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

Bought a Mavic Air 2S and it's a giant paper weight....

Very STRANGE. I format my cards in the A2S all the time and they are perfectly readable on all my PCs. And in fact, DJI recommends you format the card IN the drone.
Maybe it is a reader compatibility or something, but it has never worked for me. Even though DJI recommends formatting it in the drone (which makes sense to me), it does not work for me. But formatting it in the PC works great, so that is what I go with.
 
My experience has been that the card readers are the usual suspects no matter if they work for another device or not. In this instance you really do get what you pay for, I’ve had inexpensive card readers work for years, then all of the sudden they don’t want to work all the time, or for specific memory cards. So I then go and spend some money on a quality reader ($80-$100) and I never seem to have any issues.

I worked in the computer repair industry for decades and even owned my own business as well as actually manufacturing memory chips with Intel Corporation as an Ion Implantation Engineer at its Colorado Springs FAB 23 before we were outsourced to the Chinese back in ‘07. Hardware can definitely be fickle, try plugging your card into an Apple MacBook or Mac and see if it makes a difference.

I got into computers back in the 1970’s when DOS 1.0 was new and before Wiindows was invented. Spent the next 30 years w/IBM comparable (worked for IBM as well) hardware and software and in 2009 bought my first Apple, a Mac Mini, and NEVER looked back. For the first time in my life I didn’t have to **** with the hardware anymore!! Like their advertising use to say “it just works” and for me, it surely has! So find a buddy with an Apple device and try reading it and see what happens. Good luck!

Fun Fact: I bet you didn’t know that during semiconductor manufacturing, the final step for each die is TEST & SORT where, for example, a CPU chip is tested for sustainability at different running (clock) speeds, and is downgraded to the highest sustainable operation even though engineered and built for a higher clock frequency.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
In post #6 above you say you "I read from the drone to my computer.....then download the files directly to my desk top"
Could you clarify your procedure? Are you downloading files from the drone to the computer via a usb cable? or are you removing the SD card from the drone and inserting into a high speed card reader?
Have you tried replaying the video on your device (phone,pad,SC) while connected to the drone? Is the file corrupted?
If the video parameters are different from the A2 and A2S, ie H264 vs H265, 4K versus 1080,. your computer (usually the video card) maybe not capable of playing. Are you on a Mac or PC, btw. What is the config of your computer. I had to upgrade mine to play H265 and 4K at 60 fps, my old box wouldn't handle it.

Lastly, I would try this.
1. Make sure I am using the exact same parameters on both birds, H264, 1080 or 4K, frame rates, etc.
2. Record a video on the A2,
3. Remove the card from the A2 and insert into the A2s, shoot a 2nd video.
4. Remove the card from the A2S, insert it into a high speed card reader, download both videos to your computer, and run both videos. If the A2 plays, and the A2s doesn;t, try both on someones faster computer. If you dont have access, then upload the file to google drive and let me download it and see if it plays on my computer. (Win10, 64Gig memory, AMD Threadripper cpu, Radeon RX570 8gig GPU) this is all I could afford, a 1080 or 2080 card is even better, but cost a fortune)
 
  • Like
Reactions: EtheB and skycam509
Hi everyone.... so I already own a Mavic Air 2 and LOVE it! Decided to buy the Air 2S to add to my fleet. Bought it on 12/13/21 and the same day I went out to fly it. Got home, tried downloading the video and adding it to my video editor. The video file is corrupted and will not work. Lovely! I take it back to the store that I bought it and they sent it off to DJI for repair. I just got it back on 1/7/22. Flew it yesterday same thing even though DJI said the SD card reader was bad and they replaced it.

I'm at the point I have had enough of this and I'm going to have either DJI buy it back or dispute the charge on my credit card since the store has said that they do not do refunds which I think is BS. My credit card company already said they would dispute the card.

Has anyone else had this problem with the Air 2S? I have seen online others talking about this problem but all of the solutions out there are not working for me at all. I fly a lot and quite frankly the only thing I like about this drone is the distance it can travel. I'd love to hear from the community about this situation and I'm open to some ideas.... thanks!
No sure how big a difference this would make pertaining to your issue, but somewhere on the face of the card does is have a U3? (The 3 would be placed inside the U). If it is something like a U1, then that may be your problem, or part of it at least.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EtheB and skycam509
I have noticed from time to time that after a flight with my mini I will insert the SD card into my PC and the file will be corrupt or incomplete.
Here is what I do:
  1. Remove the card from the pc
  2. Insert the card into the drone
  3. Turn on the drone
  4. Leave the drone on for about 30 seconds
  5. Turn off the drone
  6. Remove card from drone
  7. Insert the card into the Pc
After this process I find the the file is now complete and working.
I do not know if this will work for you but this may be an option.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pallidin
Have you tried using a different SD card? That would be my first call. It's also worth checking to see if DJI have an SD Qualified Vendors List.
 
Hi everyone.... so I already own a Mavic Air 2 and LOVE it! Decided to buy the Air 2S to add to my fleet. Bought it on 12/13/21 and the same day I went out to fly it. Got home, tried downloading the video and adding it to my video editor. The video file is corrupted and will not work. Lovely! I take it back to the store that I bought it and they sent it off to DJI for repair. I just got it back on 1/7/22. Flew it yesterday same thing even though DJI said the SD card reader was bad and they replaced it.

I'm at the point I have had enough of this and I'm going to have either DJI buy it back or dispute the charge on my credit card since the store has said that they do not do refunds which I think is BS. My credit card company already said they would dispute the card.

Has anyone else had this problem with the Air 2S? I have seen online others talking about this problem but all of the solutions out there are not working for me at all. I fly a lot and quite frankly the only thing I like about this drone is the distance it can travel. I'd love to hear from the community about this situation and I'm open to some ideas.... thanks!
I have had this issue with all the drones and here is the problem I have had. I land the drone and turn it off before stopping record. this truncates the file and it will need repair or discard. Always have to terminate the recording then shut down the drone and all is good.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AZDave and MS Coast
Hi everyone.... so I already own a Mavic Air 2 and LOVE it! Decided to buy the Air 2S to add to my fleet. Bought it on 12/13/21 and the same day I went out to fly it. Got home, tried downloading the video and adding it to my video editor. The video file is corrupted and will not work. Lovely! I take it back to the store that I bought it and they sent it off to DJI for repair. I just got it back on 1/7/22. Flew it yesterday same thing even though DJI said the SD card reader was bad and they replaced it.

I'm at the point I have had enough of this and I'm going to have either DJI buy it back or dispute the charge on my credit card since the store has said that they do not do refunds which I think is BS. My credit card company already said they would dispute the card.

Has anyone else had this problem with the Air 2S? I have seen online others talking about this problem but all of the solutions out there are not working for me at all. I fly a lot and quite frankly the only thing I like about this drone is the distance it can travel. I'd love to hear from the community about this situation and I'm open to some ideas.... thanks!
I have only had a great experience with the Air 2s👍🏻
 
I have noticed from time to time that after a flight with my mini I will insert the SD card into my PC and the file will be corrupt or incomplete.
Here is what I do:
  1. Remove the card from the pc
  2. Insert the card into the drone
  3. Turn on the drone
  4. Leave the drone on for about 30 seconds
  5. Turn off the drone
  6. Remove card from drone
  7. Insert the card into the Pc
After this process I find the the file is now complete and working.
I do not know if this will work for you but this may be an option.
You can avoid that issue by ensuring you stop the video BEFORE powering off the drone. If you power off while the video is recording, then it doesn't close the file correctly. Hence the need to power up the drone to complete the file closure formatting.
 
You can avoid that issue by ensuring you stop the video BEFORE powering off the drone. If you power off while the video is recording, then it doesn't close the file correctly. Hence the need to power up the drone to complete the file closure formatting.
Exactly this even happened to the GoPro. You need to stop the recording before turn off. Even the iPad when you screen record and don’t stop and just close can damage the file.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EtheB
Has anyone else had this problem with the Air 2S?
Yes. As others have suggested this is likely an issue with you unknowingly recording in H.265. If you go into your camera settings, chose H.264 codec and see if it works.

FYI, if you choose H.264 in the settings menu, then you start flying and from the home screen quick selector you chose 4K@60FPS, the app will blindly change the codec to H.265, UNLIKE the MA2 which can record 4K@60 with H.264. The app does not tell you it's switching to H.265, it just does it. Many PCs have an issue with H.265. Even if you have H.265 codec support in your PC, the free version of Davinci Resolve can't edit 4K@60 in H.265 on a PC. I had to buy the Studio version to support 4K@60 H.265.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EtheB and Carlos56
Also, why did DJI replace the SD Card slot on the drone if it's a problem on my end?
I reformat on pc and in drone..NEVER had an issue. As others, I always close video before shutting down the drone, You know that. Let us know what you find out..curiosity has killed me more than once.
 

Attachments

  • large_0b8dfe16-19c5-4319-ae24-bc94f0dbe8cd.jpg
    large_0b8dfe16-19c5-4319-ae24-bc94f0dbe8cd.jpg
    106.6 KB · Views: 0
First, record some video at 1080 30 frames per second and shoot some photos. If your computer can read those files OK, then the issue might be when you shoot 5.4K video (hard for any computer to play back) it’s just too large and too complex for your computers to process. Just because the drone can shoot 5.4K D-Log 10-bit video format, does not mean your computer, your smart phone or your tablet is compatible.
 
Hi, I read from the drone to my computer.....then download the files directly to my desk top... no problems when I use the Air 2 and the SD card is brand new works with my Air 2....thanks for the info...
It sounds like you are leaving the data card in the drone and connecting the drone to your computer via a USB cable. Have you tried removing the card from the drone and reading it with a card reader? The way you are doing it should work, but this might be a way to eliminate the possibility of a bad USB port on the drone.

Also, have you tried recording to the drone's internal storage? I believe the write speed is faster on the Air 2s than on the Air 2. It could be that your data card is sufficient for the old drone but can't quite keep up with the new one.

If you don't have any issues when you try the drone's internal storage, I would try a different data card with higher specs.
 
Also, have you tried recording to the drone's internal storage? I believe the write speed is faster on the Air 2s than on the Air 2. It could be that your data card is sufficient for the old drone but can't quite keep up with the new one.

If you don't have any issues when you try the drone's internal storage, I would try a different data card with higher specs.
I was hoping someone had suggested this. If there is something wrong with the SD card, this is the way to test it. Record internally (photos and video) and copy those files over.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EtheB and skycam509
It sounds like you are leaving the data card in the drone and connecting the drone to your computer via a USB cable. Have you tried removing the card from the drone and reading it with a card reader?
I would second that. The cable from the drone to the PC, or the PC port may be a bottleneck for the data. Use an SD card reader in the PC slot - much faster data transfer rate.

All the other comments about H.265 and 5.4K 10-bit Dlog file sizes also relevant.
 
When you format the SD card in the drone, the folder structure is created. I always format my SD card in the drone each time I finish a project.
You don’t have to format it for it this to happen.

Example, I take my SD card out, drag the files off to the desktop and then delete the folder from the SD card.

I pop it back into the drone, no format, and the media folders are back next time I take it out 👍🏻
 
I was hoping someone had suggested this…

“It could be that your data card is sufficient for the old drone but can't quite keep up with the new one”

Can’t be. If the card is too slow, the drone tells you apparently. There’s a message pop up.
 
5.4K LOG won't play well at all on my decently powerful editing laptop ( i7 6 core, nvidia gtx 1060, 16gb), so if you are using a highly compressed high resoultion h.265 mode it could be a problem for the computer hardware to decode.
 
Lycus Tech Mavic Air 3 Case

DJI Drone Deals

New Threads

Forum statistics

Threads
130,973
Messages
1,558,472
Members
159,963
Latest member
Corbo2000