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TSA

$1200.00 in batteries down the drain! Man i would have missed the flight and shipped them. Crazy! Why would you just walk away from that?????
thats why i dont fully believe it. who wouldn't walk away from a few hundred dollar flight to save $1200 in battery. lol FAIL much
 
Thanks for sharing the story - I'll be much more careful in any travel plans with the batteries. Very sorry for your bad experience.
 
I think the race factor need not be introduced in a technical forum personally. Again I think the idea behind the forum was to openly discuss issues regarding the Inspire, relate experiences and share footage etc. As also mentioned you cannot travel with more than two TB48s as they are more than 100 Wh which is probably why they were confiscated.
 
Sounds like this is a case of the TSA agent being a complete d*(k.
I flew with 4 47's on Westjet from Calgary to Vancouver. I actually took them out of the case before I checked the baggage and put them in my bookbag (carry-on) while talking with an agent about the aircraft. No issues whatsoever. I did ensure that they were completely depleted and showed him how we check that...
Still...that sucks Slim.
 
Sounds like this is a case of the TSA agent being a complete d*(k.
I flew with 4 47's on Westjet from Calgary to Vancouver. I actually took them out of the case before I checked the baggage and put them in my bookbag (carry-on) while talking with an agent about the aircraft. No issues whatsoever. I did ensure that they were completely depleted and showed him how we check that...
Still...that sucks Slim.
You can fly with that many 47s. I do all the time.
 
I work for a major airline in the U.S., and just looked up the limitations regarding carriage of larger lithium ion batteries in our operation manual. Most of what joola posted above is correct and seems to be the same chart in our manual, however the 160 watt hour limitation applies to outside the U.S. only, otherwise its 100-300 Wh per battery. So based on DOT regs (49 CFR Sec. 175.10):

Passenger may carry 1 larger lithium ion battery installed in a device plus up to 2 larger lithium ion batteries that have from 8 - 25 grams of equivalent lithium content (~100-300 Wh). Each installed battery or spare battery must comply with the following: for a lithium ion battery an aggregate equivalent of lithium content of not more than 8 grams per battery except that up to 2 batteries of aggregate lithium content but not more than 25 grams may be carried.

The spares are allowed when protected from damage and short circuit.
 
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So I just purchased a few more 48s. Can I assume that we can bring three on board? One in the craft and two off?
 
good to know... i want to get 2-4 more of the 5700mhA ones over time... i am also planing to make a battery case... peli... i ahve seen one you can buy but i think its a bit pricey...
 
Agreed Joola......and that is the note at the top of the page in my ops manual above the batteries allowed chart like you posted:

"TSA security, individual airline, and international rules may, at times, be more restrictive."

Mazz....that's how I would interpret the rule.....one in device and two spares. The spares have to be protected from short circuit.....but design of the batteries already looks like it would preclude any possibility of a short circuit. I think this statement was meant more for exposed terminals and placing a tape over them to isolate and protect them.
 
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So I just purchased a few more 48s. Can I assume that we can bring three on board? One in the craft and two off?

Correct. Did it this week. One 48 in the I1 in the cargo hold (triple checked to make sure it was OFF) and two in the cabin, plus 4 47's in the cabin.

Got a TSA notice in the Inspire checked case that an inspection had occurred but all was well.
 
Correct. Did it this week. One 48 in the I1 in the cargo hold (triple checked to make sure it was OFF) and two in the cabin, plus 4 47's in the cabin.

Got a TSA notice in the Inspire checked case that an inspection had occurred but all was well.
NEVER leave a battery in the aircraft. Unknown.jpg
 
Guys it's simple. Two 48s. Period. As many 47s as you feel comfortable trying to get on without having an issue. Personally I don't see the need to try and skirt the rules and end up leaving batteries at the terminal like the author of this thread. Use sound judgement. DO NOT LEAVE A BATTERY IN THE AIRCRAFT. Tape the terminals of the batteries you are bringing and or use Lipo bags. Carry spares in the cabin with you. We have already seen what happens when you leave a battery in the aircraft and you get a short in flight. Don't be the guy who ruins it for the rest of us!
 
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Guys it's simple. Two 48s. Period. As many 47s as you feel comfortable trying to get on without having an issue. Personally I don't see the need to try and skirt the rules and end up leaving batteries at the terminal like the author of this thread. Use sound judgement. DO NOT LEAVE A BATTERY IN THE AIRCRAFT. Tape the terminals of the batteries you are bringing and or use Lipo bags. Carry spares in the cabin with you. We have already seen what happens when you leave a battery in the aircraft and you get a short in flight. Don't be the guy who ruins it for the rest of us!

We don't know exactly what happened to cause that fire but I suspect the aircraft was powered ON and the heat had no way to dissipate, heating the battery to unstable levels.

If the guy left the aircraft on when he packed it at home, say 2+ hours prior to boarding, I can see this as a possible cause.

While there is less to go wrong in taking the battery out of the AC, leaving the battery in the aircraft as long as it is confirmed OFF should not in itself pose a problem during transport.
 
We don't know exactly what happened to cause that fire but I suspect the aircraft was powered ON and the heat had no way to dissipate, heating the battery to unstable levels.

If the guy left the aircraft on when he packed it at home, say 2+ hours prior to boarding, I can see this as a possible cause.

While there is less to go wrong in taking the battery out of the AC, leaving the battery in the aircraft as long as it is confirmed OFF should not in itself pose a problem during transport.

Entirely possible. Of course entirely impossible to forget to turn it off if you do not leave your battery in the aircraft. I hate to see the inability for future travel with your Inspire batteries because somebody carelessly forgets to turn off or properly store the batteries. I think we dodged a bullet there on KLM. Had that battery fire happen in flight and the cabin crew had a harder time or been unable to contain it we would be looking at much more scrutiny across the board as UAS owners.
 
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Between me and you, I'll be putting the third battery in the inspire for the five min it takes to cruise through security, then pullin it out for the rest of the ride!

Op, did you recover your batteries??
 
I might have a really dumb question.
I have seen a case (peli) that holds 6 batteries I think separately secured. could that be taken up on board when there are more than two 48´s in the case depleted taped and in a lipo bag?

I know regulation say no more than two of that type because they have more than 100wh...

would that be a case where I have to talk to the airline and ask for permission?

any info on that would be cool. thanks.
 
The Pelican cases out now that fit the Inspire are much too large to carry on. Even the stock inspire case exceeds the carry on size of most airlines.

You are not allowed to bring more than two 48s under any circumstances. If someone says they have done this, it's because someone at security didn't do their job.

You should always check with your airline's restrictions. There is a chance they are more restrictive than the TSA/FAA restrictions.

I understand. thank you.
what I forgot to ask further more (might be another duh... question) is in case I am traveling with my cameraman and if I am correct from the 48´s there is two allowed / person so if I take two and a 47 and my camera man only two 48 that would go I assume... right?
 
I am thinking to stay legal at all times and respect regulations.
I was just at peli.hu (hungarian distirbutor from Pelicase) and there are cases (I know you know) that would fit overhead compartment where you could "potentionally" fit 6 batteries... 2x47, 2x48 and another set of 2x48... at TSA checkpoint my camera man takes out the two that are "his" and the rest stays in the peli in the bags depleted and secured. when getting on the plane I would out of safety reasons put them also into the case with bags.

why are TSA agents SO powerful?
they are employed people like many of us and have a job that they should do right so in worst case the ones standing out on the line and probably making someones life to hell not letting them through for some reason one could ask for their supervisor or chief.
once that person is out and you can show and prove (that is really worst case and I would only go this far when there is NO other option) I am right and do not violate against ANY rules or regulations also having the TSA paper with me and a permission from the airline that I had a talk to before making sure they are ok with the way I am trying to travel with my working unit, then they should not hold me or confiscate my things.. right?

in theory this would be a legal and legitimate workaround, no?
correct me if I am wrong.
better case is I get to know the guy next to me and he is willing to claim the plus two pcs 48 are his and gives them to me after we get through where I can put them away safely...

hmm... I wonder :D

i forgot to say that another workaround would be to send the batteries via DHL or other express to the destination ahead and then everybody is happy... or?
 
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The regulation says you can bring two spares and one in the device. So you could, technically, bring them through security like this and then once you get through just pull it, tape it, and store it in its bag. Thats just one more.
 

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