The air transportation of lifepo4 batteries must strictly follow the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Batteries with a rated energy of ≤100Wh can be carried on board (for example, 20,000mAh/3.2V=64Wh), those with a rated energy of 100-160Wh require approval from the airline (up to 2 batteries), and those with a rated energy of over 160Wh are prohibited from being transported by passenger aircraft. According to FAA statistics in 2023, global flights transport over 420 million lifepo4 batteries annually, with an accident rate of only 0.17 cases per million (1.3 cases for ternary batteries). The key limitation lies in the shipping requirements: the number of batteries in a single package should be no more than 20 (FAA §175.10), and they must be independently insulated to prevent short circuits (risk of instantaneous current > 500A caused by metal contact).
The safety performance data support airworthiness. The UL 1642 test confirmed that the initial temperature of thermal runaway of lifepo4 is 270℃, which is 120℃ higher than that of ternary batteries, and the combustion calorific value is only 0.9MJ/kg (ternary batteries > 1.8MJ/kg). The improvement plan of the Boeing 787 shows that the lifepo4 module with ceramic-coated separators passed the high-temperature storage test at 55℃ for 7 days (DO-311A standard), with a voltage fluctuation range of ±0.5V (±2.3V for ternary batteries). However, in the forced puncture test (UN38.3T4), when a 1mm steel needle penetrated, the peak surface temperature of lifepo4 was 148℃ (ternary battery > 800℃), and the thermal spread rate was controlled at 0.5cm/min (Airbus ABD0100.1.8 requires < 1cm/min).
The reliability has been verified by actual transportation cases. Data from DHL Air Cargo shows that in 2022, 12,000 medical devices containing lifepo4 (ECMO system) were transported, with the overall SOC maintained at 30%±5% and the transportation accident rate being zero. Compared with the statistics of lithium battery air transport accidents from 2010 to 2020, the proportion of fires caused by lifepo4 was only 3.7% (91% for ternary batteries). Special attention should be paid to the charging limit: The SOC before takeoff must not exceed 30% (as stipulated by ICAO TI 965-II), and the probability of thermal runaway in a fully charged state increases by 5.8 times (NTSB experimental data).
Adaptability to extreme environments reduces risks. In the MIL-STD-810G vibration test, lifepo4 can withstand 7.7Grms random vibrations (with frequencies ranging from 5 to 2000Hz), which is 220% higher than the civil aviation airworthiness standard. When tested at an altitude of 12,000 meters under low pressure (11.6kPa), the leakage probability was less than 0.01% (0.7% for ternary batteries). However, sudden temperature changes remain a hidden danger: The temperature in the cargo hold may rise from -40℃ to 60℃. The thermal cycling test (RTCA DO-160G) indicates that the capacity attenuation of lifepo4 is less than 2% after 50 cycles (ternary batteries > 8%).
The cost of compliant packaging has increased significantly. The UN38.3 certification and 1.2m drop test have raised the packaging cost of lifepo4 battery packs by $18 per piece (12% of the selling price), and the weight of the fireproof and explosion-proof box is 150% of the battery body. In 2024, the new regulations require that all air transport lifepo4 must be equipped with voltage monitoring chips (with an accuracy of ±10mV), and the system cost will increase by another 7%.