Impossible to ship batteries these days

General Drone Discussion
1

It’s apparently easier to ship crack cocaine than it is lithium batteries these days :rage:

Sold two Mavic batteries on eBay within an hour of putting them on there. Great. Got to the post office, do you think they’d let me send them? Would they :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:

Apparently I can only ship lipo batteries if they’re actually in the device!

Had to cancel the eBay transactions and refund both buyers :frowning:

Did a bit more research this afternoon, turns out DPD will take them. So back to eBay, resisted them.

Again, both sold in under an hour.

Created an account on DPD Local. Filled in all the forms to ship both items. Then a box pops up saying batteries are prohibited items.

WTF?!

Did an online chat with DPD, sent them a link to their own page which says lits are ok to send.

No, she says, that link is to DPD web site…

Eh?!

Turns out DPD and DPD Local are two different firms.

WTFFFFF :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:

Back to eBay. Cancelled both translations and refunded the buyers again :frowning:

Unreal…

Just relisted them as collection only :roll_eyes:

2

just dont tell them,

3

Amazing. Who knew drone batteries were a ‘controlled substance’? So how come the Fly More Combo can be shipped with one mounted battery and two loose ones?

Of course you could always send the buyers your Mavic Pro with the battery in it and ask them to kindly remove the battery and return the drone to you. I mean, what could go wrong? :rofl:

4

The ‘main’ DPD will ship lipo batteries on their own, but I need a VAT number and I’ll be assigned an account manager?!

Nightmare :rage:

5

I work in the aviation industry as a load planner for cargo. To ship any form of battery the shipper has to jump through hoops. There are rules for batteries contained in equipment, and different rules for batteries not contaminated in equipment. I have been dangerous goods trained for over 15 years and still find batteries confusing to ship. The bottom line is it’s easier to refuse to ship than it is to allow them.

6

So how then, if I went online and ordered a mavic battery (just a battery) from DJI or heliguy etc would they ship it to me?

I understand these are dangerous bits of kit if not handled correctly but surely if heliguy (just using them as an example of a retailer) can sell them and send them then so can anyone else?

Barmy

7

DPD will take them if you have a business account (as in a full on 30 day credit account).

I was just looking at all the second hand Mavic batteries for sale on ebay, nearly every single one says they’ll ship via Royal Mail either 1st class or special delivery.

It’d be just my luck to get caught.

8

I wonder what would happen if you did get caught?

9

The world’s gone bloody crazy, you need a risk assessment to take a dump if you are found to have had a Vindaloo the previous night…the risk of explosion on site :boom::tired_face:

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10

Found someone at last…

UPS will happily take lithium ion batteries.

Alas, at UPS prices… but you get what you pay for I guess.

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11

The big companies that will happily ship have DGR backgrounds and know how to deal with them, they know that the box has to have a specific label and special handling is required. It comes down to dangerous goods awareness. Joe blogs sending one through the post does not usually know they are dangerous.

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12

To be honest I never tell them what in the box, maybe naughty but its the easiest thing to do

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13

Hi,
I have just seen that you are finding it hard to ship Lithium Batteries. FedEx.com/UPS can accommodate these shipments. You may need to set up an account. Dependant whether they are lithium ion or lithium metal. Will class them as UN3090 or UN3480 marked. These look like the picture that someone has sent in a later response, with the red and white hatching down the side saying UN3481. This mark is for batteries contained or packed with equipment.
If going by road or sea. Lithium metal batteries "not restricted as per ADR/IMDG SP 188 or Lithium ion Batteries “not restricted as per ADR/IMDG SP 188” should be quoted on the paperwork.And a declaration of some sort should be used. Going by air is a whole different ball game and you need to state the lithium battery weight and also have a material safety data sheet to prove what you are sending, and most can only go aircraft only, they also have to be classed as dangerous goods class 9 which you have to have a mark for, also have a dangerous good note with them. . I don’t advise shipping without any of the correct documentation or classification. If the batteries were to cause a fire and they have not been classed then this would have serious repercussions. You could end up in jail. Go to you tube and watch some of the videos about lithium batteries. There are also videos how to pack these items as well. Call FedEx and UPS they will help you if you explain what you are sending.kind regards L

14

This thread is 3 years old, but some good info there thanks for sharing :+1:t2:

15

It was three years ago

16

Never had any issues in sending Amazon returns with batteries in via the Post Office or Hermes - they never ask and never seem to care.

17

Oh dear silly me. :joy::rofl::joy::rofl:

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18

I think Parcel Force will accept them. Hobbyking use Parcel Force 48 for shipping LiPo’s around the UK, and those are the basic naked unprotected Lipo’s and not these smanshy fancy Smart LiPo’s.

Recently I ordered two 3DR Solo batteries off eBay, to be shipped by their Global Shipping system. When the batteries arrived at the Global Hub in Kentucky eBay had them destroyed touting they were illicit contraband.

19

Extract from the prohibited goods info sheet on the Royal Mail website:

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