drones.

@Pushpinder,
Security check personnel (CISF) will surely ask you to open your baggage and show them the drone. They might identify it as a restricted item to be hand carried. But why take a chance?
Most of the CISF officials are now aware of the drones. Fooling them or even trying to, might make things complicated.

It's costly and I don't want it to break :(. I dnt have a big hard case but a small one that comes along. but I think I will fit it in my check in baggage wrapped in towels.

If it fits in your luggage, go ahead... that’s your best shot.

Please do not presume that the security guys are stupid.

If you are following the current discussions about laws to allow/control model flying in India, you'd know that cameras are are a big NoNo.

Cool will keep u guys posted. Have my flight in 5 hrs lol

Be careful while flying drones in Goa. Goan Police are very much aware of all drones including the newer Mavics  and Inspires. Many tourists from abroad have got into trouble flying drones in Goa.
As per the current situation, you need to inform the local police and seek their approval of any drone activity that you may intend to carry. It is not easy to get permissions to fly legally anywhere in India.

Good luck and have a safe trip.

Shit. Can u suggest a nice isolated beach/ place I can fly for a short time?

@Saurabh
Followed your advice and everything went well and smooth. Declared the drone at check-in. Marked the bag Fragile . Apparently you are not allowed to keep the batteries in check-in so carried it along (3 batteries) . Was never questioned by security check officials. Hope everything will go as smooth while returning. Will create a post on my over all experience when I am back.
Cheers and thanks bro

That’s great... !
Good luck and fly safe ! 👍🏼

I presume you are back. Could you please share your experience?

While importing hobby stuff, I find that check-in luggage are cleared very easily when compared to parcels.(via international airports).However,I don't know about domestic airports.

Hey man, can you share your experience in regards to Drone going through custom. And where did you shoot any footages in Goa?

Sorry for the late post. Got busy with work . Anyways here is my experience: while leaving from Bangalore followed Saurabh's advice , packed my mavic air in check-in luggage declared it at airline's ticket counter and got that baggage marked fragile, carried all three batteries and controler in my hand baggage faced no issues at all. One other thing that I did was that I dismantled the propellers and packed them in a separate case along with extra propellers . While coming back I followed the same procedure but this time I didn't declare it instead just asked them to mark it fragile as I was also carrying liquid in another check-in luggage. So two check in luggage both marked fragile . Arrived home with no issues and everything intact. I did get chance to shoot in goa where there was less public and police like Anjuna beach but had to be cautious and that did take away that fun experience. I also flew it around my regular shack in calangute beach but it started getting attention on other occasions my wife wouldn't let me fly it as she didn't wanted us to get in trouble or loose an expensive toy lol. To sum it up it was a pleasant experience but could have been more fun if I had time to explore some  good and peaceful beaches. May be next time.hope this helps you guys.

@Pushpinder3d , that is great to hear. I am also flying to Goa at the end of April. Will be staying in Goa Beach Hotel so hopefully I will get to fly without getting locked up in Singham's Police station.

Which drone are you planning to bring along? Goa police and guards are aware of bigger drones like phantom , i did hear that they even fly them some times to track drug dealers and all but didnt get to see any. Fly only where there are less people and guards around just to be safe.

From which airline you travel through to goa??

I am actually even returning back from goa to gujrat in next to next month. And i am travelling through indigo airlines!

Is it allowed too to travel with a drone in indigo domestic flight??

Hope you can help me with this!

I read this full blog and found it helpfull! Thanks!

Really helpful post. People generally feel lazy to update once their problem is solved. Thanks a lot.