- Ruby Noel
The Ultimate Packing Guide For Drone Travelers
Photo Credit: Merr Watson
Packing for any sort of major trip can be stressful, but for drone enthusiasts, it can be a real headache figuring out what and how to pack perhaps their most precious cargo: their drone and all that hefty equipment that comes with it! This article provides valuable pointers to ensure that you and your drone land safely within your next destination!
Invest in a Portable Drone
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of what to pack with your drone when traveling, perhaps you should consider purchasing a lightweight drone that is easier to tote around. Here are the two most portable drones recommended by drone experts.
Photo Credit: Lonneke Tubbing
Compact
Best drone to travel with when baggage is restricted
Folds up into a petite package
Quieter than most other drones
DJI software is highly recommended
Extremely compact
Intelligent flights modes
Equipped with a high performance camera
Folds up into a petite package
Photo Credit: Shai Ortiz
Highly recommended if your priority is capturing quality footage
Not as many advantages as the DJI Mavic, but still a great asset when traveling!
The optimum drone for yours travels is one that is light and not bulky. These should be the two main features to look for when shopping for a drone specifically for traveling. The weight of your drone can make a huge difference in the ease of your travels, especially when it comes to hauling it onto a plane.
You also want to ensure that your travel drone is resilient enough to withstand the traveling elements, like snow, strong winds, and other harsh weather conditions. You should also opt for a drone that has a decent battery life and can deploy efficiently.
Purchase a Good Case
If you plan to travel with your drone, you will need to invest some money in a good bag. More often than not, your carry on bag will become your drone bag. It’s recommended to purchase multiple bags so you have a choice of which one to bring on specific trips.
Photo Credit: Laura Chukinov
There are a plethora of bags to choose from, just ensure that you locate one that will fulfill your drone traveling needs. Here are great starter bags that are recommended by other drone enthusiasts:
Designed to hold the DJI Mavic Pro, Phantom 4, or other photography/videography gear
Fits a multitude of equipment
Multiple easy to reach access points
Versatile and wildly comfortable
Specifically created to safely house the DJI Mavic Drone
Waterproof
Ability to hold drone accessories, tablet, charger, batteries, remote, drone, and more!
Specifically made to safely house the DJI Mavic Pro in a more petite form
Includes hard-shell casing
Waterproof
Finding the right bag to pack your drone in can be rather challenging, especially since most times, it’s not the drone that takes up the most room, but the remote. Ensure that you find a back that provides adequate cushioning to protect your drone from minor bumps in the midst of travel.
If you are even somewhat familiar with the realm of photography and videography, you know that carrying additional battery and battery packs is very necessary. Even if you don’t think you will use them, pack them anyway. You never know the destinations your trip will take you on. You would hate yourself if you lost the opportunity for an award-winning shot just because your battery died.
The DJI Mavic Pro and Phantom 4 average around 20-25 minutes of flight time per each battery. You also need to consider how much time it takes to charge batteries, which is around 60 minutes to completely charge a drained battery.
A great item to pack along with your droning equipment is a car inverter, which enables you to charge drones within a vehicle. Many drone folks like the ones that sit within the cup holder. Ensure you add this to your list of necessary items!
These handy filters are an absolute must when traveling with your drone. The majority of drones have fixed aperture, which leaves the shutter speed and ISO responsible to get that balance of exposure. Without filters, your quality of footage has the opportunity to become shaky, so filters literally become a lifeline in the sky!
If you are serious about droning at all, the best filters are created by Polar Pro!
All drone pilots know the reality of crashing their beloved machines. It can happen when you least expect it! The last thing you want is to be left with a crashed drone and unable to make easy fixes. Make sure to always carry along repair tools! Just having some duct tape and a small screwdriver is often times just enough to get you through a trip.
Along the same line as repair tools comes the necessity for additional propellers. You never know when a crash landing might damage a propeller. Without them, your drone is unable to properly fly. Packing extra ones gives you the peace of mind that you can get your drone back up in the sky in a jiff, even if it endures a minor crash.
If you have all of the above items on that drone list of necessities to pack, you should be pretty set to capture your destinations at brand new heights! Happy travels droners!
