Airplane and Electronics: How to deal with TSA?
SRLM
Posts: 5,045
Well, the Christmas season is coming up, and my dorm closes for the break. I want to take my robot with me so that I can work on software while away from home, but I don't want to have it 'donated' to the TSA confiscated items bin. I'll only be flying the once, but that's all it takes.
I've got the packing for the robot designed: I'm going to make a simple wooden box next week that will be about 18" wide X 24" long X 18" high. About half will be for my robot, the other half for components, charger, and so on. The outside of the box is plywood, so I'll be able to put whatever wording is best.
Any suggestions?
I've got the packing for the robot designed: I'm going to make a simple wooden box next week that will be about 18" wide X 24" long X 18" high. About half will be for my robot, the other half for components, charger, and so on. The outside of the box is plywood, so I'll be able to put whatever wording is best.
Any suggestions?
Comments
Before you had mentioned the wooden box, I would have suggested mailing it to your predestination. The wooden box itself could be a red flag. Have you tried calling the airport and asking what their recommendation would be? Perhaps letting them know who you are, what your intentions are, and contacting them in advance would be all that's necessary.
When I travel, I usually throw several business cards in with everything.· There have been a few times, that I knew that I was going to get nailed (loose wired dangling rats nest), and nothing ever happened.· To this day, the only thing I have had confiscated was a USB-Swiss army knife that was actually a bonus gift that Parallax gave out one year to the employees of Parallax.· (I saved the Thumb drive)
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Beau Schwabe
IC Layout Engineer
Parallax, Inc.
Post Edited (Beau Schwabe (Parallax)) : 12/6/2008 7:12:41 AM GMT
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
Post Edited (Leon) : 12/6/2008 10:47:41 AM GMT
I haven't traveled by air in quite some number of years, so pardon my ignorance of the current TSA rules. Isn't one able to check bags in at the ticket counter any more?
Probably a DUMB question, if so please forgive me.
Regards,
Bruce Bates
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When all else fails, try inserting a new battery.
(Like one might expect hardware stored in.)
Also I would have it neatly packaged with clearly disconnected wires.
A printed inventory list with attached datasheets for larger items could also be helpful.
Bottom line, have someone with you who can intercept it and ship it forward to your destination
so that you don't have to leave it behind with them or miss the flight.
OBC
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-Paul
Post Edited (Velocit
1) Make sure your items are identified as much as possible. Leave manuals, spec sheets, sales brochures, etc, with the items. Something that says "this countdown looking device is just a 2 digit voltmeter on a Parallax PDB". Opening a box of electronics with details gives the inspector a little bit of an education to reduce assumptions.
2) Properly pack items individually and cleanly; use original boxes where applicable. IE: Don't use a 10 year old shoe box for your homework board with li-ion battery pack. That has unabomber written all over it.
3) Use a "professional" case or a college badged bag (IE: educational). A friend that does field work on hospital O.R. beds bought Pelican cases for all his tools and spare PCBs. You can also pick up nice looking briefcase style toolcases at places like Harbor Freight for $20 as the Pelican cases are a little pricy, but worth it.
4) If you use a lock, ONLY us a "TSA lock". This is a lock that can be opened by a TSA master key. My friend above lost every lock on his old tool bags until he started using TSA locks on the Pelican cases.
5) Do not have ANY chemical substances in with your electronics. No flux, solder, batteries of any type, etc. Chemicals always cause a second look with the new inspection equipment available at airports.
If you are going to build a wooden box, use metal corner plates and clearly have your contact information and a 2-4 word description of the contents in larger letters. "Microcontroller Educational Kit" might suit your contents well. As mentioned by someone else, a reclosable pack slip on the outside may help. Spend the money on a TSA lock and lock it. The TSA lock also shows that you are open to searches.
An old friend of mine used to work on an Airport baggage conveyor line, pre 9/11, and bags with locks that couldn't be readily open were always doublechecked and in most case, cut open. Post 9/11, security practices have changed dramatically, but, so has the technology. The ability to check for hazardous substances via the standard security equipment at an airport is rather sophisticated. Honestly, you may not any issues what so ever.....
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Andrew Williams
WBA Consulting
IT / Web / PCB / Audio
Post Edited (WBA Consulting) : 12/6/2008 7:38:15 PM GMT
I've been questioned for the wires and electronics rats nest too. Once I had a mixture of USB devices, hard disks, etc... a multimeter, various Propeller goodies and a LOT of cables all wadded in a laptop bag. (I was in a hurry!)
Anyway, they flagged it, and we went over to the counter to check through the stuff. It ended up being no big deal, but was worrysome.
I ended up just doing the "hey, I'm an electronics and computer geek, what do you do for a hobby?" bit in answer to "what the heck is all this stuff?" question, and it ended up a nice conversation! For a while I worried about carrying that stuff around, but now I don't. Check your batteries and such, carry on the rest, so you can talk about it, if you need to. Be nice, use the columbo approach, and just help them check it out. The recent profiling efforts I think help some. If you are not worried, and appear to be having a decent time of it, they are not worried. So do that!
I think the TSA has gotten considerably better about these things. Early on when the whole thing was expanding and there were lots of not so knowledgeable workers and fear, it was an issue. Now I think they grok the stuff better, and it's cool.
If it were me, and I was carrying stuff I made that isn't easy to replace, I would have the info about it down pat. Going to a competition, or it's my final grade, or whatever relevance it has. Worst case, you can relate that to them and just present as the geek you are! Don't present as some worried person. That's a red flag. Ordinary people, not worried, present as ordinary people, not worried, or hostile or anything else. That's the key. Look at them when you tell them stuff too. That's your best shot at them seeing you are just some person enjoying the tech, eager to get to your destination to share it.
Truth is, I really *hate* the whole thing. It's silly, for the most part. Don't go there. Not a good time for any kind of advocacy.
I fly regularly. Have had about 20 trips with the usual collection of goodies. No issues at all.
Edit: I just saw how big it was. Man! My biggest concern for you is just lost stuff! This is happening a fair amount with all the airline changes. I would just ship it. Won't cost much, and it's very highly likely to get there. I've been flying for years and this last year has been the worst for delays and lost luggage. Ugh...
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Post Edited (potatohead) : 12/6/2008 10:39:48 PM GMT
I emailed the TSA with the question, and they basically replied that it's at the discretion of the checkpoint examiner. I know that I could leave it with somebody, but usually I just get dropped off at the airport, and nobody comes in with me. That's a little to risky for me, so I've come up with a compromise: travel with my demo board inside the Propeller Education Kit lab box. I won't be able to do any of my robotics work, but I can take along some components, and write the code for them (Sharp IR sensors, keyboard emulators, and an LCD mostly...) Thanks for all the replies.
I have it exactly backwards! Well, I'll change that up for sure. The trouble is I don't care about the batteries and generally avoid them, but I do care about the tech goodies. What to do?
Thanks for posting that up.
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and this in 2003: http://www.minimotion.com/GALLERY/animateffects/LP999/LovePotion999.html
No problems at all - other than delays of curiosity. It's very unlikely that you fit "the profile." Jut be prepared to unpack it often and explain how it all works. ;-)
Steve in NM
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Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.
You might also consider Priority Mail or Greyhound PackageXpress. Either could end up costing less than UPS. Also, you need to compare the cost of shipping with the arilines' excess baggage add-ons.
-Phil
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In U.S., you no deal with TSA; TSA deal with you! (Sorry, 'couldn't resist.
Post Edited (Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)) : 12/9/2008 7:34:21 PM GMT