Can You Bring Night Vision Goggles and Other NV Devices on Planes?

Night vision binoculars, monoculars, and cameras are allowed on carry-on and checked baggage on flights in the United States. However, using night vision for hunting is illegal in 13 states, and restricted in 17 other states. Alaska, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, Delaware, Rhode Island, and Hawaii forbids hunting with night vision.

Therefore, night vision devices attached to hunting rifles or that could be used for hunting could raise some questioning from security if you’re flying to a state where hunting with night vision is forbidden. But, overall, all night vision devices are allowed on planes.

Generally, you don’t need to take night vision goggles out of your bag when going through security in the United States. Although night vision goggles aren’t listed specifically, TSA does mention that battery-powered devices larger than cell phones should be taken out of the bag.

Most night vision devices are similar in size to a cellphone, and wouldn’t need to be taken out. Those that are larger than a cell phone must be out of the bag and placed in a bin with other large electronics when going through security. Yet, traveling outside the United States with any night vision device over Generation 1 without a license is strictly forbidden. Therefore, if you don’t have a license for your Gen 2 or Gen 3 night vision goggles, they will be confiscated at airport security.

Overall, it’s best to pack your night vision goggles in hand luggage when traveling in the United States. Night vision goggles are expensive equipment and they can get damaged with the rough handling of checked baggage. Also, there is always a chance that your checked baggage gets lost during traveling.

Packing your night vision goggles in your carry-on is the safest and best way to travel with them. You won’t have any problem with getting night vision goggles through airport security if you’re traveling domestically, but, if you’re traveling internationally, ITAR restrictions forbid you to leave the country with Gen 2 or Gen 3 night vision goggles. You can use a [amazon link=”B09KXPQPX5″ title=”hard protective travel case”] to pack your night vision goggles and store them inside your hand luggage.

Night vision equipment does not interfere with the hardware on airplanes. Night vision goggles work similarly to a camera, but they have a highly sensitive sensor or a photon multiplier that uses the light available and amplifies it to create an image. Other night vision goggles use infrared technology to capture heat signatures and convert them into images. Usually, these devices don’t use radio waves, which are the waves in other personal electronic devices like a cellphone that could potentially interfere with a plane’s system.