DJI Mavic, Air and Mini Drones
Friendly, Helpful & Knowledgeable Community
Join Us Now

Best SD Cards for Mavic 3 Pro and RC Pro controller

I tried to get the most bang for the buck in 256mb which is lots of space only to find out they are too slow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kilboar
If one changes cards every time one swaps batteries, instead of spending valuable time in the field downloading in between every flight, "penny pinching" $25 memory cards are all anyone ever needs. Frankly, even $14 SanDisk's 128GB Extreme cards are already overkill. Just order a bunch! They'll be here just after the fireworks on the 4th!

And further, to quote you from your December post:

"...the max write speed of the Mavic 3 is only 25 MB/s. SanDisk Extreme are plenty fast enough to support the Mavic 3, are recommended by DJI for it, and are only $16 for 128GB on Amazon. They are 90 MB/s max write speed."

The price as you now note is a couple of bucks less.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GadgetGuy
If one changes cards every time one swaps batteries, instead of spending valuable time in the field downloading in between every flight, "penny pinching" $25 memory cards are all anyone ever needs. Frankly, even $14 SanDisk's 128GB Extreme cards are already overkill. Just order a bunch! They'll be here just after the fireworks on the 4th!
I don't think I phrased my comment well. I meant that people seem to be hesitant to buy memory cards even though they are only $25 (or less). But the way I said it sort of read that I thought that $25 memory cards were undesirable, which is not what I meant. I have a ton of 256gb cards and only bought bigger cards once I moved up to the Mavic 3 Pro.

I will say that changing memory cards with every battery seems very tedious (I just download either when I get home or on the car ride home), but also probably a good idea. So maybe once I start getting paid for flying I'll do that...
 
I use 64Gb cards and unless you're running video at your highest rate continuously the whole time, that's generally enough. I have 5 batteries and I run out of batteries before I run out of card space. I also have plenty of cards just in case.
 
I will say that changing memory cards with every battery seems very tedious but also probably a good idea.
It just takes a few seconds more than changing the battery does.
A little organisation helps keep track of which cards are used and which are ready to use.
i-ScTQgbR-L.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: GadgetGuy
I guys are way above my pay grade. I was just thinking if I put these 512gb in the drone and the controller (which I never plan to record on) that the back up I’ll always have with me.
If the drones and card fill up just switch it out for the one in the controller.

Again, my fear is hiking somewhere with just the drone, extra battery and controller and the drones as card fills up with the back up card is back at the truck, a 3 hour walk away🤬
 
I guys are way above my pay grade. I was just thinking if I put these 512gb in the drone and the controller (which I never plan to record on) that the back up I’ll always have with me.
If the drones and card fill up just switch it out for the one in the controller.

Again, my fear is hiking somewhere with just the drone, extra battery and controller and the drones as card fills up with the back up card is back at the truck, a 3 hour walk away🤬
The bigger fear should be losing your entire trip's recordings if there is any kind of a mishap, and the drone is unrecoverable. By swapping cards every time you swap batteries, you can only lose one flight's recordings at most. However, I suppose the RC is a good place to store an extra card, unless you want to at least have a 720p recording of your flight where the drone was unrecocerable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kilboar
It just takes a few seconds more than changing the battery does.
A little organisation helps keep track of which cards are used and which are ready to use.
i-ScTQgbR-L.jpg
Just don't lose your card wallet! I lost one of mine somewhere in a CostCo parking lot, never to be found again! No more jacket pockets! It always goes in my front pants pocket now, if it is not already safely stored in my gear bag! Fortunately, all the cards but one were empty, but I lost 6 cards and the waterproof Pelican card wallet!
 
The bigger fear should be losing your entire trip's recordings if there is any kind of a mishap, and the drone is unrecoverable. By swapping cards every time you swap batteries, you can only lose one flight's recordings at most. However, I suppose the RC is a good place to store an extra card, unless you want to at least have a 720p recording of your flight where the drone was unrecocerable.
Great point.

On changing the mini as cards out frequently, I’m having to keep a pair of tweezers with the drone just to grab the as card. Those things are not easy to get out of a Mavic 3 Pro.
 
😂. Appreciate it.

I guess my concern is going on a three week vacation without my computer and just loading up footage without ever thinking I may run out of space. And then get to some great spots I really want to video and find out I’m out of bullets.
Cards are cheap. Don't take a chance on losing images or video you care about. Change cards after a couple of good sessions, unless you have your laptop with you to download to.
I must have 8 or 9 cards in my bag. On some shoots I change card with each battery in case of a crash, then I at least will have the images shot up until that flight.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kilboar
My business is digital forensics and the number of flash memory units I've used and seen over the years staggers my mind to even estimate. Flash media cards of any type will get lost, damaged, or become obsolete sooner than anyone can wear one out. After all, 500 MB cards are still working, but who wants one? You can start formatting a card today and do it twenty times a day for years and never wear it out. Where flash media (solid state media) starts to wear out is in high-end server applications where the number of read/writes can be astronomical. It's hard to imagine wearing out flash media in drone applications. Wear leveling, already mentioned, works in conjunction with the garbage collector (seriously) to move data around at the physical level underneath the file system level. In so moving data around, equal wear occurs.

Don't buy cheap or slow cards, but enough for each flight or battery swap. Don't put good, irreplaceable data in the air where the odds of loss increase. Bad things happen to good data. So use several smaller, good cards, and invest in a good card holder in which to secure them. The last thing you want to do is go on vacation, use one 512 GB card, and on the last day of vacation when the card is full, suffer the loss of your drone, and your data.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GadgetGuy
I have the Mavic 3 Pro also and just purchased a 128GB Delkin 250/Mbps SD card and now I'm having issues with it while recording on the drone. It shows some write error on the RC a few times now, don't remember exactly. Something about it writing slow and can't keep up with the card. The record button keeps spinning as if it's capturing the shot but never stops spinning. I have to physically bring the drone down, land it, then take off again for it to stop.

Has anyone else had this issue?

Also, will Delkin memory cards not work on DJI products? I know it's not on the list. Is the card too fast for the drone? I mean DJI lists it at 200 Mbps for H.265 so I thought the Delkin card would be more than enough since it's at 250Mbps write. How can you find a fast enough card that will write at 200 Mbps?!

Hasselblad Camera:
H.264/H.265: 200 Mbps

This is what I purchased:

 
I have the Mavic 3 Pro also and just purchased a 128GB Delkin 250/Mbps SD card and now I'm having issues with it while recording on the drone. It shows some write error on the RC a few times now, don't remember exactly. Something about it writing slow and can't keep up with the card. The record button keeps spinning as if it's capturing the shot but never stops spinning. I have to physically bring the drone down, land it, then take off again for it to stop.

Has anyone else had this issue?

Also, will Delkin memory cards not work on DJI products? I know it's not on the list. Is the card too fast for the drone? I mean DJI lists it at 200 Mbps for H.265 so I thought the Delkin card would be more than enough since it's at 250Mbps write. How can you find a fast enough card that will write at 200 Mbps?!

Hasselblad Camera:
H.264/H.265: 200 Mbps

This is what I purchased:

For a happy DJI recording experience, use a card on the list. They have all been tested and confirmed to work. Anything else, and you are the tester! Could be a bad card, could be the specs are too fast, or card brand that just isn't reliable. Who knows! Why swim upstream, against the current, with an untested card, when you can float downstream with an approved card?
 
I have the Mavic 3 Pro also and just purchased a 128GB Delkin 250/Mbps SD card and now I'm having issues with it while recording on the drone. It shows some write error on the RC a few times now, don't remember exactly. Something about it writing slow and can't keep up with the card. The record button keeps spinning as if it's capturing the shot but never stops spinning. I have to physically bring the drone down, land it, then take off again for it to stop.

Has anyone else had this issue?

Also, will Delkin memory cards not work on DJI products? I know it's not on the list. Is the card too fast for the drone? I mean DJI lists it at 200 Mbps for H.265 so I thought the Delkin card would be more than enough since it's at 250Mbps write. How can you find a fast enough card that will write at 200 Mbps?!

Hasselblad Camera:
H.264/H.265: 200 Mbps

This is what I purchased:

Delkin makes superb memory cards geared, for the most, for the high-end photo/video market. That said, they have five tiers of performance, Select, Advantage, Prime, Power, and Black. Select has a red stripe and is budget line. Black is their best. Power is excellent. I use Black and Power only in my Canon R3 and R5. Never once had them not keep up no matter the demand. I also use Blacks in my DJI birds. Again, never fails to keep up. The Delkin card you have is the Power line. Delkin may not be on DJI’s list, but most assuredly their Black line works, likely their Power line, but I can‘t say for certain, as my experience with that line is only in Canon and there it rocks.

Another thing about Blacks, they are physically tough, made for tough environments. From a post in Shutterbug:. “Blacks are three times stronger than a regular SD card. I believe that’s a conservative estimate. Delkin Black cards are specially made for harsh conditions. They are waterproof and dustproof and can withstand up to 45 pounds of force (that’s for the SD cards; the CF cards can handle 80 pounds). Delkin Black also have Delkin’s popular warranty and a pretty incredible 48-hour replacement plan.

Power does match the Black in the toughness category, but performance-wise, it is a near equal. From a performance perspective, it looks like the main difference between the two cards is that the Delkin Black supports 8K RAW video while the Power does only 6K RAW video.

You get what you pay for, more often than not. There’s a reason some cards cost more than others. If you are going to spend a grand or upwards for a drone, it’s best to pay for quality memory cards. You have a high quality card!

Delkin’s warranty is one of the best and the Power line has a better warranty than the tiers below it. I’d contact Delkin and tell them what you are experiencing and they will replace it. If the problem persists, I’d try a card on the DJI list. If the problem still persists, then it would suggest the M3 is the issue and you go to DJI support.

And what GadgetGuy says is also good advice, why swim upstream when you can swim downstream?
 
Last edited:
There's no need to seek out the "best", most expensive, highest performing SD cards for your drone.
All that's needed is a card that's good enough.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Filmarik

DJI Drone Deals

New Threads

Forum statistics

Threads
134,565
Messages
1,596,302
Members
163,065
Latest member
kyle465
Want to Remove this Ad? Simply login or create a free account