Welcome DJI Spark Pilot!
Jump in and join our free Spark community today!
Sign up

Travel

wlo5e

New Member
Join
Jul 19, 2018
Messages
2
Age
88
Has anybody had any issues with airport security when traveling with their Spark?
 
You can not put any batteries in checked luggage - they must be carried on. Discharge them to 30% or less. Cover metal contacts with electrical tape to avoid short circuit. Put each in separate zip lock bag. Avoid metallic lipo battery bags because they make it look more dangerous and attract attention.

Spark is small enough that I just tell them it's a "toy drone". There's plenty of other instructions on FAA and web sites but the above info is most relevant

If you are flying out of country check their drone laws first. Customs is a whole different issue
 
Thanks Andre. I haul 'wretched' around in a portable power pack and case. I can see nothing but grief for a lousy 1hr flight. Looks like I'll be driving.
 
I travel a lot with my Spark. You don't need to do anything special, but they do need to be in your carry-on luggage. I travel with the Spark and 3 batteries, one installed on Spark and the other 2 in the foam slots in the case. All batteries are fully charged and have never had any issues. I do tell TSA that I have a small drone and they've never said a thing.

Think about it...we travel all the time with laptops, cell phones, cameras, etc. that all have lithium batteries and never think twice.

Good luck.
 
I went to US->England->Ireland->Canada->US recently and nobody batted an eye at it. Everything carried on in a backpack with a SLR sitting next to it. The Spark was in one of those self charging cases DJI sells with the associated soft case around it. Security wanted to open the backpack up sometimes because it just looks like a big mass of electronics but mostly they seemed interested in the camera lens, like maybe the tube might have something in it. I think it got opened two flights and swabbed for explosives one flight and ignored one flight. That's about normal for when I just have the SLR flying domestic. And that's with pre-check, they just love that SLR.

I had six Spark batteries, 4 SLR batteries, and the charging unit, AND I had a hefty USB charger. I did get one guy in Scotland asking me if I was a professional photographer and I said I'd worked as one but on this trip it was just for fun. Turns out he shoots the occasional wedding and figured that'd why I had so many batteries with me and was basically just curious.

Oh and one guy thought it was hilarious I had a ton of Curly Wurlies in the bag. What, it's a long flight.

Never volunteered that I have a drone, nobody asked if it was a drone, nobody ever wanted to open its little case, in short nobody cared. I think they know you're not going to be stupid enough to fire up a drone inside a plane and if you were your fellow passengers would hit the call button and the crew would deal with it. They don't seem to consider it worth caring about.
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
14,593
Messages
118,799
Members
17,988
Latest member
Detlef