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Comment by mfkp | Hacker News Reader

If you read the article, it specifies lithium-ion batteries, which just about everyone brings inside the pressurized cabin.

So no, I am not joking.

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I just know that most ebike batteries only ship by ground and even that isn't easy. See this for example: https://entrepreneur.indiegogo.com/education/article/how-to-...

Sorry for the tone, I honestly thought you might be joking.

Yeah, all lithium batteries ship via ground, but that's generally because cargo planes are basically like shipping things in the cargo section of passenger airplanes, which generally isn't advisable.

That's because shipping is more restrictive than carry-on and because of the capacity. People carry all kinds of lithium batteries onto planes.

People bring small batteries in the cabin. It also makes a difference if they're integrated into a product or not. E.g. you're allowed to being a laptop with a medium sized battery on board, but not a standalone lipo battery even if it is smaller than the laptop battery.

The only rule that differentiates between integrated and spare batteries is that you can't check spare lithium ion batteries. For carry-ons, the rules are exactly the same for both.

https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/resources/media/Airline_...

There is a big difference between cellphone / laptop batteries and some random enormous 72V battery you might buy from AliExpress. I have used those big batteries and the word I would use is “scary.”

My battery pack could have been easily mistaken for a bomb. It was duct taped together, wires coming out of it, heavy and blinking lights on a home made exposed circuit board for the battery management system.

I tried a 72 volt setup for about a week. Too fast lol.

I’ve seen these. All fun and games until they’re forgotten in the basement for a while. Big puffy batteries just waiting for an excuse!

I went through an airport with a home-made LiPo in my backpack. Fortunately one of the TSA recognized it was just a battery but it was a really scary few minutes. Lots of very silent stares

The battery in the article is 160 watt hours, the kind that slaps into yard equipment. You can get permission to carry that, or use two 80Wh drill batteries instead.

Yes absolutely. Those are in the minority of the home-made ebikes that I’ve seen, though - mainly due to range and power output. People love a bit of power, and they think any battery is just a battery.

I’ve seen a couple of “spicy pillows” smoke out, never a full thermal runaway fire - thank god

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