Can you bring a drone on American Airlines?
Not fully confirmed
Short answer: In carry-on bags, the American Airlines rule allows it, with battery capacity up to 160 Wh, but the TSA and FAA rules are not confirmed; in checked bags, it is not confirmed: there is no reviewed TSA, FAA and American Airlines rules (reviewed 2026-10-27). Check with the TSA and your airline before you fly.
Short answer: not available right now. Some of the rules below are being rechecked against their official sources, so we do not sum them up. The rules that are still current are listed below; check the official sources before you travel.
This page puts American Airlines' own rules for a drone next to the security screening (TSA) and dangerous goods (FAA) rules for flights departing the United States. All of them apply at once when American Airlines operates the flight, and you need to meet every one. Each rule is listed as its official source states it, with the date we last reviewed it.
Most recent review on this page: 2026-10-27.
What American Airlines adds to the TSA and FAA rules
American Airlines policy
Allowed, with the conditions listed
Drone on American: allowed with restrictions; the battery must not exceed 160 Wh.
- Limits
- Battery capacity: up to 160 Wh
Also note
- All drone batteries must be removed before travel and packed in a carry-on bag.
- A drone in a carry-on bag must be less than 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 centimeters).
Being rechecked: we are comparing this rule with its source again, so it is not shown. Check the official source below.
Source: American Airlines: Restricted items in bags. Reviewed on 2026-10-27.
Check your own drone
The item checker combines these rules for the values of your own item and gives a result for a American Airlines flight. Battery rules use watt-hours (Wh): the Wh calculator works it out from the Wh, or the mAh and rated voltage, printed on the battery.
Related pages
Official sources
- American Airlines: Restricted items in bags (source checked on 2026-10-01)
This page lists rules as the official sources state them, for travel departing the United States. It is not a decision about your item: security officers and your airline make the final call, and rules can change after the review dates shown. Destination customs and quarantine rules are not checked. See the terms and disclaimer.