What to do if there's a problem with your drone's SD card?

What to do if there's a problem with your drone's SD card?

What can you do in case of a failure with your drone's microSD card?

When you want to get outside as quickly as possible and capture a significant event or amazing nature shot, the last thing you want is to have a problem hold you back, right? We know how uncomfortable this can be, so here we're going to touch on one of the drone components that could be causing such an issue. Here we will talk about your drone's SD card. If an error or some kind of malfunction is reported, it's good to know how to fix it.

To fix the SD card issue, you may need to format the card, update the drone's firmware, replace the card with a new one or use a particular app to find out the cause of the error. Exactly where the problem is located depends on the cause.

Usually, the problem lies in the SD card, not the drone. If you notice any error or malfunction, the first thing to do is check if the card is corrupted and if you installed it correctly. This article will point out the various causes and solutions for a drone memory card problem.

The most common drone memory card problems and how to fix them:

Check if the memory card is damaged and if you have installed it correctly

If you get an error message when inserting the memory card, you should first look to see if you installed it correctly in the slot. Then take a good look around to see if the card itself is damaged. Inserting and removing it in a hurry or repeatedly may cause damage to it.

You may also lose the data you store on the card if you do not handle the device carefully. The good news is that even if this happens, chances are you can recover all or part of the lost data by using SD card recovery software.

Use appropriate memory cards

It's possible that the memory card you purchased simply won't work for your drone. To avoid shopping for accessories for your drone in vain, always check that the model you choose matches the machine you're already using.

Use antivirus software to protect the memory card

When browsing the internet, downloading different files to the card, or even if you're just transferring files from a virus-infected computer or smartphone, there's a chance that these viruses can cause different problems. Some files on the SD card may get deleted, corrupted, hidden, or the memory card itself may not function.

Therefore, it is very important always to have an effective antivirus program installed to scan and remove all errors and potentially dangerous files from your computer/smartphone and memory card.

Recovering a damaged SD card using the computer's operating system

You can also repair damaged SD cards using your computer's control prompt. To do this, connect the damaged SD card to the computer and find the assigned drive letter. To find the drive letter of your SD card, go to "My Computer/This PC". You will then find the letter in question under the "Devices and Drives" tab.

Then click on the start box and type cmd into the search engine. Right-click the command window and run it as administrator. Then type "chkdsk" in the window and end it with the drive letter of your SD card. For example, if the drive letter of your card is "f", enter the following command in the window: "chkdsk f: /r".

The chkdsk (Check Disk) command will scan the memory card for problems and then fix them. This will take a few minutes.

Updating the drone firmware

However, there is a possibility that the error is also related to your drone. That's why we advise you to always check for new firmware updates and if so, download them.

This will ensure that your drone has all necessary updates, and you can determine if this is the cause of the microcard issue.

Format the memory card

Another step you can take if you've tried everything we've mentioned so far is formatting the SD card. This is a good option if you have a copy of the files on the device, as any hidden or visible files will be deleted during formatting. For this reason, formatting is a last resort option to try to restore the memory card to its current state.

What you need to do in this case is to connect the SD card to your computer and use File Explorer. After the formatting process is complete, the card will be fully recovered if there is no physical damage.

As mentioned, it's important always to select the right SD cards for your drone. At COPTER.BG you can find quality microSD cards suitable for drones and action cameras. Do not hesitate to contact us in case you want to know more about our products.