Drone Battery Shipping: UN 38.3, IATA and IMDG Basics

Lithium-ion batteries, including lithium polymer (LiPo) packs, power almost every commercial unmanned aircraft, and they are regulated as Class 9 dangerous goods in international transport. For buyers in the European Union, the Gulf region and Turkey who source drones or spare packs from China, the rules come from three layers: the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) for air, and the IMO's International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code for sea. Getting the documents and packaging right before booking avoids rejected cargo and costly delays.

UN 38.3: Design Type Testing

Every lithium cell and battery design type must be tested in accordance with the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III, sub-section 38.3, before it is shipped. The series runs from T.1 to T.8:

• T.1 to T.5: altitude simulation, thermal test, vibration, shock and external short circuit.
• T.6 to T.8: impact/crush (for cells), overcharge (for rechargeable batteries) and forced discharge (for cells). Depending on the design, some tests may be reported as not applicable.

Manufacturers and subsequent distributors must make a UN 38.3 test summary available. It must show the manufacturer's name and contact details, the test laboratory's name and contact details, a unique test report number and date, a description of the cell or battery (chemistry, mass, Watt-hour rating, physical description and model numbers), the list of tests and results, the edition of the Manual used, and the name and title of a responsible person. IATA notes that the summary does not have to travel with every shipment unless a State or an operator requires it; many suppliers publish it online or via a QR code. Buyers should check that the model numbers and Watt-hour rating on the summary match the battery actually being shipped.

UN Numbers and the SDS Question

• UN 3480, Lithium ion batteries: batteries shipped by themselves, such as spare flight packs.
• UN 3481, Lithium ion batteries packed with equipment / contained in equipment: batteries in the same package as the drone, or installed in the aircraft or controller.

A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is often requested, but IATA states that neither the DGR nor the rules for other transport modes require an SDS when offering batteries for transport, and that an SDS is not a transport document. The UN 38.3 test summary is the document that matters for transport compliance.

Air Freight Under the IATA DGR

• Section I versus Section II: lithium-ion cells above 20 Wh and batteries above 100 Wh fall outside the Section II provisions and are shipped as fully regulated Class 9 goods under Section I.
• Passenger aircraft ban: lithium-ion batteries shipped by themselves (UN 3480, Packing Instruction 965) are forbidden as cargo on passenger aircraft. Packages under PI 965 Section IA and IB must carry a Cargo Aircraft Only label in addition to the other required marks and labels, including the Class 9 lithium battery hazard label.
• Package and battery size: under PI 965 Section IA, the cargo-aircraft limit is 35 kg net per package. A battery with a mass above 35 kg needs approval from the relevant national authorities (Special Provision A99).
• State of charge (SoC): UN 3480 batteries must be shipped at no more than 30% of rated capacity. From 1 January 2026, lithium-ion batteries packed with equipment (PI 966) must also be at no more than 30% SoC under Section I, and under Section II for batteries above 2.7 Wh. For batteries contained in equipment (PI 967), a 30% SoC or an indicated capacity of no more than 25% is recommended but not mandatory. Shipping above 30% where the limit applies requires State approvals.
• Packing: batteries must be protected against short circuits and packed in strong rigid outer packaging, unless the equipment containing them gives equivalent protection.

Sea Freight Under the IMDG Code

The IMDG Code has been mandatory under the SOLAS Convention since 1 January 2004. For UN 3480 and UN 3481, the sea packing instruction is P903, which generally calls for UN-specification packagings, such as UN-marked fibreboard boxes (code 4G). P903 also allows batteries of 12 kg or more with a strong, impact-resistant outer casing to travel in strong outer packagings that are not UN-certified. The 30% SoC limits described above are air transport rules; confirm any sea-specific conditions with the shipping line. For bulk orders of large packs, sea freight avoids the passenger-aircraft ban, but goods must still be classified, packed, marked and declared correctly to the carrier.

China Export Checks

China's Law on Import and Export Commodity Inspection requires packaging containers for export dangerous goods to pass a performance appraisal and a use appraisal; dangerous goods in packaging that has not passed cannot be exported. Ask your supplier early whether the dangerous goods packaging and its paperwork are in place.

Individual States and operators can add their own requirements on top of the IATA and IMDG baselines, so always confirm acceptance criteria with a licensed dangerous goods forwarder before booking. Factory test documents alone do not guarantee carrier acceptance. To find Chinese drone and battery suppliers that can provide complete UN 38.3 documentation, contact our team through the inquiry form on our website.