Tips for travelling with a drone

Interested in travelling with your drone, but unsure of how to prepare? An important factor to consider is checking out if the travel protection you plan to purchase covers the total value of your drone in case it gets mishandled by the airliner or stolen during the trip, for example. The amount covered on such situations varies across different insurance providers.

Whether the goal is to capture incredible photo or video footage to remember a special moment, share on social media, or use in a personal drone racing league vlog, the following can help ensure an enjoyable experience.

• When researching the best and coolest places to fly drones, travellers should ensure they’re familiar with the laws at their destination to determine if flying a drone is permitted or where drone no-fly zones are located.
• The Global Drone Regulation Database has up-to-date regulations on flying drones. Search your destination or click on the nation in the site’s world map. The database also lists authorities to contact if you need additional guidance. On the database’s page of Canadian guidelines and regulations is a link to frequently asked questions for drone pilots.
• In the U.S., all drones must be registered “except those that weigh 0.55 pounds or less (less than 250 grams) and are flown under the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Here’s where you can register your drone with the FAA.
• Many Caribbean islands are territories of other nations, so the rules will mostly be set by the parent nation. But there are exceptions among territories and self-governing nations. All drones are prohibited in Barbados, Cuba and the Bahamas. For more country specifics, check out this list of international drone regulations under the heading “Carribean.”
• In Mexico, flights over historical sights, people and animals are prohibited.  Drones over .55 pounds must be registered with the Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics. For more information, check out this list of international drone regulations under the heading “Mexico.”

• Place a drone in a sturdy travel bag or case to help protect it from getting damaged in transit.
• Check to confirm that drones and any extra batteries comply with transportation authority regulations, and policies at home and at the intended destination. In the U.S., the most popular international destination for Canadian travellers, the FAA prohibits storing lithium-ion batteries in checked bags.
• Include a drone and batteries with carry-on luggage. Check with the airline before heading to the airport for any restrictions on doing so.
• Cache flight locations maps ahead of time so they’re easily accessible, even when flying offline.
• At security checkpoints, put batteries in their own bin so they’re easy to inspect.
• Store extra propellers and a small toolkit with checked luggage for minor repairs that might be needed while flying a drone.

Regardless of your ultimate drone-flying destination, consider taking out travel insurance for your trip. Whether it’s in the form of medical emergency, or trip cancellation and interruption, or ideally, a combination of the two, travel insurance from Allianz Global Assistance comes with valuable 24/7 emergency assistance offered by our caring, trusted employees.

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  Learn more about travel insurance or get a travel insurance quote online.
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Travel insurance is underwritten by CUMIS General Insurance Company, a member of The Co-operators Group of Companies, administered by Allianz Global Assistance, which is a registered business name of AZGA Service Canada Inc.

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