"No SD card"

Last week I was surprised by my Mini 2 not recording anything anymore.  The app now says "no sdcard" and the whole situation seems weird to me.

That day I made some nice videos and processed them.

The next day I downloaded an update to the (1.5.9) Fly I had. When testing the update the "no sdcard" situation occured for the first time. I have no idea whether the update caused that.

- I reinstalled and tested both Fly 1.5.4 and 1.5.9 twice but that didn't change anything.

- I use two Sandisk Extreme V30 90MB/s (tested) sdcards for 1 year and had no problems with them. They function oke in all my other equipment (phone plus 3 cameras). I tried 3 more (wellfunctioning) sdcards but the same problem occurs with them.
- I formatted the Sandisk cards with the Tuxera formatter app but the same problem occurs with the cards (in the drone only).
- I also formatted 2 cards as exfat and also within windows but the same problem occurs with the cards (in the drone only).

- I have reset the camera parameters in Fly but that didn't change anything.

- The Fly apps act as if photo- and video-recording both function but they do not. Shuttersound and video runtime counter do function but are fake.
- The apps say "aircraft storage full" shortly after start of "recording".
- The apps show a strange (white) symbol for picturemode which also is non-selectable. Quickshots and Pano modes are not available anymore.
- The apps show the regular red symbol for videomode.
- Nothing is recorded at the sdcard and all dirs at the phone are empty.
- Nothing is downloaded to the phone so not even lowres recordings are available.
- A certain log-dir (qsmcl) at the phone has not even directories of this year although I have used the drone many times.

- I refreshed the drones firmware, I downgraded the drones firmware and I upgraded the drones firmware per DJI Assistant 2 (Consumer Drones Series) but that didn't change anything. I changed it's defaultsettings.ini file to do so.

All in all I have the impression this is actually not a hardware-problem. But I need ideas to solve this problem since my Mini 2 is now completely useless  (as traveller, blogger and vlogger).

Several screenshots of the app and of the dirs at the phone can be found here :
https://yestrip.nl/Materiaal/Mat ... drone%20review.html   (updated link)

Hello there Wilfried5719. I am sorry for the trouble this has caused and thank you for giving out these information with us. Since you have done several troubleshooting steps to rectify the said issue and still the issue persists. I would recommend you contact our support team at https://www.dji.com/support?site=brandsite&from=nav for further assistance. We will do their best to find out the reason of the issue and then the corresponding resolution would be provided. Thank you.

Daft question but is the card correctly installed?
If you look in the empty card holder can you see any thing in there that might prevent the contacts from making contact?
Any bent or deformed contacts?
Do the cards work in another device? Probably since you mention "I formatted the Sandisk cards" but test them for write and read by trying to copy a photo etc. to them and then look at the photo.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 2-8 03:44
Daft question but is the card correctly installed?
If you look in the empty card holder can you see any thing in there that might prevent the contacts from making contact?
Any bent or deformed contacts?

Yes, the card is really installed correct (can one install them wrongly anyway ?). However I do not succeed to check the condition of the cardholder and it's contacts since it is so small and narrow that my "view" does not fit in. Cards and cardholder feel and function perfectly normal (mechanicaly) when installing and removing cards. They also function perfectly-perfect in all my 3 cameras, my phone and my laptop. Check, all this info (and a lot more) is in the post. Thank you.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 2-8 03:44
Daft question but is the card correctly installed?
If you look in the empty card holder can you see any thing in there that might prevent the contacts from making contact?
Any bent or deformed contacts?

Yes, the card is really installed correct (can one install them wrong anyway ?). However I do not succeed to check the condition of the cardholder and it's contacts since it is so small and narrow that my "view" does not fit in. Cards and cardholder feel and function perfectly normal (mechanically) when installing and removing cards. They also function perfectly-perfect in all my 3 cameras, my phone and my laptop. Check, all this info (and a lot more) is in the post. Thank you.

Get a test card with a capacity less than or equal to 32GB and insert into the drone and then format it. If that fails, it looks like hardware damage. Unfortunately, it is difficult to judge further.

Wilfried5719 Posted at 2-8 04:23
Yes, the card is really installed correct (can one install them wrong anyway ?). However I do not succeed to check the condition of the cardholder and it's contacts since it is so small and narrow that my "view" does not fit in. Cards and cardholder feel and function perfectly normal (mechanically) when installing and removing cards. They also function perfectly-perfect in all my 3 cameras, my phone and my laptop. Check, all this info (and a lot more) is in the post. Thank you.

Is it possible still to format the card in the drone (as recommended) or has that option disappeared too?

djiuser_nO2RdSW5BSUg Posted at 2-8 04:39
Get a test card with a capacity less than or equal to 32GB and insert into the drone and then format it. If that fails, it looks like hardware damage. Unfortunately, it is difficult to judge further.

FYI : it is not possible to format any card in whatever equipment if not any card is recognized there .......

djiuser_nO2RdSW5BSUg Posted at 2-8 04:39
Get a test card with a capacity less than or equal to 32GB and insert into the drone and then format it. If that fails, it looks like hardware damage. Unfortunately, it is difficult to judge further.

FYI : it is not possible to format any card in whatever equipment if not any card is recognized there .......

I tried 5 cards (of 4, 8, and 32GB) in total that all function perfectly (for years and today) in all my other (4) cameras.

I format my cards per the advise of the https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter/

Blériot53 Posted at 2-8 04:41
Is it possible still to format the card in the drone (as recommended) or has that option disappreared too?

"No sdcard" as a software remark unfortunately means No Formatting of any SDCard (in that equipment).

Blériot53 Posted at 2-8 04:41
Is it possible still to format the card in the drone (as recommended) or has that option disappreared too?

"No sdcard" as a software remark unfortunately means No Formatting of any SDCard (in that equipment).

Wilfried5719 Posted at 2-8 04:43
FYI : it is not possible to format any card in whatever equipment if not any card is recognized there .......

If the cards work fine in other devices, and uninstalling then re-installing the soft/firmware updates achieves nothing, you have to wonder if there's not an equipment fault, as previous commenter states.

I assume the problem is in the SD card slot. Stick paper tape on the card, and then moisten the paper with isopropanol. Slide it into the slot several times. Then evaluate the effect.Be careful that the paper does not remain in the slot. An adhesive paper tape, such as for postal parcels, is best.

Blériot53 Posted at 2-8 05:01
If the cards work fine in other devices, and uninstalling then re-installing the soft/firmware updates achieves nothing, you have to wonder if there's not an equipment fault, as previous commenter states.

Sure I wonder ! But somehow I have the very strong feeling this is not a hardware failure but some weird firmware/software situation. I have 45 years of hardware and software experience in the industrial automation (programmable logical computers, controlcabinets, machines, productionlines, etc) and have even (in the old days) created, designed, etched and used some of the first random access memories (ram). Ofcourse this could be end of life because of the hardware but as sad I think it is solvable. Although I myself will not be able to do that without specialists help ...

Blériot53 Posted at 2-8 05:01
If the cards work fine in other devices, and uninstalling then re-installing the soft/firmware updates achieves nothing, you have to wonder if there's not an equipment fault, as previous commenter states.

Sure I wonder ! But somehow I have the very strong feeling this is not a hardware failure but some weird firmware/software situation. I have 45 years of hardware and software experience in the industrial automation (programmable logical computers, controlcabinets, machines, productionlines, etc) and have even (in the old days) created, designed, etched and used some of the first random access memories (ram). Ofcourse this this could be end of life because of the hardware bur as sad I think it is solvable. Although I myself will not be able to ...

Blériot53 Posted at 2-8 05:01
If the cards work fine in other devices, and uninstalling then re-installing the soft/firmware updates achieves nothing, you have to wonder if there's not an equipment fault, as previous commenter states.

Sure I wonder ! But somehow I have the very strong feeling this is not a hardware failure but some weird firmware/software situation. I have 45 years of hardware and software experience in the industrial automation (programmable logical computers, controlcabinets, machines, productionlines, etc) and have even (in the old days) created, designed, etched and used some of the first random access memories (ram). Ofcourse this could be end of life because of the hardware but as sad I think it is solvable. Although I myself will not be able to ...

djiuser_nO2RdSW5BSUg Posted at 2-8 05:08
I assume the problem is in the SD card slot. Stick paper tape on the card, and then moisten the paper with isopropanol. Slide it into the slot several times. Then evaluate the effect.Be careful that the paper does not remain in the slot. An adhesive paper tape, such as for postal parcels, is best.

Your idea is correct but a slot is so narrow that nothing "extra" fits in. I had already cleaned my cards with 95% alcohol with help of a toothbrush. But inserting and retracting them several times while still a bit wet (and waiting for it all to dry for a day) did not solve the problem.

djiuser_nO2RdSW5BSUg Posted at 2-8 05:08
I assume the problem is in the SD card slot. Stick paper tape on the card, and then moisten the paper with isopropanol. Slide it into the slot several times. Then evaluate the effect.Be careful that the paper does not remain in the slot. An adhesive paper tape, such as for postal parcels, is best.

Your idea is correct but a slot is so narrow that nothing "extra" fits in. I had already cleaned my cards with 95% alcohol with help of a toothbrush. But inserting and retracting them several times while still a bit wet (and waiting for it all to dry for a day) did not solve the problem.

Can anybody explain me why all my replies are always posted twice ???

Wilfried5719 Posted at 2-8 05:12
Sure I wonder ! But somehow I have the very strong feeling this is not a hardware failure but some weird firmware/software situation. I have 45 years of hardware and software experience in the industrial automation (programmable logical computers, controlcabinets, machines, productionlines, etc) and have even (in the old days) created, designed, etched and used some of the first random access memories (ram). Ofcourse this this could be end of life because of the hardware bur as sad I think it is solvable. Although I myself will not be able to ...

It does seem strange that this occured right after an update, for sure.

Wilfried5719 Posted at 2-8 05:13
Sure I wonder ! But somehow I have the very strong feeling this is not a hardware failure but some weird firmware/software situation. I have 45 years of hardware and software experience in the industrial automation (programmable logical computers, controlcabinets, machines, productionlines, etc) and have even (in the old days) created, designed, etched and used some of the first random access memories (ram). Ofcourse this this could be end of life because of the hardware bur as sad I think it is solvable. Although I myself will not be able to ...

Duplicate post...

Wilfried5719 Posted at 2-8 05:14
Sure I wonder ! But somehow I have the very strong feeling this is not a hardware failure but some weird firmware/software situation. I have 45 years of hardware and software experience in the industrial automation (programmable logical computers, controlcabinets, machines, productionlines, etc) and have even (in the old days) created, designed, etched and used some of the first random access memories (ram). Ofcourse this could be end of life because of the hardware but as sad I think it is solvable. Although I myself will not be able to ...

Triplicate post.... A forum glitch it would seem

Can anybody explain me why all my replies are always posted twice ???

First I get a small replywindow. Without save-button. After choosing the Advanced option I get a large window. Without save-button. After a ctrl-F5 I get a large window. With a save-button. After that save my reply turns out to be posted Twice ...

Your mentioning the SDcard site brought something to mind, some years ago I received a card that gave me problems.

The sender had formatted the card using some sort of recommended formatter. From memory it put something on the card that one piece of equipment did not like, I do not remember what that equipment was nor do I remember what the problem was but I seem to remember I had a rather difficult time getting rid of what ever the something was. However once I did and just used the std windows format I had no problems with the card. It maybe that the drone dislikes something about the file system that your Tuxera app creates.



As a suggestion do a normal format without using the Tuxera and see if that makes a difference.

Also note what file format is on the card you are inserting. Try with different formats, starting with fat 32.If the problem is the software, reloading the firmware will not solve it, because the firmware we have does not include the program for the entire drone's hardware. You may find that you won't be able to do anything with the available methods. Only DJI Service can fix the problem. In practice, it may happen that they replace the motherboard.

Ahhhhhh with regards to the symptoms of the duplicate postings. If I have no save button etc. I copy any typed text then refresh the page and paste the copied text over any text that the refresh left.
There are several irregularities in the way the forum pages behave. I see 'your one ' regularly, another is when editing a post and moving the cursor with a mouse to the the top left of the text window I keep getting a file selector drop down window appear.

Sean-bumble-bee Posted at 2-8 05:33
Your mentioning the SDcard site brought something to mind, some years ago I received a card that gave me problems.

The sender had formatted the card using some sort of recommended formatter. From memory it put something on the card that one piece of equipment did not like, I do not remember what that equipment was nor do I remember what the problem was but I seem to remember I had a rather difficult time getting rid of what ever the something was. However once I did and just used the std windows format I had no problems with the card. It maybe that the drone dislikes something about the file system that your Tuxera app creates.

Thanks for this tip. However, this problem started BeFoRe I formatted anything, with cards that were 100% oke for a whole year already. And the cards did and do function perfectly in all my other (5) equipment. I have/had 3 (non-flying) cameras (each of the 4k generation), a phone and a labtop (with a b) and they all operate(d) with every sdcard I have/had.

As a mather of fact I never ever had any problem with any sd-card in all of my life. I never owned a desktop but had my first labtop (with the b from laboratorium !) maybe somewhere in the 1980s. They had a cardreader from the first version on. I bought my first digital camera in 2001 (an Olympus Ultrazoom 2100) which was a perfect addition for the websites I already owned and programmed then ((and still) without cms).

There are a lot of cardproblems posted on this forum and something tells me that only DJI has a problem with memcards ...

I will do some more (of the same, what else ?) testing in the days to come and keep you informed if I find anything usefull.

Last thursday I created a supportcase CAS-8268707-W8P6G9 to get my drone checked for this strange no-sdcard problem. Then confusing started concerning the correct shippingadress. I emailed DJI support and was told that support would contact me soonest for this. I contact them twice more on saturday and monday (yesterday) but I got o response anymore. I am loosing very precious time and money with this since I have to wait for a returnshipment at my temporary adress before I can start my (fulltime) travelling again. What is wrong  and (not) going on ? Thank you.

Last thursday I created a supportcase CAS-8268707-W8P6G9 to get my drone checked for this strange no-sdcard problem. Then confusing started concerning the correct shippingadress. I emailed DJI support and was told that support would contact me soonest for this. I contacted them twice more on saturday and monday (yesterday) but I got no response anymore. I am loosing very precious time and money with this since I have to wait for a returnshipment at my temporary adress before I can start my (fulltime) travelling again. What is wrong  and (not) going on ? Thank you.

Try formatting to EXFat in your laptop. Use the Windows format tool.

Wilfried5719 Posted at 2-15 00:48
Last thursday I created a supportcase CAS-8268707-W8P6G9 to get my drone checked for this strange no-sdcard problem. Then confusing started concerning the correct shippingadress. I emailed DJI support and was told that support would contact me soonest for this. I contacted them twice more on saturday and monday (yesterday) but I got no response anymore. I am loosing very precious time and money with this since I have to wait for a returnshipment at my temporary adress before I can start my (fulltime) travelling again. What is wrong  and (not) going on ? Thank you.

I had a complete nightmare sendingtwo batteries back to the NL repair centre for investigation.

I was sent shipping labels to send by air, but no LiPo warning labels. Nobody at DJI support seemed to have any idea what I was talking about. Eventually after pointing them to various online sources they confirmed that their logistics dept had agreed that LiPos could not be sent by air without the appropriate labels AND without a dangerous good shipping contrct being in place with the carrier (and that the appropriate contract will still being arranged!)!

They then sent me a shipping label by land and sea.

Then the package got held up at customs...

Eventually the package got to them, and in about a day they decided the batteries were 'defective' and shipped me two new ones. By air. Without warning labels!

The courier tracking details they sent me for that return shipment were for a shipment from Rome to Budapest. The batteries were actually shipping from NL to UK!

tl/dr I wish you the best of luck with your return! You're gonna need it.

Mobilehomer Posted at 2-15 08:57
Try formatting to EXFat in your laptop. Use the Windows format tool.

Thanks. I actually did while testing but forgot to list that. I just updated that.

Mobilehomer Posted at 2-15 08:57
Try formatting to EXFat in your laptop. Use the Windows format tool.

Thanks. I actually did while testing but forgot to list that. I just updated that.

Yesterday I finally have sent my Mini 2 to a DJI repaircentre and this is the story up to now.

- I created a supportcase and the procedure determined it should be the DJI supportcentre in the NL.

- The next morning I got an automated and very long email where DJI (somewhere halfway) explains they do not offer worldwide support. The serialnumber of the drone determines the continent where regular support can be arranged.

- I have ordered my drone in china in december 2020 since it was not yet available on the european market then. So I contacted DJI immediately to ask them whether my drone has a china (ordered) or an european (delivered) serialnumber. I had no idea and cancelled my trip to the postoffice.  

- Five days later I got the answer that my drone has a chinese serielnumber. So I would have to return my drone to china if I would want to have regular support anyway. And would need an adress in china for their returnshipment (if). Shipping anything to the NL would mean I would have to pay for the whole procedure anyway, regardless of the outcome.

- So the automated supportprocedure is wrong since it did ask me for the serialnumber but determined the european supportcentre was the place to be. I assume that was based on my (momentary) country of living being in Europe.

- DJI support has to be payed for anyway if asked for support at another continent.
- DJI support only returns to an adress at their own continent.
- The DJI supportcentre in the NL is an independent non-DJI company. Which is rather tricky for a customer.

- So since I simply don't have any other decent option I shipped my drone plus sdcard to the DJI supportcentre in the NL.

More to come ...

No Original Thought Posted at 2-15 10:05
I had a complete nightmare sendingtwo batteries back to the NL repair centre for investigation.

I was sent shipping labels to send by air, but no LiPo warning labels. Nobody at DJI support seemed to have any idea what I was talking about. Eventually after pointing them to various online sources they confirmed that their logistics dept had agreed that LiPos could not be sent by air without the appropriate labels AND without a dangerous good shipping contrct being in place with the carrier (and that the appropriate contract will still being arranged!)!

Thanks, I know I need all help and luck ... I have just posted the reallive story part 1 concerning my returningprocedure to the NL. I visited the local portugese CTT postoffice yesterday and have no idea whether or not it will (also) be an airplane transport. But I did not ship the battery anyway. I payed €10 and therefor assume it will be a down-to-earth transport. Although I payed for an expressservice. Time will tell. And I will.

I'm afraid there will be a motherboard replacement. I don't remember the costs anymore. Plus work and transport.

Wilfried5719 Posted at 2-16 02:35
Thanks, I know I need all help and luck ... I have just posted the reallive story part 1 concerning my returningprocedure to the NL. I visited the local portugese CTT postoffice yesterday and have no idea whether or not it will (also) be an airplane transport. But I did not ship the battery anyway. I payed €10 and therefor assume it will be a down-to-earth transport. Although I payed for an expressservice. Time will tell. And I will.

Ouch, DJI provided the shipping label(s) for me so there was nothing for me to pay.

Mine was a warranty issue but it still took over a week for them to send me the labels by email, and I had to chase to find out that that is what they were going to do.

It was because of that delay in getting the labels that I started looking into how to ship the batteries back myself and that is where I found all of the info about shipping LiPo batteries (I was aware of the need for warning labels because anything I have received by post with a LiPo has had the labels, but the regulations require a whole lot more than just that.)

I did get a nice DJI branded baseball cap ni the pacajge with my replacement batteries by way of an apology for all of the hassle I'd had, though, so not all bad

djiuser_nO2RdSW5BSUg Posted at 2-16 03:14
I'm afraid there will be a motherboard replacement. I don't remember the costs anymore. Plus work and transport.

I am 100% convinced my sdcards all are 100% oke so you could easily be right. I used the drone for just about one year (only) to create content for my blog. Of the some 100 videos I made in total I published some 25 which makes for €20 per video. Check.

No Original Thought Posted at 2-16 04:52
Ouch, DJI provided the shipping label(s) for me so there was nothing for me to pay.

Mine was a warranty issue but it still took over a week for them to send me the labels by email, and I had to chase to find out that that is what they were going to do.

This is actually very weird. I ordered my drone in china and that shop shipped it (the set, including three batteries) without any special actions concerning the batteries. Since Portugal makes all china-shipments disappear (in there CTT national post database) I had the order send to friends in the NL who then reshipped it to me in Portugal. There has not been a problem with the china-traject nor with the in-eu-traject.  But they may both have been non-air-shippings and that might cause the difference. Besides that the keyword "battery" was not at my shippingdocument(s) since I ordered a "drone". It could be that certain customs- and other officials think drones don't use batteries.

Wilfried5719 Posted at 2-16 09:45
This is actually very weird. I ordered my drone in china and that shop shipped it (the set, including three batteries) without any special actions concerning the batteries. Since Portugal makes all china-shipments disappear (in there CTT national post database) I had the order send to friends in the NL who then reshipped it to me in Portugal. There has not been a problem with the china-traject nor with the in-eu-traject.  But they may both have been non-air-shippings and that might cause the difference. Besides that the keyword "battery" was not at my shippingdocument(s) since I ordered a "drone". It could be that certain customs- and other officials think drones don't use batteries.

Stranger still... The original commercial invoice I was sent to include with the batteries for customs clearance stated that I was sending a drone back... In fact it said I was sending back threr DJI Mini 2 drones valued at Eur33 each totalling Eur99!

That was soon corrected.

Shipping batteries within the EU doesn't need the labels, apparently, though Amazon stuck them on packages within the UK anyway.

Since the UK left the EU we now have to label things correctly and have a contract in place when shipping by air (at least according to the research I did) - though I suspect any international air shipping within the EU would probably have needed the labelling anyway.