DJI drones want at the least an SD card (MicroSD) to retailer pictures and movies.
Nevertheless, we generally have causes to format these SD playing cards – they’re both full or corrupted. You may additionally format the cardboard to repair compatibility points or maintain them wholesome.
Methods to format SD playing cards in DJI drones?
The simplest approach to format an SD card in a DJI drone is to take away and format it in your Home windows or Mac PC. You can too format it through the DJI Fly App whereas the drone is on or straight within the DJI FPV and Avata goggles.
I’ll cowl every step of correctly formatting SD playing cards in DJI drones, together with many illustrative pictures.
High Drone Programs
What are SD playing cards, and why do we want them for DJI drones?
SD playing cards, particularly MicroSD, are storage gadgets for drones to save lots of movies or retailer photographs.
Most DJI drones lack inside storage. Some have a little bit of inside storage, however not sufficient to retailer greater than a flight session of recordings.
It will all rely upon the decision you {photograph} or movie and the framerate.
As an illustration, a brief video recorded in H.265 (D-Cinelog) on the DJI Mini 3 Professional in 4k at 24 frames per second would require about 700 MB per minute. This drone solely has 1.2GB of inside storage.
» MORE: Methods to Obtain Mavic Air 2S Inside Storage
That’s why high-dimension MicroSD playing cards like 64, 128, or 256GB are essential.
Nevertheless, these playing cards have to be formatted to scale back recording points.
Within the meantime, let me share with you our prime three beneficial SD playing cards appropriate with most DJI drones (high-capacity and nice pace) to document even past 4k at 60 frames per second.
- SanDisk Excessive 128 GB
Constructed for and examined in harsh situations: Temperature Proof, Water Proof, Shock Proof, and x-ray Proof.
We earn a fee if you happen to make a purchase order, at no further value to you.
08/22/2023 07:11 pm GMT
Word: Don’t confuse standard-sized SD playing cards which might be incompatible with DJI drones with MicroSD playing cards, that are those to search for. Each point out of SD playing cards from this matter refers to those MicroSD playing cards wanted to retailer video and pictures on DJI drones. MicroSDXC is simply a sophisticated kind of MicroSD card.
Greatest SD card codecs to make use of with DJI drones
DJI drones will need to have an SD card in a particular format, FAT32 or exFAT.
No different choices will assist the SD playing cards in your DJI drone.
Most DJI drones ought to be appropriate with each codecs, but when one creates an issue, format and swap to the opposite.
Probably the most beneficial format for SD playing cards is exFAT.
» MORE: What SD Card Do I Want for DJI Air 2S?
FAT32
The FAT32 is an older file system and often is beneficial if the cardboard has whole storage beneath 32GB.
You may format any dimension SD card to FAT32, and it is best to be capable of use it with out points.
The utmost file dimension for FAT32 is 4GB. So, a steady massive video will probably be cut up into a number of 4GB video information in your SD card.
You probably have points with an SD card on a DJI drone formatted on FAT32, try to reformat it on exFAT to see if this fixes the difficulty.
» MORE: All About SD Playing cards for DJI Mavic Mini and Mini 2 Drones
✅ Professionals
- It retains the file secure in case of a crucial energy loss. You’ll lose solely your final 4GB of video file that hasn’t been accomplished.
- Virtually all drones, even very previous ones, ought to be totally appropriate with the FAT32 format system.
❌ Cons
- You’ll have to cope with many video information for one recording session.
- There could also be a number of body gaps between one video and the opposite, interrupting a clean steady recording expertise.
exFAT
exFAT is the cardboard format to make use of you probably have a bigger SD card, often past 32GB.
These days, as SD playing cards are low-cost and of upper dimensions, there’s little cause to make use of FAT32. It’s possible you’ll need to keep away from it when formatting a high-capacity MicroSD card.
Nevertheless, you probably have points together with your DJI drone recording easily on exFAT, try to format it in FAT32.
» MORE: Greatest SD Playing cards for DJI Mavic Air 2
✅ Professionals
- Single video file per recording.
- Easy to cope with.
- It’s probably the most trendy method of card formatting.
- Extensively appropriate with nearly all computing gadgets.
- Helps excessive writing and studying speeds.
- Can format on exFAT big-size SD playing cards (e.g., half-terrabyte).
❌ Cons
- In case your drone all of the sudden loses energy, your complete video file will probably be corrupted and unusable.
- Not all DJI drones are appropriate with the exFAT format.
Methods to format an SD card on Home windows PC
That is probably the most simple approach to format an SD card.
Merely take away your MicroSD card from the DJI drone and insert it into an SD card adapter in case your laptop computer has one or a USB-C or USB-A MicroSD card reader.
STEP 1: Join the SD card to the Home windows laptop, both with a card reader or adapter.
Step 2: Go onto “This PC.” Your card ought to be acknowledged as new.
STEP 3: Proper-click the SD card and press “FORMAT.”
STEP 4: A brand new window will pop up. Choose the file system (if beneath 32GB, FAT32, or above 32GB, exFAT). Don’t change allocation unit dimension. Tick “Fast Format.”
STEP 5: Press “Begin.” It would take a number of seconds for the SD card to be formatted. A brand new window will seem with “Format Full.”
» MORE: Greatest Drones for Freshmen
Methods to format SD playing cards on Mac
Formatting an SD card on Mac is similar throughout your entire working system. Listed here are the steps to comply with.
STEP 1: Take away your MicroSD card out of your DJI drone and insert it into the Mac utilizing a correct adapter.
STEP 2: Go to “Highlight Search” and write “Disk Utility.”
STEP 3: Open the Disk Utility Program. Go to the left facet and click on on the SD card you linked below the “Exterior” supply. Afterward, click on “Erase” within the prime proper nook.
STEP 4: A window will pop up. Add a title for the cardboard (non-compulsory), choose format (exFAT; unlikely it is possible for you to to format FAT32 throughout all SD playing cards on Mac), after which click on “Erase.” Don’t change anything.
STEP 5: After it’s executed (will take a number of seconds), a window will seem as within the picture beneath.
Word: Formatting an SD card will completely delete all present content material. Guarantee you’ve gotten saved a backup of your movies or pictures from the cardboard earlier than formatting it.
Are you able to format an SD card from an iPad?
Sadly, Apple hasn’t added any choices to format an SD card or exhausting drive straight from the iPad.
Though you should utilize, switch and edit any movies or pictures from an SD card taken with a DJI drone on iPad, you may be restricted to controlling and formatting the cardboard.
» MORE: Can You Fly a Drone with an iPad? (Defined for Freshmen)
Methods to format an SD card on a DJI Mini, Mavic, or Air drone (DJI Fly App)
The formatting course of is similar for all DJI drones using the DJI Fly App.
This is applicable to utilizing the DJI RC-N1 with a cellphone linked or formatting straight from a DJI RC controller with a display screen.
You may additionally need to take a look at one of many following articles you probably have a Mini 3 or Mini 3 Professional:
» MORE: DJI Mini 3 Professional SD Playing cards: Methods to Insert, Eject, and Format (Video)
Now, let’s take the formatting course of step-by-step.
STEP 1: Flip in your DJI plane (non-FPV) and the distant controller. If utilizing the DJI RC-N1, make sure you join the cellphone and begin the DJI Fly App.
STEP 2: On the principle dwell view display screen, faucet “MENU.”
STEP 3: Go to the “Digital camera” tab and scroll down.
STEP 4: Underneath “Storage Location,” you may see two choices: Your SD card and Inside Reminiscence whole area in case your drone has one. Click on format on the appropriate facet.
STEP 5: Choose the situation you need to format, both the interior reminiscence or the SD card.
STEP 6a: Choose “Inside Reminiscence” and faucet “Format” if you wish to format your drone’s inside reminiscence.
STEP 6b: Choose “SD Card” and faucet “Format” if you wish to format your DJI drone SD card.
STEP 7: After you’ve gotten tapped to format your SD card or inside reminiscence, a message will seem letting you already know the area you chose will probably be formatted (see picture beneath).
This course of will apply to about all normal DJI drones due to the widespread use of the DJI Fly App.
The method will differ if you wish to format the SD card in your DJI FPV or DJI Avata.
» MORE: Greatest DJI Mini 3 Equipment
Methods to format an SD card on DJI FPV or DJI Avata
Formatting your SD card on DJI FPV or Avata (plus Goggles) is as follows.
STEP 1: Flip in your DJI Avata or DJI FPV and goggles.
STEP 2: In your goggles, enter the “MENU” and scroll right down to “SETTINGS.”
STEP 3: Navigate to “Digital camera.”
STEP 4: From Digital camera, scroll right down to “Format.”
STEP 5: When you press “Format,” a brand new window will seem. Choose what you want to format: The SD Card out of your DJI goggles, the DJI FPV or Avata drone, or the Inside storage (out there solely on Avata). Upon getting chosen your possibility, press “CONFIRM.“
Word: The DJI goggles will document solely what you see via the headset on its SD card, a distinct video from what your DJI FPV or Avata movie on the Plane SD card.
You want two MicroSD playing cards for DJI FPV or Avata to document correctly.
One MicroSD card needs to be on the goggles. If chosen, this may document the pure footage with none stabilization and OSD for Goggles 2 and Integra.
One of many essential roles of filming in your DJI Goggles is that if you happen to crash your drone far-off from you, you’ll have the footage recorded on the goggles and may use it for orientation to search out your drone.
The second SD card will probably be positioned in your DJI FPV or DJI Avata drones.
- The DJI FPV drone helps MicroSD playing cards as much as 256GB.
- The DJI Avata additionally helps the identical MicroSD playing cards as much as 256GB.
» MORE: DJI Avata – Methods to View and Switch Video
Greatest SD Playing cards for DJI Mini 3/Mini 3 Professional
The DJI Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional have comparable SD card necessities, so it’s beneficial to make use of microSDXC playing cards A1 or A2 with a complete reminiscence of as much as 256GB.
For those who’re involved in buying such MicroSD playing cards to your Mini 3 or Mini 3 Professional, we advocate checking for the next articles:
Such playing cards will enable your Mini 3 to document in 4k at 30 frames per second or Mini 3 Professional at 60 fps with out points, shatters, or lags.
Greatest SD Playing cards for DJI Mini 2/Mini 2 SE
DJI Mini 2 and Mini 2 SE have similarities in SD playing cards beneficial to be used with out points.
In comparison with the Mini 3 Professional SD playing cards, the Mini 2 and Mini 2 SE have decrease necessities as a result of the framerate and recording decision are barely decrease, and these drones document at a decrease bit price.
This makes DJI Mini 2 and DJI Mini 2 SE appropriate with varied SD playing cards of as much as 256GB.
We’ve coated the beneficial SD playing cards on this article.
» MORE: Greatest DJI Mini 2 SD Playing cards (& Most-Widespread Issues)
The SD playing cards beneficial for the Mini 2 SE are much like those steered for the Mini 2 drone.
Greatest SD Playing cards for DJI Mavic 3 Collection
DJI Mavic 3, Mavic 3 Traditional, or Mavic 3 Professional, whether or not normal or Cine variations, have a barely larger suggestion by DJI of which SD playing cards to make use of.
The bitrate, decision, and framerate are a lot larger than in regular drones, and these playing cards must assist professional-level video at high-speed transfers.
All three forms of drones are beneficial to make use of a Kingston Canvas Go! Plus or V30 A2 microSDXC between 64GB and 512GB in dimension.
We even have a very good article for Mavic 3 SD playing cards that applies to the Mavic 3 Traditional and Professional.
» MORE: Greatest SD Playing cards for Mavic 3
Greatest SD Playing cards for DJI FPV and DJI Avata
DJI FPV and Avata are two unbelievable FPV drones able to recording in 4k at 60 frames per second at a powerful bit price.
Avata can movie in 120 frames per second at 2.7k.
You have to have an SD card appropriate with these drones with out the chance of video turning into corrupted or laggy because of lack of pace.
Each drones assist microSDXC playing cards with a most dimension of 256GB. A U30 A1 card is beneficial for Avata, and each U30 A1 + A2 extra for the DJI FPV drone.
