Flying with your drone
Prepare your drone for the trip: case dimensions, batteries and airline conditions. A case within a reference size is no guarantee of being accepted in the cabin.
Cabin or hold
Keep your drone in the cabin where you can, subject to your airline’s rules. Spare batteries must stay there. A device with its battery installed may be subject to other conditions: if it is accepted in the hold, it must be completely switched off and protected against damage and accidental activation. We compare our cases with two reference sizes, 55 × 40 × 23 cm and 55 × 35 × 25 cm. Check the dimensions, the weight, your ticket’s allowance and the rules for your route.
The batteries
These pointers concern spare rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for cameras and drones, not power banks. Keep them in the cabin, each with its contacts protected. Up to 100 Wh per battery, check the airline’s conditions. Above 100 Wh and up to 160 Wh, its prior approval is required. In the United States, the FAA limits this range to two spares per person. For every flight, also check the total number allowed, whatever the batteries’ energy. Above 160 Wh, these batteries are not accepted in ordinary passenger baggage.
Sources to check before you leave: IATA — passenger guide 2026 (PDF) · EASA — batteries and baggage · FAA — guidance and limits in the United States.
- the energy is printed on the battery, in Wh; if it is not, multiply the voltage (V) by the capacity (Ah): 15.4 V × 2.5 Ah = 38.5 Wh;
- protect the contacts of every battery: original cover, insulating tape or an individual bag, so none can short-circuit;
- a swollen or damaged battery does not travel: it stays at home and goes to recycling.
The case
The foam limits how much the drone moves when stored in the intended position. It does not guarantee against shocks or damage. Plan separate pockets for the batteries, contacts protected, and for the remote controller. The size you need depends on the whole kit: add every item in the configurator, including the gimbal cover or any accessory that changes the dimensions.
The case size for each drone
Each drone on its own, in the position given on its page, placed by our engine in the smallest possible case. With the remote controller and extra batteries, the configurator tells you whether it still fits. The reference-size column compares outer dimensions only, without checking whether an airline accepts the bag.
| Drone | Case | Overall | 55 × 40 × 23 cm size |
|---|---|---|---|
| DJI Air 3 | M | 46.2 × 35.5 × 19.2 cm | within the size |
| DJI Air 3S | M | 46.2 × 35.5 × 19.2 cm | within the size |
| DJI Avata 2 | M | 46.2 × 35.5 × 19.2 cm | within the size |
| DJI Lito X1 | S | 34 × 29.5 × 15 cm | within the size |
| DJI Mavic 4 Pro | L | 56 × 45.5 × 26.5 cm | over the size |
| DJI Mini 3 | S | 34 × 29.5 × 15 cm | within the size |
| DJI Mini 4 Pro | S | 34 × 29.5 × 15 cm | within the size |
| DJI Mini 4K | S | 34 × 29.5 × 15 cm | within the size |
| DJI Mini 5 Pro | S | 34 × 29.5 × 15 cm | within the size |
| DJI Neo | S | 34 × 29.5 × 15 cm | within the size |
| DJI Neo 2 | S | 34 × 29.5 × 15 cm | within the size |
Before you leave
- store the drone folded, propellers folded, gimbal cover on, just as in its foam;
- keep the batteries in their pockets, contacts protected, and the case within reach at the security check;
- if the case is sent to the hold at the gate, take out the spare batteries and power banks and keep them with you in the cabin; tell the staff about the devices so the airline’s rules can be applied;
- check the flying rules of the country you are travelling to: travelling with a drone does not give you the right to fly it everywhere.