The common misconception is that data storage is merely a simple task of importing and exporting data, but the reality is far more intricate. Data storage encompasses a wealth of knowledge regarding various storage devices and computer systems, which we will explore in detail.

Aircraft Storage Devices

The type of flight platform dictates the variety of mounted shooting equipment. For instance, the DJI Phantom series and Mavic series are equipped with gimbaled cameras that are limited in load capacity, often utilizing Micro SD cards for data storage. The Inspire series, on the other hand, can mount professional gimbaled cameras, which due to their high shooting bitrate and resolution, typically use solid-state drives (SSDs) as the primary storage medium. DJI M600 Pro and custom flight platforms like STORM usually carry a wider range of professional gimbals such as the Ronin series, accommodating various camera models and, consequently, a variety of storage cards. Therefore, selecting the appropriate storage card based on the scale of the aerial photography project and the demand for data quality is crucial.

Storage cards carry a plethora of information on their surface, including capacity, theoretical read-write speed, interface type, and card class. Understanding this information is instrumental in choosing the most suitable storage card.

SD Cards

SD cards are a new generation of memory devices based on semiconductor flash memory and are a common type of aircraft storage device. They are widely used in various portable electronic devices due to their small size, fast data transfer speed, and hot-swappable capability. For more knowledge about SD cards, you can refer to the previous article "Aerial Survey Classroom - How to Choose an SD Card."

Micro SD Cards

Micro SD cards are flash memory cards that are smaller than standard SD cards. While most cameras, such as the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, EOS R, and Sony A7S II, use standard SD cards, consumer-grade drones like the DJI Phantom series and Mavic series, which have limited internal space, mostly use Micro SD cards.

For more professional aerial photography drones, there are many different types of storage cards to choose from, such as XQD cards and CFast 2.0 cards, depending on the shooting requirements and the equipment used.

XQD Cards

XQD cards differ from other SD cards in shape, typically measuring 38.5mm by 29.8mm by 3.8mm. They avoid the issue of data pins bending and breaking by using a flat contact interface, making the card more durable structurally.

In addition to structural advantages, XQD cards have read-write speeds of over 125 MB/s, making them suitable for large video and photo files, especially when shooting time-lapse or high frame rate footage. Devices like the Sony FS7 digital cinema camera, Nikon D850 DSLR, and Nikon Z7 mirrorless camera all use XQD cards.

CFast 2.0 Cards

CFast 2.0 cards offer stable and fast transfer speeds suitable for high-resolution, high-bitrate image storage. For example, when using a custom flight platform like STORM with an ARRI ALEXA Mini camera for aerial photography, the ALEXA Mini utilizes CFast 2.0 cards to meet the demands of high bitrate output and large data storage during filming.

Aircraft SSDs

Professional film production often requires more post-production flexibility, demanding higher standards for video encoding, resolution, color depth, and sampling rates. For instance, the DJI Inspire 2 with the Zenmuse X7 can shoot 5.2K 30fps videos in Apple ProRes encoding, which cannot be handled by conventional storage cards. Instead, SSDs with higher write speeds and stability are required to ensure data safety. DJI's CINESSD high-speed storage cards are the preferred choice for such applications.

Peripheral Storage Devices

When selecting storage devices, a common misconception is that larger capacity is always better. However, this overlooks the importance of storage media stability. If a storage medium is damaged and data is lost, the larger the capacity, the more material the team may lose at once. Therefore, it is essential to choose the appropriate storage device based on storage and usage methods. For example, when storing large volumes of data, we often opt for larger capacity hard drives, arrays, or servers with proper backups, while for smaller files like documents or audio, smaller capacity storage devices suffice.

USB Flash Drives

USB flash drives, also known as USB sticks, are miniature, high-capacity mobile storage products that connect to a computer via USB for data transfer and storage. They are plug-and-play, compact, and portable, making them ideal for temporarily copying small amounts of data.

Mechanical Hard Drives

Mechanical hard drives consist of platters and read/write heads and are traditional storage devices known for their cost-effectiveness and large storage capacity. However, their complex mechanical construction makes them more susceptible to damage. Typically, mechanical hard drives are used in stable indoor environments, such as servers and hard drive arrays, and can also be used as storage disks for small projects with storage docks.

Solid State Drives (SSDs)

SSDs are composed of an array of solid-state memory chips, featuring a controller and storage units, using flash memory as the storage medium. Compared to mechanical hard drives, SSDs offer more stable and faster read speeds, reaching up to 500 MB/s. Additionally, SSDs have a significant advantage in shock resistance. While mechanical hard drives consist of storage platters and read/write heads that can be damaged by external forces, SSDs are composed of flash memory chips with no moving parts, minimizing the risk of data loss in the event of impact or vibration.

External Hard Drives

External hard drives are portable versions of both mechanical and SSDs. They are convenient for on-the-go data transfer without the need for external power, often used as rotation disks for materials. Some brands even integrate card readers into external hard drives, facilitating data backup and copying on set for film crews.

Hard Drive Formats

The hardware of a hard drive dictates its capacity and stability. Common file systems include NTFS, exFAT, and Mac OS Extended (Journaled). The differences among these systems are as follows:

NTFS is typically used in PC systems for large data storage.

Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is used in Mac OS systems for large data storage.

exFAT enhances interoperability between the two operating systems, allowing it to be used as flash media across both.

Disk Arrays

Disk arrays integrate multiple hard drives into a storage matrix, significantly increasing storage space while ensuring data security. They also allow for simultaneous data storage across multiple internal hard drives, greatly improving storage rates. When selecting a disk array, ensure a stable power supply and use it in conjunction with UPS to prevent data corruption from power outages.

Servers

Servers are capable of storing vast amounts of data and are used for collaborative work across multiple departments or team members. Due to their large size, complex wiring, and the need for stable power supply, servers are typically housed in server rooms with controlled temperature, dust-free environments, and stable power.

Fiber Channel

Fiber channel technology emerged to enhance the data transfer rates between multiple hard drives in servers. It is designed for high-end workstations, servers, massive storage subnets, and peripherals, meeting the high data transfer rate requirements of systems that communicate bidirectionally and serially through hubs, switches, and point-to-point connections. It features hot-swapping, high-speed bandwidth, long-distance connectivity, and the ability to connect a large number of devices.