Memory Cards

Trevor's pick for the best SD card

• SanDisk Extreme PLUS 128GB Micro SDXC UHS-1 Card with Adapter (click to check current price on Amazon)

A reliable MicroSD card that is large and fast enough to support these 4K videos we are capturing with our drones if a must. I personally use the SanDisk Extreme Plus 128GB card and I love it. I've never had any issues with it and it's perfect for capturing smooth 4K footage. There are some things you should look for when choosing the SD card that is right for you.

Size

The better and better our video quality gets with these drones the more capacity is required. Some people prefer to have several smaller sized cards that they assign different roles to. I prefer to have the largest compatible SD card in my drone at all times as there are often times where I end up capturing more video and images than I had anticipated.

A valid argument for not having the largest possible SD card is that it's tempting to just keep recording multiple days worth of footage without transferring the older data on a regular basis. It's going to be a heartbreaking day if you have a flyaway with 107GB worth of 4K video on the drone.

Here is a list for the largest SD card size each DJI drone is compatible with:

If your drone is compatible with SD cards up to 64GB, consider the SanDisk Extreme PLUS 64GB microSDXC UHS-I Card (click to check current price on Amazon) 

SD card speed

What good is 4K video if it is choppy and unusable? Ensuring that the write (save) speed and read (open) speed for the memory card you choose is imperative for smooth video. The SanDisk Extreme Plus has a maximum write speed of 90MP/s, and a minimum write speed of 30MP/s, which is more than adequate for shooting 4K video.

The classifications for reading and writing speeds can get a little confusing. If you want to learn all about those classifications, here is a great article that explains it in-depth.

Why I picked the SanDisk Extreme PLUS 128GB microSDXC UHS-I Card

Like with any purchase, I make a point to conduct my due diligence before hitting that “buy now” button. I've tried several SD cards and here are the top three reasons I chose the SanDisk.

1. SanDisk SD cards are recommended by DJI for their drones.
2. Hundreds of 5-star reviews from drone owners.
3. SanDisk is a reputable brand and is considered one of the best in the industry for memory storage devices.