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Air Travel & Carrying Equipment
I’m looking for suggestions on travelling with equipment. The majority of out work (laser scanning with control) is spread out across the country. There are times when the workload only requires one person but carrying the equipment is tough to do alone.
We typically have:
– A total station
– Tripod
– Data Collector
– 2 Mini tripods (Small & very portable)
– Leica GLS12 & bipod
– 3 Prisms
– Terrestrial scanner & tripod & Ipad (all fits in one backpack)
– Some version of scan targets (black & white stickers or Rotherbucher targets)
Anyone have any suggestions on a large luggage carrier that isnt too heavy but can fit the tripod, GLS12 & bipod, data collector, mini tripods and prisms & scan targets? Ideally keeping under the 50 lb weight limit.
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10 Replies
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We’ve shipped our stuff before and picked it up when we got there. The last trip to San Antonio, we found a great company (G4, right by the airport) that we rented tripods, tripod on dolly and other accessories and we carried on our TS, scanner and controller. That was the best way to go IMO.
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Shipping scares the hell out of me. If it doesn’t arrive on time that’s a massive cost.
I don’t get the idea of renting accessories, it’d just be nice to find a permanent solution as we literally fly to a new city every week, some of which rentals would be a logistical issue.
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Talk to the airline. I’m not sure of all the ins and outs, but my son, also a surveyor, has travelled with his equipment. It involves some preplanning and bundling his stuff up in Saranwrap for shipping.
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Yes, look at the guidelines for the airlines for everything about limits and also battery types and limits. (I think as long as the batteries are installed inside the total station, ok… there are rules for extra exposed batteries).
Maybe look into sports type containers such has golf bag shipping/travel containers.
Keep in mind the airlines can lose your luggage or delay them too.
Either way, it’s all very expensive and risky.
Fedex next day air is $$$$$$, the heavier and bigger it is… each.
Shipping via Fedex Ground takes a bit longer depending where it goes and riskier than Air, but hell of a lot cheaper. Always bank at least 1 extra day delay if delivery issues.
You may need to ship the bulkier items via ground early on and take the pricey delicate stuff with you if carry on size or checked under.
Some things may be best rented depending if the money is right.
Good luck, it’s gonna take some planning to head off pitfalls.
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I ship my gear by air on a semi-regular basis. The trick is to avoid the baggage gorillas from doing their thing by shipping it as air cargo instead of extra baggage. For this you will need to go through the hassle of becoming a known shipper for each airline you plan to utilize as required by the TSA. This is a bit of a pain since the they need to send someone to your place of business as part of the process. Why the TSA requires this for each carrier I will never understand.
Once that is complete, you just take the kit to the air-cargo terminal where it is inspected, measured, weighed and put on a pallet. When the plane lands, they unload your stuff and place it on a pallet where you pick it up at the air-cargo facility about an hour after the flight lands. You cannot ship any lithium batteries this way, not even in the instrument. Those all must go with you in your carry on. As for cost, I shipped 3 sets of legs, a rifle case containing the rod and bipod and my MS60 from PDX to SFO for under $100.
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90% of our work is in remote areas, so shipping is the norm. If flying commercial you are limited to the carrier’s weight and policies. Since a local sporting goods store went out of business years ago we have been using snowboard/ski bags for the tripods, bi-pods, and rods. With a 50lb limit and wheels, they work well. Prior to that we used golf bags, but the bags took up too much of our alloted 50lbs. We use Action-Packers as they are always on sale, dry, last a few years, and O.K. to handle at 50lbs. We get creative about stacking on airport carts. The experienced pros (mechanics) use stackable rolling portable tool boxes, with Milwaukee being the obvious dominator. I do see single men handling large akward loads with ease.
We are known shippers and use air-freight often. As John mentioned it goes on a pallet and doen not get thrown around as much. With the increased costs of over-weight and excess bags on commercial carriers, air-freight has become a good deal. We go to camps that require expensive logistics and are around for a limited time, so we usually ship two sets of equipment with different carriers when possible. It is a bother and a cost, but so is all insurance. As has been mentioned, know the rules! Lithium batteries are being enforced and will stop your shipment if found in violation. Den
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As for cost, I shipped 3 sets of legs, a rifle case containing the rod and bipod and my MS60 from PDX to SFO for under $100.
That is CHEAP! GO THIS ROUTE!!!! Gonna be a hassle either way!
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We use Action-Packers as they are always on sale, dry, last a few years, and O.K. to handle at 50lbs.
Thank you! Beats the hell out of Pelicans for not so critical “stuff”.
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a rifle case containing the rod and bipod
Ummm, where does the rifle go?
-All thoughts my own, except my typos and when I am wrong.-
This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by dmyhill.
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This reply was modified 1 month, 3 weeks ago by
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Yeah, it gets opened a lot. I just leave the collection of TSA notifications in the case.
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