[Free] How to Recover Deleted Videos from DJI Drones

Help! I need to recover deleted videos from DJI

As the world's leading equipment in the field of aerial photography, DJI is increasingly used.

No matter what device you own, a DJI Mini, a DJI Mavic, a DJI avata, an Osmo Action, or an Osmo Pocket, Sometimes you may run into tricky problems such as not knowing how to recover deleted videos from DJI.

This article will tell you the answer and 3 step-by-step methods will be mentioned to perform DJI file recovery with ease.

What should you know before recovering deleted videos from DJI?

Here, you'll learn the basics of storing video in your DJI drone and what can cause video loss in your DJI drone.

▶ How do DJI drones store videos?

Before we dive into the recovery methods, it's essential to grasp the fundamentals of how DJI drones store videos.

As drones gather information through their sensors, that data needs to be stored somewhere. That means a drone must have some sort of data storage device or capability. So, drone photos or videos are generally stored in the internal storage or the microSD cards and SSDs installed in the drone.

When discussing DJI video recovery, you always need to focus on SD card recovery.

▶ Why DJI drone files are lost?

Some common factors can contribute to file loss on DJI drones, including:

✦ Drone Crashes: Once a drone crashes for one reason or another, it is natural to lose the files on your DJI drone. Sometimes, the drone can be repaired and sometimes, the damage can be permanent. In either case, your files are automatically lost.

✦ Formatting: This happens to the device's storage, either internal storage or external SD card. If you fully format the camera SD card or drone memory, all saved files, including photos and videos, are deleted.

✦ Improperly Operation: When you improperly use the drone's SD card, you may lose saved files.

✦ System Crash: However, when you keep switching the remote control of the device on and off suddenly, it may cause the transmission to be interrupted or disconnected. This can cause you to lose important photos and videos saved on the device.

✦ Malware Infection: If a virus infects the operating system of the drone, especially through an external memory card, then it is likely to result in the loss of records in the drone's storage.

How to recover deleted videos from DJI?

Here, several possible solutions are offered to recover deleted photos and videos from DJI devices.

▶ Method 1. Try DJI video recovery software 

The most efficient way to recover deleted DJI video footage and photos is using DJI video recovery software. 

In this guide, we'll be using a powerful and user-friendly data recovery software called MyRecover. It offers numerous useful features to assist you in effortlessly restoring your deleted and lost files.

Ease of use: MyRecover's visually pleasing user interface and user-friendly guide empower all users, regardless of technical expertise, to effortlessly restore their files. 

Wide compatibility: Recover mp4 and mov videos that DJI uses, as well as mpg, avi, etc., from SD cards, HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, and more. 

Comprehensive recovery: Apart from videos, this application also supports the recovery of other files like photos, documents, archives, etc. 

Platform compatibility: MyRecover is available for Windows 10, 11, 8, 7, and Server. 

First, connect the DJI SD card to your PC. Then, follow the detailed instructions to learn how to perform DJI file recovery easily.

Step 1. Install and launch MyRecover, find the SD card drive, and click Scan.

Step 2. Use filters such as Type, Size, and Date modified to narrow down your search for video files. DJI uses MP4 and MOV formats; you could search and filter the target formats to locate them.

Step 3. Access the "Other missing files" folder > "Videos" section, select the desired videos, and click "Recover x files". In addition, it also supports the recovery of accidentally deleted photos from SD cards.

▶ Method 2. Recover deleted videos from DJI Go

DJI Go is an official app that works for both Android and iOS for recording and publishing DJI flight logs. Photos and videos taken by DJI drones are instantly synchronized to the Go app. So you can retrieve lost photos or videos through the Go app.

Step 1. Click on “Settings” in the DJI Go app.

Step 2. Click on “Video Cache”.

Step 3. Select “Editor” shown at the bottom. You will see all the videos you have recently shot and you can recover it as you need.

▶ Method 3. Run CHKDSK to recover videos from the DJI drone

In addition, you can also try CHKDSK, which is a Windows built-in tool for identifying and repairing critical drive errors. If your DJI drone camera’s SD card is corrupted, it may display the following notice "The SD card is broken. Reformat it if you want to ". Then, you can fix the issue and recover deleted videos and photos.

Step 1. Connect your DJI’s SD card to your PC.

Step 2. Type “cmd” in the menu search bar. It will bring up “Command Prompt.”

Step 3. Open “Command Prompt.” Run it as Administrator. Enter “CHKDSK H: /f /r”.  "H" is the drive letter so you can replace it with the letter of your DJI drive.

Precautions to prevent data loss from DJI drones

To minimize the risk of data loss on your DJI drone, consider implementing the following precautions:

• ✎ Double-check before deleting: Always double-check the files you intend to delete to prevent accidental deletions.
• ✎ Safely eject the memory card: Properly eject the memory card from the drone or your computer to minimize the risk of data corruption.
• ✎ Keep your drone updated: Install DJI-provided firmware updates to ensure the stability and reliability of your drone's system.
• ✎ Handle the memory card with care: Protect the memory card from physical damage by storing it in a safe and dry place when not in use.
• ✎ Create regular backups: Regularly back up your important files to an external hard drive or cloud storage to prevent permanent loss.

Wrapping all up

Losing or accidentally deleting files from your DJI drone can be distressing. However, with the right knowledge and tools, you can successfully perform DJI file recovery and retrieve your precious memories.

Act promptly, follow the step-by-step guide provided in this article, and refrain from using the drone to increase your chances of successful file recovery.

In conclusion, DJI file recovery is indeed possible, sparing you from the anguish of permanent data loss. Take precautionary measures to prevent file loss in the first place. But if the unexpected happens, remain calm and follow the outlined methods to retrieve your valuable photos and videos.

FAQ of DJI video recovery