Can anyone tell me the specs needed for an SD card for a Phantom 3 Standard?   Should I just buy the fastest card I can, or is that overkill?   I can't seem to find any info on what the minimum required specs are, or what is or isn't supported..   

Thanks..

Yes. ;-)

http://forum.dji.com/thread-15819-1-1.html


RedHotPoker

Most will advise SANDISK Ultra ..... there are reports that Verbatim do not work in these ....

You can have up to 64Gb ... and yes - get as fast as you can ...

Nigel

This is more or less what you need as a minimum:  

Max capacity: 64 GB
Class 10 or UHS-1 rating required

As far as other requirements, the higher the write speed, the better.

I lost my original .... put a random from my phone in .... Invalid SD Card error.    So I went and bought a Sandisk Ultra, Class 10, 16gb.   Invalid SD card error.  The card is fine in PC and other equipment.  Spent about 3 hours online last night and decided I would need to buy a Sandisk Extreme as many people advised Sandisk Ultra have to low a write speed (beware 80Mb/s as shown packet is ONLY READ SPEED).   Just before going to bed I remembered my old after market cheap chinese GoPro clone.  "Hmmm...maybe there is an SD card still in it?"...I found the camera and it had a cheap looking 'Team'  brand 32 gb card.  Very doubtful I decided to give it a go.  Works brilliantly straight up.  Not an issue.     So in a nutshell...I think it is pretty random and each Phantom has its own personal likes and dislikes lol....good luck.

Cheers
Blue Wolf

Just a heads up: You need to be careful where you acquire your micro sd cards.

Yes, as there are counterfeit cards out there, that may look great, but not work as you might expect.

Buy only from reputable dealers, perhaps a local camera shop or the equivalent.


RedHotPoker

8Blue Wolf8 Posted at 2017-2-8 18:24
I lost my original .... put a random from my phone in .... Invalid SD Card error.    So I went and bought a Sandisk Ultra, Class 10, 16gb.   Invalid SD card error.  The card is fine in PC and other equipment.  Spent about 3 hours online last night and decided I would need to buy a Sandisk Extreme as many people advised Sandisk Ultra have to low a write speed (beware 80Mb/s as shown packet is ONLY READ SPEED).   Just before going to bed I remembered my old after market cheap chinese GoPro clone.  "Hmmm...maybe there is an SD card still in it?"...I found the camera and it had a cheap looking 'Team'  brand 32 gb card.  Very doubtful I decided to give it a go.  Works brilliantly straight up.  Not an issue.     So in a nutshell...I think it is pretty random and each Phantom has its own personal likes and dislikes lol....good luck.

Cheers

The issue is with sustained write speed, amd most cards do not specify this parameter. The Sandisk Ultra is a tad too slow, you need an Extreme series or Extreme Pro series.

Geebax Posted at 2017-2-8 18:32
The issue is with sustained write speed, amd most cards do not specify this parameter. The Sandisk Ultra is a tad too slow, you need an Extreme series or Extreme Pro series.

I put a 64gb Sandisk Extreme in my P3S and it did not need formatting it ran fine from first time I used it.

8Blue Wolf8 Posted at 2017-2-8 18:24
I lost my original .... put a random from my phone in .... Invalid SD Card error.    So I went and bought a Sandisk Ultra, Class 10, 16gb.   Invalid SD card error.  The card is fine in PC and other equipment.  Spent about 3 hours online last night and decided I would need to buy a Sandisk Extreme as many people advised Sandisk Ultra have to low a write speed (beware 80Mb/s as shown packet is ONLY READ SPEED).   Just before going to bed I remembered my old after market cheap chinese GoPro clone.  "Hmmm...maybe there is an SD card still in it?"...I found the camera and it had a cheap looking 'Team'  brand 32 gb card.  Very doubtful I decided to give it a go.  Works brilliantly straight up.  Not an issue.     So in a nutshell...I think it is pretty random and each Phantom has its own personal likes and dislikes lol....good luck.

Cheers

It may have had a good enough write speed to work. It sounds like you had lucked out with that one.

The usual reason for error is 'default' formatting of cards on Win 10 64bit PC's ...... You must make sure format is to standard FAT32 or to EXFAT .... no 64bit or NTFS formatting.

Also IF you need to initially format to get the card working in your Phantom - do a full format ... not a quick format.

Note once card is working and if you ever do a FW update of the Phantom - avoid re-formatting the card unless necessary after. The card will contain a copy of the new FW and the txt file detailing updates etc. When you buy new batterys - that FW will be used to update the battery if necessary.
If the card gets full of 'crap' as they do - then card reader in PC ... go to properties ... show all .... and delete the 'crap' directly. I do this when I transfer the videos to PC from the card for processing. This means my card should literally never need formatting again unless it gets corrupted ...

Nigel

Thanks for all the info.

I think I'm going to try the card from my GoPro..   It is a SanDisk Extreme "U 3" speed.   If that works well I'll just get another one of those for my P3S..

As another says ... I also had a 'no-name' card from a Banggood toy and it works perfectly in the P3S .... I have various other labeled cards of 'dubious' origin ... they all work !!

But I do notice that a couple of smaller capacity cards I have with strange labels - do carry background sound on them ... my youtube videos of flights on many of my models have this strange sound in background. It seems to increase when no actual sound to record ... decreases when real sound ...
I thought it was the cheap camera first of all ... but it does it whichever camera put in. Except in the P3S strangely enough !!

One matter to be aware of - when completing a flight - make sure card has finished recording ... before pulling the plug on it !

Nigel

I found that the 16GB version of the SanDisk Ultra didn't work, even with reformatting. Strange, because the drone comes with an 8GB  version of the Ultra. I bought a Transcend Premium 32GB and it worked fine. I think maybe Ultra is on the edge of compatibility and you need higher write speeds.

Well the Sandisk was from BingLee...should be authentic but in all honesty...I have a 32 gb working card...just flew a sweet couple of mapping runs...I am thanking whatever gods shine down on me and keeping the one I have!.
Thanks all for feedback

Blue Wolf

8Blue Wolf8 Posted at 2017-2-10 20:15
Well the Sandisk was from BingLee...should be authentic but in all honesty...I have a 32 gb working card...just flew a sweet couple of mapping runs...I am thanking whatever gods shine down on me and keeping the one I have!.
Thanks all for feedback

Happy flying!

i have patriot 32gb class 10 HC 1 but it wont intialize...formatted in pc to fat32 and exfat...stil wont work...wont format in craft also...how do i fix rhis please?

Will this work? SanDisk Ultra 64GB microSDXC UHS-I Card with Adapter, Grey/Red, Standard Packaging (SDSQUNC-064G-GN6MA) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010Q588D4/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_4O4NybA4Z0RC3

fans3bc5b23c Posted at 2017-2-11 14:04
Will this work? SanDisk Ultra 64GB microSDXC UHS-I Card with Adapter, Grey/Red, Standard Packaging (SDSQUNC-064G-GN6MA) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010Q588D4/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_4O4NybA4Z0RC3

Not reliably, the Sandisk Ultra series is borderline. Better to go for the Sandisk Extreme series.

KleinBliksem Posted at 2017-2-10 21:37
i have patriot 32gb class 10 HC 1 but it wont intialize...formatted in pc to fat32 and exfat...stil wont work...wont format in craft also...how do i fix rhis please?

See post #18

I have a Sandisk Extreme Pro 64GB in mine and it works great

Mutley Posted at 2017-2-11 15:25
I have a Sandisk Extreme Pro 64GB in mine and it works great

OK but that same model then. Thanks!

Yes, just went for the Pro as it is slightly quicker.

Sandisk EXTREME or better

I now use a SanDisk Ultra 64 Class 10 that I originally bought last summer for my ground station's DVR. Dirt cheap. No problems. I've also used the SanDisk of the same stock number that was mentioned in post #17 and got errors. Works fine in my dashcam.

For what it's worth, I got a Samsung 64 Pro Plus and it has been working well. It worked right out of the package and I formatted it in the P3S. It is 64GB, Class 10, U3, Micro SDXC I.

DroneSmeg Posted at 2017-2-9 09:44
I found that the 16GB version of the SanDisk Ultra didn't work, even with reformatting. Strange, because the drone comes with an 8GB  version of the Ultra. I bought a Transcend Premium 32GB and it worked fine. I think maybe Ultra is on the edge of compatibility and you need higher write speeds.

I tried two Ultras. they worked for a week or two then started giving trouble. Switched to Extreme and so far so good. Ultra was class 10 U1. Extreme is Class 10 U3.   So based on that, stay away from U1 cards.

KM5RG-Robert Posted at 2017-2-14 18:28
I tried two Ultras. they worked for a week or two then started giving trouble. Switched to Extreme and so far so good. Ultra was class 10 U1. Extreme is Class 10 U3.   So based on that, stay away from U1 cards.

Yes, and that is why I believe the DJI quoted ratings are misleading "Class 10 or UHS-1 rating required"

Apart from all the other factors, Class 10 means nothing these days.