Building a compact workstation is one thing. Getting it safely from A to B is another problem entirely.
When you are running an RTX 5090 or RTX 6000 Pro in a sub-10 litre case, you have a machine that is genuinely portable but also genuinely fragile. GPU coolers, M.2 drives, AIO tubing, all of it is sensitive to shock and movement. A backpack works for a single trip, but when you are doing multiple long haul flights with dozens of systems, the risk adds up.
We needed something that would fit in overhead bins as a carry-on, protect against impacts and compression, and still allow quick deployment on arrival. After testing a few options, we settled on the Pelican 1535 Air.
The 1535 is light for a hard case, has a pressure equalisation valve, and meets carry-on size limits for most airlines. The shell handles drops and stacking without issue. But the real work is in the foam.
We design custom foam inserts for each build configuration. Compression fit holds the chassis in place during transit so nothing shifts or rattles. Handhold cutouts let you lift the system straight out of the case without fumbling. Dedicated pockets for power cables, peripherals, and accessories keep everything organised. Setup time from case open to fully operational is under five minutes.
We have shipped these to clients in film production, aerospace, and research who need to move between locations regularly. No damage reported so far.
Pelican wrote up a case study on how we have been using the 1535 Air if you want more details.