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Can You Fly a Drone in Edinburgh?

As Scotland’s capital, that’s reason enough to visit Edinburgh. The hilly region, which is split between Old Town with its medieval architecture and New Town with its Georgina influences, is where you’ve always dreamed of flying your drone.

Can you fly a drone in Edinburgh?

You can fly a drone in Edinburgh, but you must have permission from the council before taking off or landing. Requesting permission requires you to include information like your full name, drone model, and flight plan.

This full guide to flying a drone in Edinburgh will fill you in on everything you need to know, including how to obtain permission to fly and the drone rules in this country.

Let’s get going!

Can you fly a drone in Edinburgh?

Scotland, located in the United Kingdom, follows the drone rules and policies enacted by the Civil Aviation Authority or CAA. The CAA permits drone flights, but with key caveats in some instances.

For example, in Edinburgh, you first have to contact their council if you’ll launch or land your drone on any land owned by the council.

The council has several divisions, and depending on where you plan to fly, you’d need to contact either their public safety, parks, or roads divisions.  

Should the appropriate council grant you the permission you seek to use your drone in Edinburgh, you’re always expected to follow Scotland’s drone laws and the broader guidelines instituted by the CAA.

How to get permission to fly a drone in Edinburgh

If we break it down simply, obtaining permission to use a drone in Edinburgh is a three-step process. Of course, it’s more nuanced than it appears on the surface, so let’s take a deeper dive into the process now.

Contact the right party

As mentioned, the Edinburgh council has separate divisions or agencies, with each agency managing a different area. Additionally, some agencies require you to apply for a permit.

Let’s break down this information further.

• If you want to fly on council-owned land: You don’t need a permit, but you will need to email [email protected] for official flight permission.

• If you want to fly in a green space or park: You will need a Parks and Green Spaces Permit from the City of Edinburgh Council that manages the parks. You can contact [email protected] to get the process underway.

• If you want to fly over railways and trams: You will need a Trams and Railway Permit. You can also email [email protected].

• If you want to fly over roads: You will need a Road Occupation Permit Application. You can contact [email protected].

Compile the relevant information and apply for a permit

While the only Edinburgh permit information we could find applied to the Parks and Green Spaces Permit^[1], generally, any of the application forms will ask you to provide relevant information that the Edinburgh Council needs to make its decision.

Here’s the list of documentation you must prepare:

• Your full name
• The make and model of your drone
• A Risk Assessment and Method Statement, which includes which risks you may face when using your drone and how you plan to prevent or mitigate them
• Official CAA permission (may not always be required)
• A copy of your Public Liability Insurance
• A copy of your CAA drone license
• A flight plan that includes the exact dates and times you plan to use your drone as well as where (include a contingency flight area for abandoning the flight if need be)

Even with that watertight documentation, the council may request further information from you before making their decision.

One document they may ask for is the Stewarding Plan, which includes more maps and a detailed flight description.

In the Stewarding Plan, you should also add the locations of stewards across the area and which control measures you’ll utilize.

You could also need a Traffic Management Plan if you use your drone near a highway.

You might have to accompany this plan with a Traffic Notice or Traffic Order, and you might also have to pay a fee for operating close to the roads. 

Wait for approval

Here’s the worst part, hoping and praying the council accepts your request and grants you a permit.

As the paragraphs above should prove, obtaining approval is not an overnight process. You might need to have some back and forth with the council before you’re approved.

The link above that includes the Parks and Green Spaces Permit form says this about the approval process:

“It is worth bearing in mind that the permission process involves consultation with the local Councillors and community groups and takes approximately six weeks to complete (it can take longer for large events) so we advise that applications are submitted as early as possible.”

What if you fly in Edinburgh without permission?

You hadn’t realized that receiving approval from the Edinburgh Council would take so long. You already bought your flight tickets, confirmed your hotel, and essentially booked your trip, and you really had your heart set on bringing your drone.

What if you used your drone under the radar while waiting for your flight permission? What would happen?

An authority figure will tell you to cease flying your drone. We’d advise you to listen to this stern warning to avoid further consequences.

Continuing to use your drone despite the warning will require the Police Scotland to get involved. The police will either warn you again or punish you by forcing you to leave the land governed by the council.

Your vacation would be over in a hurry, and you might not be allowed back for future visits!  

Scotland drone rules to follow

Edinburgh enforces Scotland’s drone laws, so let’s take the rest of this article to fill you in on what those laws are.

You must have valid IDs

The UK requires you to pass an online theory test to obtain your Flyer ID, which is sort of like the FAA’s Part 107 exam for commercial pilots or TRUST exam for recreational pilots.

In some instances, you might also need an Operator ID, which proves you’ve registered your drone. You’ll receive an Operator ID label that you must adhere to your UAV before flying it.

Further, the city of Edinburgh notes that even with those IDs in tow, you could have to pass an online drone safety exam before you can take to the skies.

Limit your flight distance in open areas with large crowds

If a crowd of more than 1,000 people congregates in Edinburgh, you cannot fly any closer than 150 feet within that area, even if it’s an open area.

Since counting 1,000 people in a crowd can be difficult, you’re better off not getting too close to crowds at all.

If your drone has a camera, still maintain your distance from crowds

The rules in Scotland do differ if your drone comes equipped with a camera. Then you can’t fly within 500 feet of a crowd in a built-up area.

Keep your drone within your line of sight

In the UK, drone pilots must always keep a carefully trained eye on their drones, never allowing them to venture outside their line of sight.

Your line of sight includes how far you can see with glasses or contacts but prohibits visual aids like binoculars.

You must always have your registration documents handy

Police Edinburgh or other official agencies may request to see your drone registration at any time you’re flying, even if you’re doing so legally and have official permissions.

Don’t leave your registration in a lockbox at your hotel. Bring it with you when you fly every time!

Don’t fly closer than 5 kilometers to an airport

Throughout Scotland, drone pilots must keep good boundaries from all airports, not flying within a radius any closer than 5 kilometers or 3.11 miles.

This should limit interactions with manned aircraft.

Stay within an altitude of 400 feet

Scotland requires drone pilots to fly no higher than 400 feet in altitude.

Edinburgh, Scotland is a quaint, beautiful place to fly a drone. You can’t just pack up, go, and launch your drone all at once, though.

You must request a permit (or flight permission) through the council well in advance.

Flying without a permit (if you need one, that is) could get you a stern warning or even ejection from the city by police, so always go through the proper channels.

Reference:
1. Culture Edinburgh (link)

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Best Drone Simulators for Android (with Screenshots)

So you want to practice flying a drone, but your PC is not strong enough to handle a simulator. Well, worry not, for you can still improve your flying skills on an android device.

But not every simulator will be worth your while. So, which are the best simulators for Android?

The best simulators for android include the FPV Freerider, Quadcopter FX Simulator, RC Drone Flight Simulator, FPV SkyDive, and Multirotor SIM 2.

Please keep reading to learn more about these simulators for Android and how they work. I’ve also included some screenshots of the simulator’s gameplay.

While many Android simulators are designed like games, there are some simulators with accurate controls and physics that mimic real-life drone flight.

Below are the best ones:

The FPV Freerider is one of the best drone simulators for Android that you can use to practice FPV flying.

Their Google Play Store page states that the controls are difficult, but that is meant to challenge you to learn actual skills and muscle memory that you will need when flying a real FPV drone.

To give you an even more natural experience, this simulator is designed to work with a physical controller.

I have played using the touchscreen controls and the controller, and it’s better to use the controller. The touchscreen controls seemed jerky, and I could barely get a smooth flight.

The FPV Freerider Android simulator is a paid app, but you get a free demo version to test things out. You only get to fly in a desert scene in the demo version.

 It seems like they deliberately limited the features on the demo version to get you to purchase the paid versions, which include the FPV Freerider Full Version ($2) and the FPV Freerider Recharged ($5).

By paying, you unlock the island, meadow, playground, car park, and the Two Towers.

If you want access to more sceneries, the FPV Freerider Recharged comes with the Track template, Desert Ruins, H-Tower, Bando One, The Tall Bando, and the level editor.

What I like most about this simulator is that it allows you to calibrate the controller, adjust the rates, adjust the view, and adjust the trim levels, all of which you will need to know when flying real FPV drones.

You also get to choose whether to have self-leveling, which helps you learn to level the drone on your own.

Below are some screenshots of the scenes and what the controls look like.

If you’re looking for a fully immersive experience, including goggles, then the Quadcopter FX Android simulator is worth checking out.

Now, you can’t connect your DJI goggles or any other FPV goggles, but this simulator is designed to work with Google VR headsets, and you can also control it using physical controllers. With these two setups, you will forget you are operating from an Android device.

Like the FPV Freerider simulator, this simulator is designed to teach you introductory FPV flight. The drone maintains its altitude after you take off by default, but you can make the flight more difficult as you progress.

Even though it’s a free simulator, you still get access to scenes like deserts, an old factory, open sea, and Paradise Island, and you’ll have two more drones to choose from.

You can also customize features such as control sensitivity, tilt angle, and an option to switch between Normal, Sports, 3D, and Acro Modes.

In the free version, you only practice basic movements by going through loops, finding the quadpad, and landing.

However, I was surprised that they even have wind settings where you can adjust the wind speed and direction and add a gust of wind. And when you crash, it tells you either why you crashed or which part of the drone was damaged.

To get access to more features such as Return to Home and more scenes, you will need the Pro Version, which costs less than $5.

Overall, it’s a fun simulator to practice with on the go.

The RC Drone Flight Simulator comes with the simplicity of a video game but with almost-realistic physics that mimics real drones.

Once you download the app, it takes you directly to the selection of a drone, and you will be flying in a few seconds.

This simulator lacks fancy features like using a VR headset, a physical controller, or customizing the controls, but that doesn’t mean it’s not interesting.

You can fly different types of drones in various scenes, like an office, supermarkets, and a warehouse.

Each scene has coins that are strategically placed, testing your drone flight skills as you collect these coins. You will then use these coins to buy the other drones and scenes available on the simulator.

Once you crash, you are taken back to where you started. The drone also has a battery which you should always be mindful of as you collect the coins.

The more coins you get before the battery gets depleted, the higher your score, which helps keep the simulator interesting.

If you’re looking for a drone video game with real physics, you should try out the City Drone Flight Simulator.

This sim allows you to fly in cities, beaches, and many other scenes. It’s more of a video game because it has levels; each level comes with difficulty and a different scene, but you don’t get much room for customization.

You also get to choose from the more than five drones in the simulator, each of which has different characteristics.

At first, this simulator will feel quite sensitive and will take some getting used to. It becomes easier and more fun eventually as you progress through the levels.

Built by the same guys who gave you the Quadcopter FX Simulator and 3D Creatives, the Drone Racing FX Simulator also allows you to experience the best drone flight experience you can on an Android device.

You not only get to play freestyle on your own, but you can also use the multiplayer that allows you to compete with at least four other drone pilots.

When you’re indoors with friends and are unsure how to spend your time, this is an activity you can participate in, and you only need to pay $5 or less.

This simulator also allows you to customize the controls, build tracks, choose the mode for the screen controller, attach a physical controller, and view the gameplay through VR goggles.

Having played the ORQA’s FPV SkyDive simulator on PC, I was so glad to find they also have an Android version. They state that the game is still in development, but the version available is playable and has all the features you might be looking for in an Android drone simulator.

Like in the PC version, you can connect your controller or use the touchscreen controllers.

Regarding FPV simulators, the FPV SkyDive is one of the most realistic simulators you’ll come across.

You will crash and flip a lot until you get the hang of it. If you feel like the controls are too sensitive, you can adjust the rates in the calibration section.

Currently, only three scenes are available on the simulator. They are the Racing Track, Construction Zone, and Red Valley.

If you’ve never used a drone or a controller before, you will love the training section that teaches you the basic movements of a drone and how you can combine them to accomplish more complex moves.

This is another simulator that allows you to practice multiplayer FPV flying. Instead of other friends joining the game, you will be racing against other quadcopters within the simulator.

Everything else is designed to mimic real drone racing. The simulator lets you know when you crash, and the coins and bonuses you get when you win or as you play can help you improve or repair your drone.

There’s even a Parts Shop where you can buy frames, motors, GPS modules, batteries, gimbals, and many other accessories.

Practicing drone flight doesn’t always have to be serious business. When you’re tired of using the controls, check out a video game like the Drone Shadow Strike.

This is for those who have always wondered what flying the US Military Global Hawk drone is like.

You don’t learn how to control it, but at least you can blow stuff up with an aerial view. But don’t get carried away. Mastering drone controls is the end goal, so ensure you get back to that as soon as possible.

Conclusion

And there you have it. If you really want to become good at flying drones, you need to practice every chance you get, and Android drone simulators are a good way to do that.

The controls and physics have been designed to mimic real drone flight, enabling you to develop muscle memory.

I’ve also seen some that allow you to connect a physical drone controller and a VR headset, which is a nice touch to an already good experience.

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Best Drone Simulators for Beginners (With Screenshots)

Are you new to drones and looking for an easy way to fly a drone? Or, you just got your drone but aren’t confident enough in your piloting skills and want to practice how to fly a drone? Then you are in the right place.

The best way to practice how to fly a drone today is by using a simulator.

Most drone simulators nowadays feature graphics, physics, and mechanisms that emulate the real-world flight experience, allowing you to develop muscle memory which will be critical when flying drones outdoors.

When some people think of simulators, they think of complex manned aircraft simulators, which can be pretty frustrating for a beginner. But there are simulators easy enough for beginners to get started.

So, which are the best drone simulators for beginners?

The best drone simulator for beginners includes the DRL simulator, Crazy Games Drone Simulator, Zephyr, DroneSimPro, and ORQA FPV SkyDive simulators.

Please keep reading to learn more about these simulators, plus screenshots that give you a sneak peek of what these SIMs look like.

Drone Racing League

This is the simulator I started with, and I believe the moment you start playing it, you’ll get hooked. But what makes it suitable for beginners?

If you have never flown a drone before or even seen one except on YouTube videos, this simulator is designed with you in mind.

It has a drone flight training section where you learn a drone’s basic controls and use these controls to fly through the various loops.

The drone looks real, and the environment you’re flying in looks natural enough, giving you the confidence you need when flying outdoors.

Another reason I find it great to start with the DRL simulator is you can use a wide range of controllers, from gamepads to customizable drone controllers like the Taranis or the Turnigy.

I recommend using an actual drone controller rather than a gamepad on this simulator to become better at flying drones.

But don’t expect the simulator to go easy on you. After learning the basics, the tests become more difficult, and you can even choose the difficulty level. The only way to learn and stay on top of your game is to keep challenging yourself.

The various scenery selections to fly in keep the simulator interesting too. You can choose to fly in a campground, US Air Force boneyard, and Gates of New York.

And if you don’t have that much to spend, this Sim will be great since you can get it on your PC for $10 or less.

What’s more? The DRL simulator is made by the same people behind the Drone Racing League, and if you become pretty good at flying drones in the simulator, you get a chance to try out for the actual drone race.

And if you want to gauge yourself before the tryouts, you can participate in the multiplayer tournaments or even challenge some of the top pilots in the leaderboard.

Other features that you will find in this simulator include:

• A map editor to edit the scenes to fly in.
• Physics section to test new features.
• Community to interact with other players and even buy or explore maps and drones built by other members.

Looking for the easiest way to start learning how drone flight works? Go to your favorite browser, and search for the Crazy Games Drone Simulator. Or just click the link in the above title.

After a few clicks, a drone appears on your screen, and you can start flying it with your keyboard. It’s that easy—no need to connect a controller.

There’s no need to calibrate a controller. And you will definitely not have to pay for anything.

I came across this simulator when looking for free drone simulators, and I was surprised that I had never heard about it.

Below is what it looks like:

1. Get a drone

2. Select an Environment

3. Start Flying

You get 1,000 coins when you first join the game, which you can use to buy the first drone. Then, as you fly, you collect more coins as you learn how to maneuver your drone. You can use the coins you collect to buy other drones within the simulator.

You will need the following keys to fly the drone in the simulator:

• W – To pitch forward.
• S – To Pitch backward
• A – To roll left
• D – To roll right
• J – To yaw to the left
• L – To yaw to the right
• I – To ascend
• J – to descend

The biggest downside with this simulator is you have to deal with ads that keep popping up as you fly since it’s a free simulator. But you can always skip them and pick up where you left off.

Zephyr Simulator

Zephyr is another excellent drone simulator perfect for beginners. It takes the approach of a learning tool, taking the player from beginner level to pro level within the simulator.

Institutions like the RaD lab and the Cloud Community College have utilized this simulator to teach their students about drones.

In the paid versions, there’s a platform for learners to practice their flying, and there is a platform for instructors to gauge how their students are doing.

Zephyr does its best to emulate real-life drone flight. As a result, you will find replicas of actual drone models, such as the Phantom 4, Inspire 2, Mavic Air 2, and Yuneec Typhoon, among others, within the simulator. You can also simulate weather conditions like wind.

Below is what the drone list looks like currently:

You also get to fly in a wide range of scenarios, though in the free version, you only have access to the hills, yards, and parking lot. Still, you will have enough fun flying in these scenes as you master your skills.

The graphics may not be as good as in the DRL, and you may have to pay at least $15, but the mechanisms of a real drone and the free version make it an ideal option to start with.

Besides, graphics that aren’t too fancy will go easy on your PC compared to detailed graphics like the one on the DRL.

DroneSimPro

For the price of $10, the DroneSimPro is a classic drone flight simulator that you can add to your arsenal of simulators. I call it a classic because they have barely updated it since it was released, but it still works.

Once you purchase this simulator, you get one drone and three scenarios to fly in. But unlike in the Zephyr simulator, where the scenarios are limited in size, DroneSimPro’s scenarios are expansive, allowing you to explore further within one scenery.

But that is all there is to it. After flying for a while, you might quickly get bored. But I believe each simulator offers a different experience, so you can always take a break from it and try another one.

The sceneries available in this simulator include:

The best way to fly the drones in DroneSimPro is using gamepads, though they state that you can use drone controllers. Still, I haven’t tested that yet, so I can’t speak to how well it works.

ORQA FPV SkyDive

Are you a beginner in the world of FPV? The ORQA FPV SkyDive is designed to teach you the basics. However, while it’s a beginner simulator for FPV pilots, it may be too complex for a pilot who’s never flown a drone before, even on a simulator.

So, it’s ideal to learn the basics of flying a drone from a simulator like the DRL or Zephyr, then introduce yourself to FPV with the ORQA FPV SkyDive once you get the hang of it.

It also has a training module, so don’t worry if it all seems too intimidating.

Like real-life FPV drones, the ORQA FPV sim is fast, sometimes sensitive, and the drone will crash a lot. This prepares you for what to expect. It’s also almost fully manual, where if you let go of the controllers, the drone will not hover and will mostly land.

You can also calibrate your joysticks to make them more suitable for your style of flying or switch between the various flight modes, which is vital in flying FPV.

Below is a sneak peek of what you can expect on the simulator:

Conclusion

Suppose you’re passionate about flying drones and are wondering how to get started. In that case, the simulators mentioned in this post are beginner-friendly, affordable, and have enough features to make you good at flying a drone.

You can even get them all and rotate them to keep yourself entertained or challenged by the various sceneries.

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What SD Card Do I Need for DJI Air 2S?

If you own an Air 2S, like me, perhaps just simply flying the drone isn’t enough. You might like to capture pictures and videos.

With its 5k video capabilities and 1 inch, Sony image sensor producing excellent quality 20mp photos, both video and photos on the Air 2S are excellent, with many visual professionals using the Air 2S daily.

To handle all of the photos and videos that can be taken with the Air 2S, there is an internal 8GB of storage (for those who might forget their SD Cards at home) and support for Micro SD Cards up to a maximum of 256 GB, according to DJI.

To ensure you can capture the best quality photos and videos on your Air 2S, you will need a Micro SD Card that is Class UHS-I with a U3 rating, with a maximum storage capacity of 256 GB.

We will go through general SD card information, recommendations, and possible issues in this article.

What do the numbers on SD cards mean?

What do the wording and numbers on the cards mean (UHS-I, U3, etc.) and how do they affect video recording performance? We’ll dig into this a little while keeping it as easy to understand as possible.

UHS-I & UHS-II Cards

UHS stands for Ultra High Speed, which is all about how the card handles recording video.

With the onset of 4k, cards needed to have higher minimum sustained writing speeds than was previously available. UHS-I cards are high-speed cards with a single-row interface of embedded pins.

Like UHS-I cards, UHS-II cards are high-speed cards. Unlike the UHS-I cards, however, the UHS-II cards have a double-row interface of embedded pins and are also faster.

What’s worth noting is that, although faster, devices (cameras) would need to have SD Card slots that read the extra row of pins.

The Air 2S can only read one row of pins, thus gaining no speed benefit from UHS-II cards. Because of this, the UHS-I route is the way to go.

U1 & U3

U1 and U3 are the UHS speed class ratings.

UHS Speed Class 1 supports 10MB/write speed as a minimum, with the UHS Speed Class 3 having a minimum of at least a 30MB/write speed.

These numbers are significant as, if you are planning to film in 4k, a U3 card is generally required. The speed class of the card is marked on the actual SD card as a bucket with a 1 or 3 contained in it.

Even if you are not planning on filming 4k+ video, having U3 cards, with a speed advantage over U1 cards, is beneficial at times for taking pictures.

The speed benefit for taking pictures on the Air 2S comes into play when doing 3-5 frame AEB (auto exposure bracketing) and 20 MP burst shooting, as the images in these modes write to the card quickly, eliminating the noticeable pauses in slower U1 cards.

Takeaway

What do these classifications and designations actually mean to those wanting to take pictures and get 4k footage with their Air 2S?

It means that you’ll want a UHS-I U3 card for your Air 2S. Without going into all of the intricate milli-this, second-that information, you’ll want to purchase the fastest, best quality card that is in your budget. As long as you get the UHS-I U3 card, you’ll be able to capture everything you need on your Air 2S.

You might be tempted to purchase a UHS-II card, but remember, the Air 2S cannot physically benefit from the extra row of pins in the card’s interface, so currently, you’d be spending extra money for an unusable speed gain.

If you are planning on JUST taking pictures and not filming any video, you can get away with a U1 card, but the price between a U3 and U1 card is pretty negligible, so purchasing the faster card will still be the best route to go.

DJI Recommended SD Cards

Being that DJI is the manufacturer of the Air 2S, it makes sense to consider the SD cards they recommend. Why is this the case? DJI is well aware of the strengths of their hardware and knowing such, they can recommend devices that play to, instead of hampering, those strengths.

Below is a listing (with links and pictures) of DJI’s SD Card recommendations, as well as useful product information.

SanDisk Extreme PRO 64GB V30 A2 microSDXC

The SanDisk Extreme microSDXC UHS-I card is made for conditions we might find our drones in. They are reportedly Temperature proof, Waterproof, and Shockproof.

SanDisk High Endurance 64GB V30 microSDXC

Like the SanDisk Extreme Pro series, the High Endurance line is likewise Temperature proof, Waterproof, and Shockproof. The cards are designed for worry-free recording for 5,000 hours (for the 64GB version).

SanDisk Extreme 64GB V30 A2 microSDXC

Built for tough weather conditions, the Extreme series has read speeds up to 160MB and write speeds up to 60MB, perfect for 4k video recording and burst modes on the Air 2S. These features apply to the 128 & 256 GB versions as well.

SanDisk Extreme 128GB V30 A2 microSDXC

SanDisk Extreme 256GB V30 A2 microSDXC

Lexar 667x 64GB V30 A2 microSDXC

Specifically designed for action cameras and drones, this line of cards can store 12 hours of 4k video, 40 hours of 1080p video, and approximately 75,000 photos.

Lexar High-Endurance 64GB V30 microSDXC

Samsung EVO 64GB microSDXC

In addition to being waterproof, shockproof, temperature proof, and X-ray proof, the EVO Select and the Evo Plus series are also magnetic proof. Top this with read speeds up to 100MB and write speeds up to 60MB, this card will record 4k UHD videos with ease, while keeping memories safe.

Samsung EVO Plus 64GB microSDXC

Samsung EVO Plus 256GB microSDXC

Kingston 128GB V30 microSDXC

Made for action cameras and drones, the Kingston series has transfer speeds up to 170 MB and supports the A2 App Performance Class. This series of cards is water, x-ray, temperature, shock, and vibration proof.

Netac 256GB A1 microSDXC

The Netac line of cards, while being quick, is ideal for drones as they are water, temperature, X-ray, and magnetic proof.

Personal Recommendation(s)

As someone that uses the Air 2S professionally, for both photography and video projects for clients, I have quite a few SD cards on hand, at all times. As such, below are some of my recommendations for SD cards and accessories that might make life a little easier when it comes to footage and photo management.

SD Cards

For all of the years I have been using drones and cameras, I have always used the SanDisk Extreme line of cards as my primary SD cards.

I currently still use the 128GB capacity cards, as those were the ones I started out with years ago when drones had a maximum capacity of 128GB. Because the cards work so well, previously I never saw a need to upgrade.

The Extreme line of cards is quick, durable, high quality, and budget-friendly as well. As I add more cards for the Air 2S in the future, I do plan to get the maximum 256GB capacity, to utilize the Air 2S’ maximum card capacity to the fullest.

For backups, I use a combination of Samsung Evo and SanDisk 64GB cards. All of these smaller capacity cards work well.

SD Card Holder

It is oftentimes suggested by many who take drone photos and videos to have at least a backup SD card or two on hand at all times. SD cards can get left in computers or fail. The old adage “better safe than sorry” comes into play here. With the cost of SD cards being reasonable these days, having multiple cards is a no-brainer.

To keep backup SD cards organized and not jingling around like spare change in a front pants pocket, there are quite a few types of SD card holders online. My personal favorite is the one I use below that holds 10 Micro SD cards and one SD card converter or Mini SD card. I use this same setup for all of the drones I own.

This particular card holder I use is about the size of a credit card and fits easily and quickly into any drone case or bag I am using, as well as in a front or back pocket when I’m traveling light. A similar model to the one I use can be found on Amazon.

Reported SD Card Issues

Periodically, you just might encounter an odd error or two with an SD Card used in the Air 2S. Many, if not most of these errors/issues are either related to the physical card or the file system the card is formatted in.

Below are some of the issues one might have with an SD card.

SD Card Full

Some Air 2S users have reported this issue in various forums, although the card is actually empty. This is an error whose origin is difficult to pinpoint, but easy to fix.

To fix the SD FULL issue that may pop up on the Air 2S Remote Controller, it is advised you simply reformat the card.

1. In the DJI Fly app, go to the Settings Menu.

2. Go into the Camera Tab.

3. Scroll down to the Storage Location and select Format.

4. Choose the SD Card and then Format.

After the card has been formatted within the DJI Fly app, there should be no more SD Card Full error messages.

Jittery Video

Sometimes, even with all of the correct video settings chosen at the time of recording, we might find that our video when played back is jittery or stuttering.

This can be caused by the SD card.

If you have jittery video:

• Ensure you are using a UHS-I U3 card, as these specifically handle 4k (you might be using a slower U1 version card)
• Swap out your current SD card with a backup and see if the problem persists. Although newer SD cards are durable, there can be an issue with that particular card
• Reformat the SD card with the steps listed above