Corrupted Video and Pictures

[Heiko]

Hi there,

I just got my Mavic Air and was looking forward to some great shots and clips.
I was using the internal memory for this first flight.

When I got back home and dumped the files to my HDD, I was very disappointed. Not only did one clip not want to get transferred - Windows told me there would be a Problem - so I had to disconnect the USB cable and reconnect, so I could get that file, too! it also showed corrupted files!!!

One example of a picture:

Especially to the right you can see red and blueish lines

And here an example of the awful footage:

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Is it because of defect hardware, or could it really be the result of settings in the GO 4 (android) app?
By the way: the cached clip on the phone is of bad resolution, but it does show a smooth clip!!!
I am suspecting it to be a faulty internal memory

Thank you guys for your input

 

[tcope]

First thing I'd do it try it again. One example is not a good confirmation of an issue. Sit the Air in your house and record some video to the internal memory and see how it looks. Take some photos as well.

Then insert an SD card and try it again and see what happens when writing to the card.

 

[Heiko]

Yes, will try it with an SD card tomorrow. My other video-files from today (after switching everything off and wandering around to another point to fly again) are similar.

Some of the photos are ok, but here is an other example of a red line (well, maybe there was actually something lying around... looks strange) and two (I zoomed in and put is as overlay) with random colored pixel:

 

[tcope]

I'd certainly say it looks like an issue. If it were me, I'd want to narrow down the possible issue.

 

[Drone Master]

I would be sure to format the internal drive using the Go app before take off.
I have had similar issues and formatting the drive before take off took care of the problem.

 

[Akoztha]

You using a Samsung Galaxy ?

 

[Heiko]

I would be sure to format the internal drive using the Go app before take off.
I have had similar issues and formatting the drive before take off took care of the problem.

Do you formart (internal storage) before every single flight (well, after backup of the files obviously)? Seems like it really might be some drone, not settings related problem. Wondering if it might be just the firmware or if it's hardware related...

@Akoztha
No, it's a Motorola G3 I am using, which I had lying around an dedicated it for the task

Will have a try with formarted internal/external storage and let you know.

 

[Heiko]

I just recorded a few sec long clip to SD and internal memory - both look awful! Formatted memory before recording with GO 4 app
I think it's a problem with the drone

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EDIT: I have taken another few photos in the backyard and almost all of them show defects - red and green lines, as well as lines with "noise".
I have contacted DJI support, which wasn't helping at all with their first response, I would have shown them a video off of the smartphone-cache. Its not, so I also sent them those pictures shown in a previous post and am waiting for another response. I hope I can sent the drone in for repair, as to me it seems like a hardware problem.

 

[Heiko]

For the ones interested in the outcome:

I got a replacement and the first thing I did (after charging batteries and firmware-updates) was attaching the USB cable to transfer the test clip and picture from internal and SD storage to my PC.
Guess what: same problem over again. I was already quiet disappointed, but made a few more test pictures and clips to hand over to DJI to verify my problem again. Well, this time I popped out the SD card and into a SD-reader. Well, what to say: everything is ok!

Conclusion: The internal memory is useless atm, as long as the USB-transfer is not working. Using a SD card and a reader is the way to go (so no backup internal-storage for now)

 

[MavericAir]

I have the same problem. Same video distortion plus juddering video. The video looks clear in the preview (in app) but lots of distortion when saved to PC or Mac. My videos are saved to SD card. I have tried three different brands of SD at 16gb and 64GB. I have reinstalled the firmware and the Go 4 app. I have reset camera to auto. Another weird thing - with the Samsung 64GB EVO SD card there is a 2 min+ delay after recording any length of clip (the spinning stop button icon). The MA has recorded about 20 great clips over the last 3 weeks plus perfect photography. It just started going wrong 3 days ago, just after I started using an MD filter (probably unconnected). I use an iPhone 6s. It seems like a problem saving video from camera to storage. Anyone have any ideas? Thx

 

[Heiko]

I didn't notice those problems you are describing, yet. I still have to use an SD-Card-Reader to transfer the files, as otherwise they get useless! The only comment from DJI was "we recommend allays using an SD-Card-Reader" - haha, so the internal memory is just some stupid marketing thing. Totally useless. I am a bit disappointed with DJI and their customer service!
Sad thing is, the bags I got with my replacement are all a little too small and for some reason just after take-off the drone is rotating a little and seems to be less smooth in the air with just a tiny bit of wind (drifting a little more too)....

PS: Did you format the SD-Card using the Go 4 app? (As recommended in a previous post from Drone Master)

 

[MavericAir]

Yes, I have tried formatting the card and internal storage although I haven’t had to do that before. Anyway it made no difference. When I first got the MA everything worked perfectly including the internal storage. Such a shame, I’ve been enjoying learning how to get the most out of it and I am half way through shooting a video for Hembury Fort in Devon. Technology sucks sometimes.

 

[MavericAir]

SUCCESS! In one last effort before sending it back, I connected to Assistant 2 via usb and ran the camera calibration procedure. Now the MA films to card and internal storage perfectly again! Big relief!

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

@Heiko: Is this issue still persistent? I am experiencing the exact same problem with the Mavic 2 Pro...

When using the USB-C cable, that came with the drone, to transfer video files to the PC, i get this effect you described/showed. It doesn't matter if the footage was recorded to the internal storage or to the SD card. Both results in glitchy video files.

However, if i import the exact same file from the SD card using an SD card reader, everything is ok. Also, when i download videos from internal storage using DJI Go 4 App through the remote controller to my mobile device i don't see any strange effects in the video.

So, there is obviously something wrong with either the cable and/or the usb file transfer process.

Note: Win 10, connected cable to USB 3 port

 

[Heiko]

Yes, I had the drone replaced and it is still doing the same. For me, the internal memory is useless. Interesting that you have the same problem with the Mavic 2! No idea what DJI is doing there!
I am a little sad I had to send it in as it seems like I got a drone from the first production run for replacement. The bag/soft-shell-case were too small and the drone is rotating a tiny bit to the left a few seconds after takeoff! Could have kept the first one....

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

Yes, I had the drone replaced and it is still doing the same. For me, the internal memory is useless. Interesting that you have the same problem with the Mavic 2! No idea what DJI is doing there!
I am a little sad I had to send it in as it seems like I got a drone from the first production run for replacement. The bag/soft-shell-case were too small and the drone is rotating a tiny bit to the left a few seconds after takeoff! Could have kept the first one....

Update: The same day i tried it again and after reformatting the internal storage for the second time, i don't have issues anymore. I recorded new test footage, transfered it to the PC using the same cable and suddenly everything is ok. Maybe the issue is gone for ever now or it is ocurring just sporadically. I don't know how to reproduce it... The only thing i can think of is maybe, that straight after boot-up it needs most cpu ressources for its initialisation process and therefore there is not enough compute power to read high-bitrate 4k video fast enough from the internal ssd. I saw some videos of youtubers having issues with overloaded cpus while flying (applies to Mavic 2). Furthermore the same effects are present in videos when using low write speed SD cards.

PS: I also owned a Mavic Air and someday after a firmware update, it was also slightly rotating to the left after takeoff. I once read that the Mavic Air has general compass issues. Re-Calibrating it might help...

 

[Heiko]

Strange, but hopefully it was just a one-off thing for you with the USB-transfer/internal memory problem. I am not bothering about it anymore and just write to the SD card and pop it out and into a SD-card reader.

After the 3ed or 4th flight (and I think a firmware-update), it started asking me to re-calibrate the compass each and every time after turning it on. I had been at places with power-lines close by and thought that might be the reason, but it is also doing it without obvious reason. Still not keeping it from rotating slightly to the left after takeoff. I guess I just have to live with those "limitations" and maybe one day they are able to fix a few issues with firmware updates

 

[Fotis mavic 2 zoom]

OMG i am so happy that i find that forum...I have the same problem with you heiko,when i see your video i feel a relief...Same video footage...Everything looks ok at the screen when i am flying but the video file that i open is like yours ...My english is poor ,can you pls say to me what you did like 1/this 2/that 3/....
Dji support is the biggest ******** at the ******* earth...they say to me go buy new 700 euros mobile but we are not sure if the problem fix...Pls reply my friend