SD Card Best Practices for Pilots

Created by Pranav Chaudhary, Modified on Fri, 1 May at 1:36 PM by Pranav Chaudhary

Since the launch of Grid Mapping missions, some pilots are experiencing more image count errors upon flight submission.

Our engineering team has identified slower SD cards as a potential cause of these errors. Slower cards may not always keep up with continuous capture, particularly on the grid mapping missions.

Here are a few best practices to help avoid this :point_down:

Before each flight day

:white_check_mark: Format your SD card in the drone (not your computer). Takes ~10 seconds and helps prevent slowdowns.
Clear old images regularly. Cards filled with thousands of photos are more likely to miss new writes.

Minimum card requirements
Use at least U3 / V30 cards to ensure consistent write speeds for the Mini 4 Pro.
(U1 / Class 10 may not be sufficient.)

U3 — 30MB/s minimum write
V30 — built for continuous capture
A2 — nice to have, not required

Recommended cards
• Lexar 1066x — budget / general use
• SanDisk Extreme — great all-around choice
• SanDisk Max Endurance ★ — high-volume flying
• Samsung PRO Endurance ★ — high-volume flying
★ Endurance-rated cards are designed for continuous writing and tend to last longer with regular drone use.

When to replace your card

:repeat: Heavy use (daily flights): every 6–12 months
Moderate use (weekly flights): once a year
:warning: If you notice increasing missed images over time, it’s worth swapping the card first.

Keeping your SD card in good shape helps ensure consistent, reliable captures across every flight