FAA - Lithium Batteries Pose More Danger Than Thought
New tests conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration suggest that lithium batteries pose more dangers to planes than previously thought.
The tests showed that the batteries — when shipped in bulk in the cargo holds of passenger airplanes, as is common — can explode and burn violently enough to potentially render aircraft fire-suppression systems ineffective. (Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was reported to have been carrying 440 pounds of lithium-ion batteries in its cargo, leaving open the possibility that they were involved in the plane’s disappearance.)
Just recently, the Department of Transportation issued new standards for lithium battery transport. A working group of government and private officials is scheduled to meet Sept. 9 to determine if additional restrictions are needed, based on the new research.
More: Power Week: FAA - Lithium Batteries Pose More Danger Than Thought