The best Mavic 3 SD Card [Calculated for you]

The DJI Mavic 3 has 8 GB of built-in storage (the cine version has a 1 TB solid-state drive) to store photos and videos. However, using an SD card for the DJI Mavic 3 means that you can record many more high-definition and high-frame-rate videos.

According to my calculation, the best Mavic 3 SD card is the SanDisk High Endurance 256G v30 microSDXC. It has the lowest price-to-gigabyte ratio meaning you are getting more storage for your money. It is also on the recommended SD card list from DJI.

The cheapest currently available SD card per gigabyte of storage and the runners-up are shown in the image below.

The SanDisk High Endurance 256G v30 XC I microSDXC is recommended by DJI and is currently available for a bargain price giving you plenty of storage at a low cost.

I have also calculated the cost per gigabyte of many other of the recommended DJI SD cards for the DJI Mavic 3. You’ll see them in this article.

DJI Recommended SD cards

DJI has very strict recommendations on the sorts of SD cards that you should use in your drone. Because of the high resolution and high write speeds necessary for the high resolution video data, you must choose and SDXC or UHS-1 microSD card.

Here are all of the SD card recommendations for the DJI Mavic 3 from the official DJI documentation.

It is important to note that MicroSD Cards are not capable of recording Apple ProRes 422 HQ codec. If you want to record in this format you will need to store the data directly to the drones internal memory.

The long list of recommended SD card can be relatively confusing and, therefore, I have calculated the best value SD cards for the DJI Mavic 3 below.

Best value calculations – Price per GB

This table has been produced to make it easy to compare the recommended cards.

The SD cards range from $0.12 per gigabyte to $0.34 per gigabyte depending on the SD card manufacturer and type.

From the above table, you will notice that the higher capacity SD cards are often more expensive but offer better value for your money.

The DJI Mavic 3 has an internal storage of 8 GB so you can capture your photos and videos quickly without needing an SD card. However, the space will quickly fill up when you are recording in high definition.

I have calculated the average video file size in another blog post that you can see – here. Check out this article to ensure that you have purchased a card that matches how often you will be recording and storing photos and videos.

Using an SD card with your Mavic 3

Nearly every drone pilot uses a microSD card with their drone. It is an essential part of drone and you can insert the microSD card into the rear of the DJI Mavic 3.

Here is where you can insert the SD card:

Even though the DJI Mavic 3 is one of the best flagship drones on the market you will need to ensure that the microSD card selection and use are performed correctly to ensure that the data is not wiped or corrupted while in use.

Do not remove when on

Do not remove the microSD card from the aircraft while powered on. Having a current supplied to the microSD card can cause it to short if the card is removed and inadvertently touches other metallic contacts.

This action is one of the most damaging things you can do for the microSD card, so always completely power down your drone before removing the microSD card from the rear card slot.

Recordings are limited to 30 minutes

The camera system’s stability means that each single video recording is limited to 30 minutes. If you have a DSLR or other camera, you will realise that this is a common practice for many cameras and video capture equipment.

Recording for longer than 30 minutes requires pushing the record button again at the end of the 30 minutes.

A drone must be kept on

The drone must be powered on when you are transferring data from the microSD card into the DJI fly app.

Likewise, it must be kept on if you are physically connecting the drone to your computer to remove the data. You cannot transfer from the microSD card in the drone if the aircraft is powered off.

Test your SD card and camera regularly

Before shooting important photos or videos, practice with a few test images to ensure that the camera operates correctly. Check the camera settings before each use to ensure they are configured to your liking.

Carry an extra battery so you can test the footage’s quality without running down battery power that could be used during your flight mission.

Buyers guide for the Mavic 2 SD card

Here is everything you need to know about choosing a microSD card for your drone – you may even have a suitable one laying about at home.

Card speed (class)

Whatever you do, don’t scrimp on the speed of your memory card when using a drone.

If you want to record in 4K, remember that you’ll need a write speed of 12.5MB/s. Only a few cards on the market can smoothly record 4K video.

You only need to check for a “U3” or “V30” symbol, which indicates a minimum sustained write speed of 30MB/s, which is plenty for most applications:

Speed class

The right speed of your microSD card can be classified from class 2 up to class 10. Here are the right speeds further the four most common classes:

• C2 (Class 2): minimum write speed of 2MB/s
• C4 (Class 4): minimum write speed of 4MB/s
• C6 (Class 6): minimum write speed of 6MB/s
• C10 (Class 10): minimum write speed of 10MB/s
• C2 is the slowest speed class, and for modern electronic devices, C10 is typically the minimum speed requirement.

Ultrahigh speed (UHS) class

The next step up of speed class is the ultrahigh-speed, denoted with a U symbol. There are two ratings in the ultrahigh speed class of microSD cards:

• U1 (UHS Speed Class 1): minimum write speed of 10MB/s
• U3 (UHS Speed Class 3): minimum write speed of 30MB/s

This is important for drones that can record at a 4K resolution. It would help if you aimed to buy a U3 classification microSD card with a minimum write speed of 30 Mb per second.

Lastly, we have the video speed class:

Video speed class

The video speed class was created to allow higher resolutions and different formats such as multiple video streams, 360° capture, virtual reality content, and 8K resolution videos. They are usually denoted with the V symbol:

• V6 (Video Speed Class 6): minimum write speed of 6MB/s
• V10 (Video Speed Class 10): minimum write speed of 10MB/s
• V30 (Video Speed Class 30): minimum write speed of 30MB/s
• V60 (Video Speed Class 60): minimum write speed of 60MB/s
• V90 (Video Speed Class 90): minimum write speed of 90MB/s

These speeds are perfect for ultrahigh-resolution videos and will work amazingly well in your drone if you use a V30 class and upwards.

Card size

As a rule of thumb, you can say that 4K footage taken at 30 frames per second uses up to 1 GB per minute of footage.

Here is a list of how many gigabytes per minute it takes at various high definition resolutions combined with common frame rates used by drone pilots.

• 0.761 GB/minute at 4K/30fps MP4
• 0.523 GB/minute at 1080/60fps MP4
• 0.265 GB/minute at 1080p/30fps MP4

Essentially, you should purchase the biggest card size you can afford as long as it is now bigger than the maximum card size allowed in the drone and it has a good right speed of greater than 12.5 Mb per second.

Manufacturer

I strongly advise you to stay with well-known manufacturers like Samsung, SanDisk, and Lexar. Sticking to well-known brand names ensures that the memory card is produced and manufactured to the highest standards.

Some of the less expensive Chinese-made memory cards may appear to be a great deal, but you will pay the price of irritation in the long run.

Wrapping up

This article has been through everything you need to know about the best DJI Mavic 3 SD cards.

We have calculated the best value for your money and found that the best Mavic 3 SD card is the SanDisk High Endurance 256G v30 XC I microSDXC.

I highly recommend sticking with the recommended mini SD cards and wands from reputable manufacturers.