Airport Security - Breadboard, Wires, and AA's Oh My - Serious Question

Keith Young

I want to bring my GPS Data Logger on my trip. ActivityBoard with bits connected.

I hope to bring it as carry on since we'll fly within less than 1.5 degrees of the North Pole and I'm a geek.

I realize that might not work (I can 3D Print a case for it if that helps).

We'll be walking around a ton and I want to stalk myself on Google Earth later. So if I can't carry on I hope I can check it.

Do I try to check this? Carry it on? Anyone with experience in this? Last thing I want to do is miss the flight. Second last thing I want is to leave my GPS Data Logger.

Serious answers only please. Sarcasm could cause problems in this case.

jmg

Keith Young wrote: »

I realize that might not work (I can 3D Print a case for it if that helps).

3D case is the best idea.
The less it looks like a Hollywood pyrotechnic, the easier it is for everyone involved.

Publison

I have had an opposite scenario. Now they want you to open the case so they can check for Li-Po's and other hidden stuff.

kwinn

I always found it best to take it to the security screening station for examination first so I could explain what it was. Personnel there seemed to be the more knowledgeable group and would give me a tag or sticker if I said it was so delicate that I wanted to take it as carry on. Never had any problems but that was a few years back and for domestic flights (Canada) so YMMV.

JonnyMac

Rick Galinson was on a recent trip to Europe and broke out a bit of Propeller prototyping gear in flight. He got a bit of the stink eye from some passengers.

I travel with a lot of electronics in my checked luggage, so I ensure that my business card is attached to everything that has wires and other items that could be perceived as threatening. In fact, I was just traveling with a metal-bodied laser-tag weapon in my luggage so I put a piece of painter's tape on it with the label "LASER TAG." It's better to be safe than to have important goods confiscated.

potatohead

I have had similar trouble as I often take stuff on business travel. Can use the hotel downtime for learning and fun.

Can you power off ordinary consumer batteries? If so, do that. They will let a reasonable number of those through. Can you tap power off your laptop USB? That goes through too.

Make a case. I strongly second the things Johnny Mac put here. Make it obvious and overt that you are a student or professional. (And works too, which is what I do)

When I bust out techy things on a flight, people don't understand. They get nervous. If it looks like something ordinary, they will feel better about it and ask questions sometimes. "Like, what is that you got?" It's nice when it goes that way.

Tools are a no go mostly. I used to pack solder and an iron in my travel bag. Now I either buy one, or check that stuff.

Associate this with what runners and hikers do, if asked. Geekery often goes better with a smile. It's like taking a photo too. Have that stuff at the ready.

Take the minimum.

Also, if you do need to hide wires and such, leave them in with your laptop cords. That messy pouch will be forgiven.

PropGuy2

On business trips especially, when it "Absolutely, Positively has to get there" I FedEx all my tools and spare parts well ahead of time. It really is cheaper, and a hassle free way to do business. I usually get to use "some" of the customers tools in a pinch, or just go out and buy what you forgot to pack. Other than that, do what the previous commentators said.

JasonDorie

I've flown quite often with a Hackable Badge and an Elev8-FC, but just the unit itself with very little additional gear, and a laptop for coding. Never had a problem.

xanadu

If you use it in flight there is no telling what will happen. That all depends on who is around you. Remember that some people are scared out of their minds just from the flying aspect.

If you check it or carry on it doesn't matter. TSA has probably seen millions of breadboards. If you want to play it safe show up 2 hours early in case you have to school them.

JasonDorie

I've done development on the plane before. Much of what I do is visual though, so I can show GroundStation displaying the orientation of the FC, or playing asteroids or Pong on the badge, etc - If you can demo what it does people are generally more curious than scared.

Ken Gracey

I carry ELEV-8s, robots, Li-on batteries, scopes, voltmeters and all kinds of stuff for our Educator's Courses as carry-on luggage. Never a problem.

Tor

A lot of good advice here. I follow much of the same. I also make sure to coil up all cables and wires, and I keep them in a small bag in the carry-on (those tootbrush bags you sometimes get when you're on business class - these days I travel economy, but once in a while I'll get upgraded because the economy class is full. I then have another of those bags.)

I noticed that there was much less chance of the carry-on having to do a re-run through the scanner, or they asking me to open it, if the coils and wires are, er, coiled.
I should add that I don't travel to or through the US anymore - from all reports the travel regime is borderline insane, so I don't want to go there anymore. Sounds easier and safer to go to, well, just about anywhere else. So what works for me on travel may not work in the US - for all I know, coiled cables may be worse to them.

As for in-flight work - due to TV and Hollywood, a lot of people think that electronics and wires are explosive. That's pretty much universal by now. So don't bring any of that out of the carry-on.