SD card is stuck

[CraigCam]

My C23 camera will not release the SD card. The trouble started with it being not recognized for no reason the other morning. During my attempts to figure out in the field, I could not get it to properly click in. Now it is connected but won’t come out. The USB connector on the camera does nothing. The housing does not appear easily opened to figure out what’s wrong with it. I don’t want to send to Yuneec so I’m looking for anyone who has dealt with this camera. I’m calling Vertigo drones today to figure out what to do. I’m very disappointed that this very expensive camera has failed on a critical part but I’m not surprised.

 

[cbecker125]

I am having trouble too but perhaps not from the same cause(s). Can you hear it click at all at least? I am able to hear a soft click (similar to what is expected behavior) but then when I depress it again, no click. It only moves up and down slightly. When I sensed that the card clicked and should be removable, I was able to extract it with sharp tipped needle nose pliers. No damage resulted and I was able to reinsert another card and it was recognized just fine. Hope yours goes as well. I am however, contemplating returning it to Amazon with no better change of circumstances.

 

[CraigCam]

Mine is stuck. It moves in and out a bit but it’s like the spring quit. I can grab with a tweezer but it won’t come out with out breaking the card.

 

[AH-1G]

Mine is stuck. It moves in and out a bit but it’s like the spring quit. I can grab with a tweezer but it won’t come out with out breaking the card.

I use a needle to see how this works. It looks like it may be the spring, as you mentioned.
You may have to take the back cover off and hopefully dislodge manually.

 

[cbecker125]

Mine is stuck. It moves in and out a bit but it’s like the spring quit. I can grab with a tweezer but it won’t come out with out breaking the card.

So, assuming you can detect a small click characteristic of what inserting the micro SD card usually emits, depress the card again as much as it will allow then see if a small click can be heard. If so, then you might try to remove it with needle nose pliers but be gentle. if it comes free, then maybe the card is too thick (if the card is in the camera for the first time), or if not, maybe it is a mechnical spring system/card holder snafu. Let us know how it goes

 

[RPR]

Don’t mess with it if possible. I had this happened to me on my Sony a7 III, although it is totally different from a drone, but the design of the tray holder are universally the same. I tried pulling it out with a long nose, and I bent the aluminum casing that further worsened the seemingly easy fix to an expensive headache. But if you decide to do fray it out, be extra careful.

 

[Huston]

My C23 camera will not release the SD card. The trouble started with it being not recognized for no reason the other morning. During my attempts to figure out in the field, I could not get it to properly click in. Now it is connected but won’t come out. The USB connector on the camera does nothing. The housing does not appear easily opened to figure out what’s wrong with it. I don’t want to send to Yuneec so I’m looking for anyone who has dealt with this camera. I’m calling Vertigo drones today to figure out what to do. I’m very disappointed that this very expensive camera has failed on a critical part but I’m not surprised.

Shame on you, you tried to put the card in UPSIDE DOWN. It has nothing to do with the camera or ST16, it will happen any time you have a slot to insert a microSD card into. A little force along with a little wiggling will get it out.

 

[CraigCam]

I did not put the card upside down or backwards. It recorded video and there is footage I want still on the card. It appears that one of the grey plastic guides on the sides is missing. It does not spring or click. I cannot see how to open up the housing to inspect. For those who are quick to assume operator error, may this never happen to you. It’s rendered my most expensive drone useless.

 

[AH-1G]

Shame on you, you tried to put the card in UPSIDE DOWN. It has nothing to do with the camera or ST16, it will happen any time you have a slot to insert a microSD card into. A little force along with a little wiggling will get it out.

where did you read or the idea he put it in upside down??

 

[Ty Pilot]

I have not had this happen to me but; like you I would not want to send it to Yuneec without exhausting every effort to extract it myself. I am wondering if it is some sort of foreign debris perhaps? I might try a light blast of compressed air while working the card back and forth gently. The little rails and locking mechanism might have a small grain of something that could be dislodged with air. But like I said I might start at 20 PSI or so and work up in small steps.

 

[CraigCam]

Thanks Ty. I did try that. Here is what’s odd. I had last flown my Plus when I did my zoom test video. That would have been the last time I reinserted the card. There was no issue with it properly seating.

Fast forward to last Thursday and I go to film the new mountain snow and get the no SD card message. The card was clearly in there but now was at a slight angle and not flat and that’s when I first noticed that the reader looked like it lost one side of proper guide which is a grey plastic piece I assume should be on both sides to help align the card.

I took it back to my bench and got it to seat with a plastic toothpick by pushing against the card. It still seemed like it’d come out but didn’t try to remove then. Went out the next day and got my shots no problem. Came back to home base to download video and hit this problem. I have never mishandled this camera and in fact I’m beyond careful with it.

It’s funny that the SD card reader in my Anafi was so slammed for being “cheap” but that ones accessible to me for repair and that hinges gate is never going to fail like these spring ones. I hate non user access proprietary things like this that ruin good gear. If there was a way to see the reader via the USB connector on the camera that’d be a short term fix but I can’t get that to do anything and I doubt it’s for us.

 

[AH-1G]

@CraigCam Any luck with the card?

 

[CraigCam]

No. It’s Poppie time also. The desert floor is a carpet of color this weekend and I really wanted to give that camera the job. I’m going to see if a CGO3pro will power up and run from it’s bound ST in a fake team mode. Of course I can use a 480 and my Anafi is the best raw photo drone so I don’t go out with just one set up. But I’m very bummed that this occurred. I could probably still shoot with it but if I can’t pull the files out then it’s even more frustrating. Lord knows I’ve lost some of my best footage to my errors but this time I know I did nothing. I guess I’m due some drone stress because things up till now had been reliable and lord knows this is for sure a great distraction to life’s actual problems.

 

[Steve Carr]

If there was a way to see the reader via the USB connector on the camera that’d be a short term fix but I can’t get that to do anything and I doubt it’s for us.

You can access the camera using a wifi connection from your computer. Connect your computer to the wifi 192.168.42.1. Try using the IP address in your browser 192.168.42.1:80
That may bring up the directory of the sd card.

I have opened up the C23 and I did record the process. I will send you a PM.