Have some comments here based on my prior employment with a retail division of FedEx for over a dozen years. We took in packages for shipment for both ground and air services. Procedures and policies are in place that dictate what can be shipped and the condition of the packaging. If the package was not up to the minimum standards, the customer was given the option of the facility to rebox the item to meet those standards (at a cost). Also if you are shipping batteries, they must go ground.
I would from that perspective, also recommend shipping vs. taking as baggage. However do not think that either major shipper is going to baby your equipment either. The key is in packaging for the realities of the shipping environment. One thing I will say from personal experience... UPS will accept packages that FedEx would never. I'll let you judge as to which company is more concerned with the condition of your package on arrival... and yes, minimizing claims.
To that, package to protect. One of the best ways is to double box... so if you send your aircraft in the OEM cardboard box, have that boxed in the next larger size box. I highly recommend that you request a heavy duty double walled box. The personnel may tell you that the regular box is fine for that weight box... and it might be, but the difference in price between the boxes is minimal. Get the double walled. Whatever space between the boxes can be filled with newspaper, junk mail flyers, etc. You do not want empty space between the boxes.
Boxes do protect the contents... but doing so limits their life. Do not expect a box that has made more than one round trip, to still be up to the task. If a box has holes, creases, squishy corners, it no longer has the strength to protect your equipment. Ultimately if you cheap out on proper boxes and packaging, you might as well let the airlines and TSA have their way with your stuff.
I do agree at a minimum, remove the camera and carefully pack in with a carry-on bag. What I do not know, is how much TSA will cry about not being able to power up the camera. Others here that have experience with that, can chime in.
I would from that perspective, also recommend shipping vs. taking as baggage. However do not think that either major shipper is going to baby your equipment either. The key is in packaging for the realities of the shipping environment. One thing I will say from personal experience... UPS will accept packages that FedEx would never. I'll let you judge as to which company is more concerned with the condition of your package on arrival... and yes, minimizing claims.
To that, package to protect. One of the best ways is to double box... so if you send your aircraft in the OEM cardboard box, have that boxed in the next larger size box. I highly recommend that you request a heavy duty double walled box. The personnel may tell you that the regular box is fine for that weight box... and it might be, but the difference in price between the boxes is minimal. Get the double walled. Whatever space between the boxes can be filled with newspaper, junk mail flyers, etc. You do not want empty space between the boxes.
Boxes do protect the contents... but doing so limits their life. Do not expect a box that has made more than one round trip, to still be up to the task. If a box has holes, creases, squishy corners, it no longer has the strength to protect your equipment. Ultimately if you cheap out on proper boxes and packaging, you might as well let the airlines and TSA have their way with your stuff.
I do agree at a minimum, remove the camera and carefully pack in with a carry-on bag. What I do not know, is how much TSA will cry about not being able to power up the camera. Others here that have experience with that, can chime in.
