Updated
By Paul Posea · Verified by Marcus Taylor
The Air 3 records to one card from either lens, so a single reliable card covers both the wide and telephoto cameras. Compare every option in our main SD card guide.
| Feature | Spec |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 256GB |
| Speed Class | V30, U3, C10 |
| Bus | UHS-I |
| Read Speed | 160 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 120 MB/s |
| App Performance | A2 |
| Operating Temp | -25°C to 85°C |
| Warranty | 10 years limited |
Pros and Cons| Feature | Spec |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 256GB |
| Speed Class | V30, U3, C10 |
| Bus | UHS-I |
| Read Speed | 190 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 130 MB/s |
| App Performance | A2 |
| Operating Temp | -25°C to 85°C |
| Warranty | Lifetime limited |
Pros and Cons| Feature | Spec |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 256GB |
| Speed Class | V30, U3, C10 |
| Bus | UHS-I |
| Read Speed | 170 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 90 MB/s |
| App Performance | A2 |
| Operating Temp | -25°C to 85°C |
| Warranty | Lifetime limited |
Pros and Cons| Feature | Spec |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 512GB |
| Speed Class | V30, U3, C10 |
| Bus | UHS-I |
| Read Speed | 190 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 130 MB/s |
| App Performance | A2 |
| Operating Temp | -25°C to 85°C |
| Warranty | Lifetime limited |
Pros and ConsThe Air 3 was DJI's first dual-camera Air drone, pairing a wide and a 3x telephoto lens. Both record to the same microSD card, so you only need one good card, but it should have headroom: the Air 3 shoots 4K/60fps HDR and 4K/100fps slow motion, hitting around 150 Mbps in its top modes.
The Samsung EVO Plus is on DJI's recommended list for the Air 3, which makes it the safe value pick. The SanDisk Extreme and Kingston Canvas Go! Plus are equally capable. The 8GB internal storage is a small buffer, enough for a clip if you forget your card, not a backup to rely on. All three are above.
The Air 3's slow-motion and HDR modes use more storage than standard 4K. Use the calculator to see how each card size holds up at the mode you shoot most, then size to a full day of flights. The Air 3 supports up to 512GB, so if you fly long HDR or slow-motion sessions and would rather not swap cards, the SanDisk Extreme 512GB above is the max-capacity pick that doubles your runtime.
Pick a recording mode to see how much footage each card size holds.
Recording mode
At 4K/60fps HDR (~130 Mbps), a 256GB card also holds roughly 21,845 photos. Figures are approximate and vary with scene complexity.
The video below covers inserting, ejecting, and formatting on the Air 3. Format new cards in the drone via DJI Fly so they get the exFAT file system.
Reseat the card, reformat in DJI Fly, and confirm it is within the 512GB limit. If a computer reads it but the drone does not, the file system is wrong, reformat in the drone.
If clips end up in the 8GB internal storage, the card was not detected at takeoff. Confirm the card icon in DJI Fly before recording.
A microSD card rated U3 (V30), up to 512GB. Samsung's EVO Plus is on DJI's recommended list for the Air 3.
Yes, 8GB. It is a small buffer for a clip if you forget a card, but it fills quickly, so a microSD card is still required for real use.
512GB microSDXC. A 256GB card is the sweet spot for most owners.
Yes. The wide and telephoto cameras both write to the single microSD card, so one good card covers everything.
Author · Dronesgator
Paul Posea founded Dronesgator in 2015 and has been reviewing consumer drones for over a decade. With 195 YouTube drone reviews drawing 3.55 million views and published work on Digital Photography School, he combines hands-on flight testing with data-driven analysis to help pilots find the right drone.
Expert Reviewer · Deployed Consultancy Ltd
Marcus Taylor is a UK CAA certified drone pilot and owner of Deployed Consultancy Ltd. With 6 years of commercial experience spanning UN site surveys in West Africa, aerial photography across Europe, Africa, and Japan, and defence consulting, he verifies the technical accuracy of Dronesgator's drone reviews and guides.
