Swollen or damaged drone battery: is it safe and how to dispose of it

A swollen drone battery is not safe. Swelling means gas has built up inside the lithium cells, usually from damage, age, overcharging or being stored full for a long time. Stop flying and charging it right away, keep it somewhere it can't start a fire, and take it to a battery recycling drop-off. Don't put it in household trash or curbside recycling.

Why drone batteries swell

Lithium-ion and LiPo cells release gas when they're stressed or breaking down. Common causes:

• Stored fully charged for weeks. DJI batteries guard against this: the Mini 4 Pro battery, for example, discharges itself to 96% after three idle days and to 60% after nine, specifically to prevent swelling.
• Deep discharge. Running a battery flat and leaving it that way. DJI says to dispose of a battery that can't power on after over-discharging.
• Heat. Charging right after a hot flight, or leaving batteries in a hot car.
• Physical damage. A crash, a drop or a puncture.
• Age. Every battery wears out. DJI rates the Mavic 4 Pro battery for 200 cycles, for example.

Is a swollen battery dangerous?

Yes. A swollen cell is a damaged cell, and damaged lithium batteries can overheat and catch fire, sometimes without warning. The FAA's guidance on lithium batteries says damaged batteries can go into thermal runaway and must not be carried on an aircraft. Even slight swelling also changes how a battery fits the drone, which can cause poor contact in flight.

What to do right now

1. Stop using it. Don't fly, charge or try to "balance" it.
2. Don't squeeze, flatten or puncture it. Never try to press it back into shape.
3. Move it somewhere safe. A non-flammable surface away from anything that burns, such as a concrete floor, a metal container or outdoors in the shade. A fire-resistant battery bag adds a layer of protection while you arrange disposal.
4. Watch for heat, smoke, hissing or a sweet smell. If it's getting hot or smoking, get away from it and call 911.

How to dispose of it

DJI's manuals give the rules:

• Put batteries in dedicated battery recycling containers only, after a complete discharge.
• Never put them in regular trash.
• Follow your local rules for battery disposal and recycling.
• If the battery can't be discharged because its button no longer works, contact a professional battery disposal or recycling service.

A swollen battery is the exception to "discharge first." Don't connect it to anything to drain it. Tell the recycler it's swollen or damaged. Many household hazardous waste sites and battery drop-off programs accept damaged lithium batteries, sometimes by appointment. Your city or county waste department can tell you where.

Flying with batteries

Swollen or damaged batteries can't go on a plane in carry-on or checked bags. Check the FAA PackSafe lithium battery page and read drone batteries on a plane.

Prevent it next time

• Store batteries around 40 to 60% for anything longer than a few days, and let DJI's auto-discharge do its job.
• Charge every battery at least once every three months.
• Let batteries cool before charging, and keep them out of hot cars.
• Retire batteries after crashes, even if they look fine.

Our drone battery care guide covers storage in detail. Replace a swollen battery with a genuine one, such as the Mini 4 Pro battery, and if a battery swelled inside the drone, have the drone checked through repair.

Related guides

• DJI battery error, "non-DJI battery" and battery warnings
• DJI battery hibernation mode: how to wake a battery after storage
• DJI battery not charging? Fixes for hibernation and blinking lights
• DJI battery not holding a charge? Causes and fixes
• DJI low battery and critically low voltage warnings
• DJI battery lights: what the LEDs mean

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