Probably some of the best images I've ever taken, both video and photo  have suddenly disappeared from my Micro SD card. I had a look at them  last night and played with a couple of photos (thankfully as that is all  I have now, attached) came back from dinner and everything I had shot  yesterday was gone! Every thing that was already on the  card was still there. I seem to remember it had created a new folder  when I looked at the images but I can't be sure. I'm guessing I need to  try some sort of card recovery but I don't want to make things worse.  It's almost like a directory thing. I'm off to bed here in Australia but I hope somebody can suggest some ideas. I've already tried using the  actual Mavic 3 Pro to read the card and two different card readers but the files are  no longer there, and no, they are not in the trash on my Mac. If this was a paid job I would have been in serious trouble. Thanks

If you want to try data recovery, plenty of people on here will suggest their go to software. I've used DiskDrill and Easeus with success. Make sure you have a full backup of the SD card somewhere before you begin. DO NOT FORMAT THE CARD, the chances are the data is still on there.

If I understand correctly, you SAW the images on the card and then went back and they were gone. I did write up to advise to look at the onboard memory, but I think as you've already seen the images they're recorded to the SD Card.

Got to say, might be a painful lesson, but the FIRST thing you do when accessing your images and videos is back them up! Don't waste any time looking at anything until you have another copy somewhere safe.

CloudVisual Posted at 4-3 06:03
If you want to try data recovery, plenty of people on here will suggest their go to software. I've used DiskDrill and Easeus with success. Make sure you have a full backup of the SD card somewhere before you begin. DO NOT FORMAT THE CARD, the chances are the data is still on there.

If I understand correctly, you SAW the images on the card and then went back and they were gone. I did write up to advise to look at the onboard memory, but I think as you've already seen the images they're recorded to the SD Card.

Correct, they WERE on the Micro SD card and I was only gone 1 hour. ALL of the files from that day are gone from that card and ALL of the files from previous days are still there.

This may not be helpful at all, but one thing I have done accidentally in the past is move an entire folder into a subfolder somewhere, and given the speed of the macs for the last few years, it happened in a blink of an eye.  An unintended mouse movement may mean your folder is sitting or merged somewhere else you did not expect.  Do an advanced search and sort by date time of file creation.

TonyPHX Posted at 4-3 06:55
This may not be helpful at all, but one thing I have done accidentally in the past is move an entire folder into a subfolder somewhere, and given the speed of the macs for the last few years, it happened in a blink of an eye.  An unintended mouse movement may mean your folder is sitting or merged somewhere else you did not expect.  Do an advanced search and sort by date time of file creation.

Good thinking Tony, will do.

christangey Posted at 4-3 07:08
Good thinking Tony, will do.

Nope. No good unfortunately, better try and get some sleep, it's 12.45am here

I'm with Tony on this but I would use a computer to search the entire card for the appropriate file name extensions e,g, jpeg, mp4 or whatever and check the folder locations where files are found.
I have scared myself silly at times by accidentally moving a folder.


Great photos BTW.

I had a look at them  last night and played with a couple of photos (thankfully as that is all  I have now, attached)
Where were those photos?
Had you manipulated them on the card?

came back from dinner and everything I had shot  yesterday was gone! Every thing that was already on the  card was still there.
It's hard to thell but it sounds like you have a rather lax system for handling your files?
Why did you have work from a previous session on the card?
Did you have it also stored securely somewhere else?
If you value your work, you shouldn't be sending it out flying again.
You should use cards and change them for each new flight and copy your work to your computer as soon as you get back from a shoot.
Sometimes it takes losing good work to develop a good system.

I seem to remember it had created a new folder  when I looked at the images but I can't be sure. I'm guessing I need to  try some sort of card recovery but I don't want to make things worse.
Relax ... Data recovery software won't make things worse.
It will read what's on the card, including stuff that's been deleted, and write a copy to your computer.
It won't write anything to the sd card, because writing to the card could be writing over deleted files.

@Labroides -

@christangey, I don't suppose there is any chance you have a Cine and perhaps it stored to the onboard SSD?  I looked at your forum profile and didn't see a Cine, but these things are not always accurate.  Anyways, I hope after some rest you have some better luck.  

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 4-3 11:40
I'm with Tony on this but I would use a computer to search the entire card for the appropriate file name extensions e,g, jpeg, mp4 or whatever and check the folder locations where files are found.
I have scared myself silly at times by accidentally moving a folder.

Thanks Sean

TonyPHX Posted at 4-3 14:46
@christangey, I don't suppose there is any chance you have a Cine and perhaps it stored to the onboard SSD?  I looked at your forum profile and didn't see a Cine, but these things are not always accurate.  Anyways, I hope after some rest you have some better luck.

No Tony, used to have a Cine, now using the Pro. Yes, weirdest thing I've ever come across.

christangey Posted at 4-3 16:27
No Tony, used to have a Cine, now using the Pro. Yes, weirdest thing I've ever come across.

Well, having seen your work, this is a bummer indeed.  But I also trust you will capture more soon.  Good hunting!!

Prob too late to say this but as soon as your drone lands and you are done for the day, before you even look at the files or try to manipulate them, copy and backup first.

Appreciate that Tony, I don't know much about these things but I'm suspecting it's some kind of corrupted file structure, the folder is there but just not showing. Tried Disk drill etc. and nil result. It's way beyond my pay grade so I think I'm going to have to just bite the bullet, hoping I get some beautiful light (and a little cloud) again once I finish this run of shoots this Tuesday. Thanks anyway

Try "ZarX" and if you can figure out how to use it "Recuva",
I have used Recuva in the distance past but when I tried it more recently I recollect I couldn't figure out how to work it.
I assume the search for extensions was unsuccessful ?

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 4-4 08:04
Try "ZarX" and if you can figure out how to use it "Recuva",
I have used Recuva in the distance past but when I tried it more recently I recollect I couldn't figure out how to work it.
I assume the search for extensions was unsuccessful ?

Yes Sean, about 50 mp4s and DNGs have disappeared into the ether. Once I finish this shoot I'm hoping to recreate the shots next week if I get the right light!

christangey Posted at 4-5 01:34
Yes Sean, about 50 mp4s and DNGs have disappeared into the ether. Once I finish this shoot I'm hoping to recreate the shots next week if I get the right light!

If the files were on the SD card, unless you've done something to overwrite them, they are still on the SD card.
Even if you delete files, they are still there and easily recovered with data recovery software.

Files don't disappear.
Even after formatting a card, you can still recover whatever was on the card.

Did you have luck with the recovery software?
There is no such thing as 'deleting' files. It is just telling the OS that the sectors are free to be overwritten (but they won't, unless you do that)
So unless the card is corrupt or you have put other data on it, the bits and bytes are still there.

Hi, christangey. Thank you for reaching out. May we ask if have you checked the aircraft's internal storage? Mavic 3 has internal storage and it might be set to be saved in internal storage.

Montfrooij Posted at 4-7 10:35
Did you have luck with the recovery software?
There is no such thing as 'deleting' files. It is just telling the OS that the sectors are free to be overwritten (but they won't, unless you do that)
So unless the card is corrupt or you have put other data on it, the bits and bytes are still there.

no, please see reply below

DJI Gamora Posted at 4-8 04:06
Hi, christangey. Thank you for reaching out. May we ask if have you checked the aircraft's internal storage? Mavic 3 has internal storage and it might be set to be saved in internal storage.

No point Gamora I had already viewed a few files from the physical SD card, transferred a couple over to the Mac, then had dinner, came back to archive it all and the whole folder was gone, but NOT the files that were already on the card. I have done every obvious thing repeatedly and only came here hoping somebody would know of a very rare fix for this. I am hesitant to post on here as it only puts my post up the list again to get more people to come tell me the bleeding obvious for what is an unheard of scenario. I'm after Tech heads who can explore the non-obvious. Anyway I think this will be the last time I comment on this post. The only odd file I found was mavic3pro_edcf.db with the same date and time I first viewed the images but nothing else.

christangey Posted at 4-13 22:41
No point Gamora I had already viewed a few files from the physical SD card, transferred a couple over to the Mac, then had dinner, came back to archive it all and the whole folder was gone, but NOT the files that were already on the card. I have done every obvious thing repeatedly and only came here hoping somebody would know of a very rare fix for this. I am hesitant to post on here as it only puts my post up the list again to get more people to come tell me the bleeding obvious for what is an unheard of scenario. I'm after Tech heads who can explore the non-obvious. Anyway I think this will be the last time I comment on this post. The only odd file I found was mavic3pro_edcf.db with the same date and time I first viewed the images but nothing else.

Well I'll post the obvious, since you never bothered to respond to my previous posts.

Digital files don't evaporate without a trace.
If they were written to an SD card, that stay on the card even if deleted or even if the card is formatted.
The only thing that eliminates them is to overwrite them.

If they were on the card before and you haven't overwritten them, I'm pretty sure I could find them.
But I'm away from home and the appropriate software for two weeks so can't help immediately.

christangey Posted at 4-13 22:31
no, please see reply below

That is a bummer.
I hope your tech guy will find something.

christangey Posted at 4-13 22:41
No point Gamora I had already viewed a few files from the physical SD card, transferred a couple over to the Mac, then had dinner, came back to archive it all and the whole folder was gone, but NOT the files that were already on the card. I have done every obvious thing repeatedly and only came here hoping somebody would know of a very rare fix for this. I am hesitant to post on here as it only puts my post up the list again to get more people to come tell me the bleeding obvious for what is an unheard of scenario. I'm after Tech heads who can explore the non-obvious. Anyway I think this will be the last time I comment on this post. The only odd file I found was mavic3pro_edcf.db with the same date and time I first viewed the images but nothing else.

When you transferred files to the Mac did you copy them or move them ?

Could you by any chance have moved the missing files to some other location in the Mac itself ? I've had that happen a time or two in windows when I have inadvertently released the mouse button at the wrong moment.

Perhaps try a search of the Mac itself for, if possible, files modified since xyz or the appropriate extensions.

Can a Mac create hidden folders on external memory ? Or on the Mac itself ? Or hidden files ?

Montfrooij Posted at 4-14 00:35
That is a bummer.
I hope your tech guy will find something.

Thanks Montfrooij but I think it’s gone

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 4-14 04:53
When you transferred files to the Mac did you copy them or move them ?

Could you by any chance have moved the missing files to some other location in the Mac itself ? I've had that happen a time or two in windows when I have inadvertently released the mouse button at the wrong moment.

Yes done every single logical deduction method you can think of Sean, including re-indexing not just my main drives but every drive connected at the time, using Deepdrill on the card, searching by date, by name, by DJI, by .mp4 etc.etc. Hidden folder is certainly a concept that interests me, whether that is a DJI indexing issue or Apple I wouldn’t know, but we don’t seem to have people with that knowledge level visiting this forum.

My Mac is bust at the moment but you might try some Linux or Unix forums regarding searches for hidden files etc. From memory of my Mac quite a few Linux terminal or command line commands worked on it.

christangey1 Posted at 4-14 05:25
Yes done every single logical deduction method you can think of Sean, including re-indexing not just my main drives but every drive connected at the time, using Deepdrill on the card, searching by date, by name, by DJI, by .mp4 etc.etc. Hidden folder is certainly a concept that interests me, whether that is a DJI indexing issue or Apple I wouldn’t know, but we don’t seem to have people with that knowledge level visiting this forum.

we don’t seem to have people with that knowledge level visiting this forum.
I give up ... It seems you aren't that interested in recovering the files.
I won't bother trying to help any more.

christangey1 Posted at 4-14 05:18
Thanks Montfrooij but I think it’s gone

I hope not (for you).
And find it hard to believe, but maybe something internally went wrong.

christangey Posted at 4-13 22:41
No point Gamora I had already viewed a few files from the physical SD card, transferred a couple over to the Mac, then had dinner, came back to archive it all and the whole folder was gone, but NOT the files that were already on the card. I have done every obvious thing repeatedly and only came here hoping somebody would know of a very rare fix for this. I am hesitant to post on here as it only puts my post up the list again to get more people to come tell me the bleeding obvious for what is an unheard of scenario. I'm after Tech heads who can explore the non-obvious. Anyway I think this will be the last time I comment on this post. The only odd file I found was mavic3pro_edcf.db with the same date and time I first viewed the images but nothing else.

I understand your concern, christangey. Yes, it is obvious however, it was not stated from your previous post hence, we ask. Sometimes the most obvious steps were the ones that we missed, even myself. Nevertheless, if you confirmed the files were saved on an SD card but the files are lost, we're sorry but with this issue, we cannot locate the exact issue remotely. There are things to be considered for example maybe the SD card has an issue or it might not be compatible, maybe the files were deleted by accident, or maybe the files were not written in the SD card successfully. Regretfully, we cannot help to recover the files but we suggest contacting a third-party data recovery company for assistance. Thank you for your kind understanding and continued support.