Faes engineer werkt aan een technische verpakkingstekening om schokabsorptie te optimaliseren en dead-on-arrival leveringen te voorkomen.

Topic: Drones

More drones, more applications, higher packaging requirements

Drones have become an integral part of our lives. They are being used more and more frequently and for an ever-wider range of applications, from inspection and security to defense. This growth brings new challenges in terms of transportation, storage, and operational readiness. Drawing on our experience with packaging drones and complete drone systems, we share our expertise on protection, batteries, regulations, transportation, and field use.

Why This Topic Matters

Drones are no longer a niche market. The entire industry is scaling up

In a short period of time, drones have become an integral part of modern operations. Development is progressing rapidly, particularly in the defense sector. The Netherlands is now investing heavily in drones, drone manufacturing, and unmanned systems. The Dutch contribution to the Drone Line Initiative alone will total €1 billion by 2026. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense aims to have more drones developed and produced in the Netherlands and is actively working to build a Dutch ecosystem of companies, research institutions, and manufacturers.

This increase in scale has direct implications for how drones are stored, transported, and deployed. It is less and less about a single drone that needs to travel from point A to point B, and increasingly about complete systems that must remain reliable, repeatable, and deployable under a wide range of conditions. As a result, decisions regarding protection, logistics, batteries, materials, and packaging become important early on in the development and production process.

Scaling up places different demands on packaging

As production volumes increase, a packaging concept must not only be technically sound, but also reproducible and logistically efficient. Weight, external dimensions, stackability, handling, and transport volume become immediate considerations for larger production runs.

Packaging Becomes Part of Operational Readiness

In professional and military applications, preventing damage is only part of the issue. A system must be readily available, complete, and operational immediately after transport. The layout and construction of the packaging therefore have a direct impact on handling, visibility, and speed in the field.

Drones require more than just shock protection

Transportation can expose a system to vibrations, moisture, dust, temperature fluctuations, and rough handling. Especially when it comes to sensitive electronics and optical equipment, the protective measures must be tailored to the actual transportation and operating conditions.

New volumes increase logistical complexity

More drones also mean more batteries, parts, accessories, and support equipment that need to be stored and transported. Lithium batteries, moreover, come with specific requirements. A packaging concept must therefore increasingly take the entire logistics system into account, rather than just the device itself.

Why Faes?

Years of packaging expertise

140

Packaging People with the expertise to solve your packaging challenges

1.000+

B2B customers, including in Defence, High-Tech & Medical

Steps from initial consultation to final solution

Kennis van:

MIL-STD
IP Rating
Lithium-ion batteries
Drone Transport
Custom Interiors

Frequently Asked Questions About Drone Packaging and Shipping

Transporting a drone safely requires more than just a sturdy carrying case. During transport, shocks, vibrations, moisture, and rough handling can cause damage to electronics, cameras, sensors, and gimbals, for example. The right packaging is therefore tailored to the fragility of the entire drone system, the mode of transport, and the conditions under which the system is used. Accessories and loose parts must also be secured so that they cannot move or damage each other during transport.

Want to learn more? Read how to safely pack drones for transport.

Want to know what protection your drone system needs? Contact our packaging experts.

Drone batteries require special attention because lithium-ion batteries may be classified as hazardous materials during transport. Among other factors, it makes a difference whether a battery is transported separately or together with or inside the drone. Protection against damage and short circuits, proper packaging, labeling, and shipping documentation may be required. Additionally, different regulations apply to air, road, and sea transport.

Want to learn more? Read how to safely pack drone batteries for shipping.

Want to know which requirements apply to your batteries and mode of transport? Contact our packaging experts.

For military drones, the packaging is determined by more than just the dimensions and weight of the aircraft. Shock, prolonged vibration, moisture, dust, temperature fluctuations, storage, handling, and conditions during operational deployment may also be part of the set of requirements. Furthermore, cameras, optics, sensors, electronics, and batteries within the same system may require different levels of protection. As a result, a standard transport case is not automatically suitable for military applications.

Want to learn more? Read about the packaging requirements for military drones.

Would you like to incorporate packaging into the development of a drone system from the very beginning? Contact our packaging experts.

MIL-STD is not automatically required for every drone package. Which standards and test methods are relevant depends on the application, the client’s requirements, and the conditions under which the system is transported, stored, and deployed. MIL-STD standards can be used, among other things, to establish requirements and tests for shock, vibration, temperature, humidity, dust, and other environmental stresses.

Want to learn more? Discover what MIL-STD means for drone packaging.

Does your drone packaging need to demonstrably meet specific military requirements? Contact our packaging experts.

A well-designed interior doesn’t simply hold a drone in place; it ensures that stresses during transport aren’t directly transferred to vulnerable components. The right type of foam, density, thickness, and cutouts depend on factors such as the drone’s weight, the fragility of its components, and the transport profile. Foam that’s too soft may not provide sufficient protection, while foam that’s too hard can actually transfer shocks to sensitive parts.

Want to learn more? Read about how to choose the right foam padding for a drone case.

Want to know which interior fits your drone, payload, and accessories? Contact our packaging experts.

This theme contains 18 Articles

Articles (18)

Topic: Drones

More drones, more applications, higher packaging requirements

Why This Topic Matters

Drones are no longer a niche market. The entire industry is scaling up

Why Faes?

Kennis van:

Frequently Asked Questions About Drone Packaging and Shipping

How do you transport a drone safely?

How should lithium-ion batteries for drones be packaged and transported?

What requirements must packaging for military drones meet?

When must drone packaging comply with MIL-STD?

How do you determine the right custom interior for a drone case?

All articles

How do you secure drone parts against theft during transport?

How do you safely pack drone batteries for shipping?

How do you safely transport military drones by helicopter?

What stackability is required for military drone transport?

How do maintenance kits for military drones work in the field?

How do you pack drones safely for transport?

What international shipping regulations apply to drones in 2025?

What are the risks of poor drone packaging?

What foam protection do drones need during transport?

What packaging materials are best for drone shipping?

How do you prevent damage to drones during shipping?

What are the costs of professional drone packaging?

What are the consequences of damaged drones due to poor packaging?

How do you calculate the correct dimensions for drone transport?

What temperature resistance should drone packaging have?

What packaging requirements apply to military drones?

A drone in the back seat

With the right packaging, protect your drone in the best way possible

What We See in Practice

Are you sure your drone system is properly protected?

How do you design a suitable interior when CAD data is missing?

What are the rules for transporting a drone with a lithium-ion battery?

When does drone packaging fall under ADR regulations?