Don't transport with battery attached?

[GoodnNuff]

Since getting the Solo, I've always transported it with the battery attached. Same with my Phantoms 2 & 3 with their Smart Batteries. Never had an issue, never been advised not to do this. That I can remember...
In fact I remember one of 3DR's engineers saying to throw the little piece of foam (packed between the battery and the connection on the Solo) away, that it was only required by the law for shipping. I should have kept it.

Yesterday I took the Solo out of the Solo case, placed the 3DR leg extensions on the rig, put it back in the case, zipped it up and loaded it in my Flex, along with my P3P. This was around 11AM. Headed down to a soccer field to make a couple of quick flights with both drones. I ended up just flying the Phantom 3 because I had been having some lag issues since the last update - seemed yesterday the more I flew, the more it corrected the lag until there was none - but by that time some guys had shown up to play soccer, so I packed up and came home. Was home by 1:00 pm or so. Last night about 8 pm or so I was watching TV while catching up on email, etc. Kept hearing this barely audible beep that I assumed was part of the show that was on TV. About an hour later realized I could still hear it, so I muted the TV, but the beep didn't mute.

Eventually found the Solo in the other room to be the source! Opened the case, the Solo was on, the battery was flashing one single light and it was alarming with a constant beep. The battery and the Solo were very hot to the touch - almost too hot to hold! Removed the battery, cooled everything down and recharged the battery. I was concerned the Solo or gimbal may have been damaged, but all appears to work fine when I start it up. Will take it out for a flight here in a bit.

But I will not be transporting drones with batteries in place in the future!

 

[kysersoze]

something hit the power button during transport. You can probably make a hard cover for the power button out of plastic. Thanks for the post.

 

[sixshooterstang]

It is a good idea to transport lithium polymer batteries separate from the aircraft and in a fire proof bag or box. It's must less dangerous and much less costly if one of the packs is defective or damaged in a way that it will vent corrosive gasses and potentially start a fire.

 

[Timmytimetravel]

And until someone else confirms it / disproves it. If something touches and holds your controller on/off in your case. It boots up, shuts down after 10m, but if button still held down, it never shuts down, drains the controller battery, no spare no next flight till charge. Whoops.
Anyone can confirm by just holding their controller off button from the on state for more than a minute

 

[Timmytimetravel]

Also every flight I've recently been on regs say on bird, original packing (I'm translating that to safe specific packaging), and carry on only. So I put foam or tape between battery and bird but leave it on bird. Plenty of other battery's in case, but all in purpose holders in designer bag/case, no way to short

 

[Raybro]

I have always disconnected my batteries after flight on the Phantom and Solo. Habit I guess.

 

[Nick2181]

I ended up keeping the Solo battery divider that was in the packing, just for that reason. You can always cut out some cardboard or foam board and place inside, if you really want to keep the battery in with the Solo.

 

[Raybro]

I ended up keeping the Solo battery divider that was in the packing, just for that reason. You can always cut out some cardboard or foam board and place inside, if you really want to keep the battery in with the Solo.

My dog chewed mine up so I got a piece of high density foam and made another.....yep and the cat chews on my props...

 

[Nick2181]

My dog chewed mine up so I got a piece of high density foam and made another.....yep and the cat chews on my props...

Wow, dog at the foam and the cat went after the prop. You have some evil animals, attacking a poor defenseless drone.

 

[GoodnNuff]

Raybro, feed your pets.

If I am storing the batteries for any length of time, they are disconnected and drained to storage level (if not Smart Batteries they are drained). But if I am flying tomorrow and the next day - I keep them charged and in the bird.
I realize now what must have happened: When I got home I set the Solo backpack down on the floor in the foyer, and set the Phantom 3 in a Lowepro Drone Guard Kit on top of the backpack - it must have been enough weight to keep pressure on the battery button. I thought the backpack was sturdy enough to support the weight - apparently not. My plan had been to go out later that afternoon or early evening to fly more - so I left the drones piled in the foyer like that until the beeping finally got my attention hours later.
Lesson learned.