Greatest SD Playing cards for DJI Air 3 – Droneblog
The Air 3 has been hailed by many as “the proper drone”.

Though having a smaller sensor than the 1-inch sensor discovered within the Air 2S, the Air 3 takes wonderful low-light 12 MP and 48 MP pictures from each the wide-angle 24mm lens and the medium tele 70mm lens.
One of many first issues any Air 3 proprietor will need to buy to seize nice pictures and video footage is SD playing cards, not just for the Air 3 but additionally for the DJI RC 2.
We’ll be speaking about the most effective SD playing cards for the Air 3, the right way to insert and eject the Air 3 and DJI RC 2 SD playing cards, in addition to format the SD playing cards in each the Air 3 and DJI RC 2.
The very best SD playing cards for the Air 3 and DJI RC 2 are the SanDisk Excessive and Excessive PRO strains, Samsung’s EVO line, Kingston Canvas Go!, and the Lexar 1066x line, all of that are really useful by DJI.
Moreover, there are different highly-rated playing cards with comparable learn/write speeds that can work effectively within the Air 3.
DJI’s Really helpful Record
Oftentimes, we would consider a producer’s suggestions record to be one thing put in place as a result of the producer of stated merchandise advantages not directly.
Whereas that is perhaps the case in some situations (equivalent to a partnership between two corporations), going by DJI’s advice record for merchandise not produced by DJI for his or her line of drones is useful to the customer.
It’s because, having deliberate, engineered, constructed, and examined its merchandise, DJI is able to know what third social gathering merchandise work finest for its line of apparatus and what third social gathering merchandise will assist DJI’s merchandise function to their full capability, thus benefitting the customer.
The identical goes for SD playing cards.
DJI wouldn’t suggest playing cards that might be problematic or diminish the ultimate output of the photographs and movies produced with its drones.
That might be dangerous for enterprise.
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What to Search for in an SD Card
Externally, most SD playing cards look comparable. To the uninformed, they’re equivalent small items of plastic with a label and a tiny gold-colored bar on them.
Like with any product, all SD playing cards will not be made equal, nor do all of them carry out the identical or at a excessive degree.
When trying to buy an SD card, you’ll need to take into consideration the SD card’s most area, learn/write speeds, in addition to value, if on a price range.
» MORE: Greatest DJI Mini 3 SD Playing cards
House/Measurement
SD playing cards will not be usually used as a everlasting dwelling for knowledge.
The principle function of an SD card is to briefly home the photographs and movies taken from a shoot at any explicit time.
After which the photographs and movies are transferred to a pc or machine for modifying and sharing.
When contemplating how a lot area shall be wanted for an SD card, take into account how you’ll use the cardboard.
Are you somebody that flies loads, taking tons of images and 4k video, solely to go away the footage on an SD card for an indeterminate period of time?
Or, do you shoot quite a lot of footage and usually switch the media to a pc for eventual modifying?
In the event you depart media on the SD card for some time, then a higher-capacity card (256GB+ is perhaps the reply).
Conversely, when you dump content material usually to an out of doors answer (i.e., pc or transportable drive), having decrease capability, cost-effective playing cards is perhaps the reply (128GB).
Under is a comparability chart of essentially the most used and well-liked sizes of SD playing cards, that may assist in figuring out the right-sized card in your Air 3.
The chart relies on the Air 3’s most 48 MP picture possibility at 98MB/picture, rounded as much as a fair 100MB, and the 12 MP picture possibility at 25MB/Photograph.
» MORE: Greatest SD Playing cards for DJI Mavic Air 2
Photograph Storage Examples
Card Measurement (GB) | 48MP 100MB Photograph | 12MP 25MB Photograph |
---|---|---|
32 | 320 | 1280 |
64 | 640 | 2048 |
128 | 1280 | 5120 |
256 | 2560 | 10240 |
512 | 5120 | 20480 |
1024 (1TB) | 10240 | 40960 |
Under is a comparability chart of how a lot storage is utilized in capturing varied lengths of 4k 60fps video footage.
Video Storage Examples
Video size | Measurement at 4K/60 FPS – 150 Mbps |
---|---|
60 seconds | 1.09 GB |
5 minutes | 5.45 GB |
10 minutes | 10.9 GB |
half-hour | 32.7 GB |
1 hour | 65.4 GB |
5 hours | 327 GB |
8 hours | 523.2 GB |
Learn/Write Pace
Now that we have now an concept of how a lot area is required for Air 3 pictures and movies (at their commonest utilization sizes), it’s good to go over how the velocity of an SD card comes into play.
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U1 & U3
On the entrance of SD playing cards, there shall be a bucket with U1 and U3, these are the UHS velocity class scores.
UHS Pace Class 1 helps 10MB/write velocity at the least, with UHS Pace Class 3 having a minimal of a minimum of 30 MB/write velocity.
These numbers are important as a U3 card is usually required when capturing 4k movies.
Even in case you are not planning on filming 4k+ video, having U3 playing cards, with a velocity benefit over U1 playing cards, is useful at instances for taking pictures.
The velocity profit for taking footage on the Air 3 comes into play when doing 3-5 body AEB (auto publicity bracketing) and burst capturing, as the photographs in these modes write in a short time to the cardboard, with out the pauses of a slower U1 card.
This all signifies that you’ll need a UHS-I U3 card in your Air 3.
With out going into all the detailed and technical data, you’ll mainly need to buy the quickest, best-quality card that matches your price range.
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Pricing
With as many differing kinds, sizes, and speeds of SD playing cards which can be obtainable, there are additionally many alternative pricing choices.
A number of the various pricing choices will be seen inside a single SD card producer.
As talked about, DJI recommends playing cards by SanDisc, Samsung, Kingston, and Lexor.
All of those producers have completely different strains of their playing cards (common, professional, excessive, and so forth), at completely different costs.
On the subject of SD playing cards, the upper the storage capability, the cheaper SD playing cards get, per GB.
To place this into perspective, a SanDisk Excessive U3 128gb card was promoting for $14.99, and the 256 GB model of that card was promoting for $22.99.
The 256 GB model of the cardboard was cheaper per GB than the 128 GB, because it was not promoting for $29.98.
As you search for SD playing cards, you’ll oftentimes discover this the case amongst most of the SD card producers, and never simply SanDisk.
Likewise, oftentimes, you’ll find offers the place there are 2-packs of SD playing cards, and mixed they’re priced much less per card than when you bought each playing cards individually.
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DJI Really helpful Playing cards
Under is a list of DJI’s SD Card suggestions, in addition to helpful producer’s product data.
» MORE: SD Playing cards for DJI Drones (What You Have to Know)
SanDisk Excessive/Professional Traces
The SanDisk Excessive and Excessive Professional strains are made for the situations we would discover our drones in. They’re reportedly Temperature proof, Waterproof, and Shockproof.
The Excessive sequence has learn speeds as much as 160MB and write speeds as much as 60MB, good for 4k video recording and burst capturing on the Air 3.
These options apply to the 128 & 256 GB variations as effectively.
As common customers of SanDisk, we extremely suggest these strains of playing cards.
Our Choose
SanDisk Excessive 256GB V30 A2 microSDXC
- As much as 130MB/s write speeds for quick capturing
- 4K and 5K UHD-ready with UHS Pace Class 3 (U3) and Video Pace Class 30 (V30)
- Rated A2 for sooner loading and in-app efficiency
We earn a fee when you make a purchase order, at no further price to you.
08/23/2023 08:31 am GMT
Really helpful
SanDisk 256GB Excessive PRO microSD
- Write Speeds of as much as 140MB/s: Seize fast-action pictures or shoot 4K UHD video with write speeds of as much as 140MB/s.
- Load Apps Sooner with A2
- This card is shockproof, temperature-proof, waterproof, and X-ray-proof
We earn a fee when you make a purchase order, at no further price to you.
08/23/2023 11:42 am GMT
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Lexar 1066x
The 1066x line is particularly designed for motion cameras, drones, and different high-end finish electronics.
For the price range conscience, the Lexar 1066x has SD playing cards that are available a number of {dollars} lower than SanDisk presently.
Lexar Skilled 1066x 256GB microSDXC UHS-I Card
- Skilled-level efficiency for motion cameras, drones, or Android smartphones
- Leverages UHS-I know-how to ship learn speeds as much as 160MB/s (1066x)
- Designed for sturdiness in harsh situations
We earn a fee when you make a purchase order, at no further price to you.
08/22/2023 06:27 pm GMT
Samsung Evo Choose/Plus Traces
Along with being waterproof, shockproof, temperature proof, and X-ray proof, the EVO Choose and the Evo Plus sequence are additionally magnetic proof.
The Evo line has learn speeds as much as 100MB and write speeds as much as 60MB. Moreover, as of this text writing, particular Evo SD playing cards on presently on sale.
Kingston Canvas Go Line
Made for motion cameras and drones, the Kingston sequence has switch speeds as much as 170 MB and helps the A2 App Efficiency Class.
This sequence of playing cards is water, x-ray, temperature, shock, and vibration proof.
Inserting/Ejecting SD Playing cards
Following the design queues from the Mavic 3 and Mini 3 strains, the SD card slot for the Air 3 is not trapped behind the best leg or arm of the drone, like was the case on the Air 2S, however has since been relocated to the rear of the Air 3, beneath the battery.
It is a much-needed and appreciated design replace, as many people Air 2S house owners have been barely aggravated on the earlier placement. Now, SD playing cards will be shortly eliminated.
» MORE: DJI Mini 3 Professional SD Playing cards: How you can Insert, Eject, and Format (Video)
Air 3
To insert an SD card into the Air 3:
STEP 1: Pull the rear port cowl down and to the best (this homes the USB-C and SD card slots).
STEP 2: With the Air 3 powered down, insert the SD card, with the pins going through upward, till the cardboard clicks into place.
STEP 3: Shut the rear port cowl.
DJI RC 2
As with the Mini 3 strains DJI RC, the Air 3’s DJI RC 2 additionally has an SD card slot. At the moment, the SD card on the DJI RC 2 is used for storing screenshots and display recording clips.
You probably have used the unique DJI RC, you might need been irritated with the fold-down cowl that was over the SD card and auxiliary USB-C port.
Fortunately, that has been faraway from the DJI RC 2, and there may be solely an open port.
To insert an SD card into the DJI RC 2, whereas the DJI RC 2 is off, merely push the SD card into the SD card slot (the left slot), till it clicks.
Be aware: The SD card slots on the Air 3 and DJI RC 2 are spring-loaded. You probably have bigger fingers or your fingers slip when inserting the SD card it might trigger the cardboard to launch out of the slot, probably getting misplaced. It’s steered to make use of a fingernail to insert the playing cards, if potential.
» MORE: Is the DJI RC Controller Price it?
Formatting SD Playing cards and Inside Storage
The method for formatting SD playing cards and the inner storage that’s within the Air 3 is completed inside the DJI Fly app, whether or not you could have a DJI RC 2 or the RC-N2 distant controller.
Air 3
To format the SD card or inner storage, after powering on each the Air 3 and your present RC (DJI RC 2 or RC-N2) related to a wise machine:
STEP 1: Whereas within the DJI Fly app, go into your settings and find the CAMERA tab.
STEP 2: Underneath storage, press format. You’ll be introduced with an choice to format both the SD card or Inside Storage. Select SD Card and press Format.
To format the inner storage of the Air 3, throughout Step 2 merely choose Inside Storage on the Choose location to format display.
» MORE: How you can Format SD Playing cards in DJI Drones (Fast Steps with Images)
DJI RC 2
In contrast to the SD playing cards within the Air 3 (detachable and inner storage), the Air 3 doesn’t must be on to format the SD card and inner storage of the DJI RC 2.
To format the DJI RC 2’s SD card and/or inner storage:
STEP 1: Pull down the DJI RC 2’s notification display by double-swiping it down.
STEP 2: Press the settings/choices gear within the higher right-hand nook of the display.
STEP 3: Faucet STORAGE
STEP 4: On the underside of the display, underneath Moveable Storage, you will note your SD card. Mine is labeled DJIRC.
Faucet in your SD card’s title. You’ll see your SD playing cards used area.
STEP 5: Press Format. You’ll then be requested to format the SD card. In the event you select to format at the moment, press FORMAT SD CARD or in any other case select CANCEL
The identical steps apply to formatting the inner storage of the DJI RC 2. Nevertheless, as an alternative of selecting the DJI RC 2 Moveable Storage, you’ll choose System Storage and proceed with formatting the inner storage.
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