A warning about cheap USB cables. You really need to know this!

General Drone Discussion
1

I run an iPad Mini on my controller, and all was good. Until one day when I hooked up as normal and the Go app reported a fault on my SD card.

I tried to format it, and got the same error. I tried several other cards, but all had the same error. Everything else seemed ok - the camera & gimbal worked (in as much as the iPad displayed from the camera). But I just could not record. In desperation, I factory reset the Mavic - and was met with a gazillion errors. And still couldn’t record or even take stills.

Facing a return to the shop for replacement/repair, I was pretty fed up. The next morning I tried a different USB cable to the controller. And the whole thing worked like a charm, straightaway. I tried the cable I’d used previously and there was the “SD card fault”.

So beware of unbranded cables. I’d never guess that a cheap USB cable could create such a bizarre effect - but it did. I’m passing this on in the hope that others will remember this if it ever happens to them.

Dave

4 Likes
2

Even the default DJI cable that comes with the Mavic has been known to be faulty.

A couple of good makes for USB cables are:

Anker
Toways

please add to the list if your cable does the business :slight_smile:

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Thanks, RaRa.
I should explain that I bought a couple of right-angle USB-C males so the cable is all neat and tidy when flying. One worked just fine, the other was obviously made by Satan’s Little Imps.

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Yes, I’ve got a couple of Anker cables. Very nicely made and feel like quality products.

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I’ll be sure to avoid that brand :rofl:

Also another vote here for both TOWAYS and Anker cables. I’m an owner of both, slightly leaning more towards the Ankers but yes, both fully recommended after some equally as dodgy experiences with cheap eBay right angle cables.

My issues were more around disconnects though, what you’ve described @PsychoTeapot is bizarre!! A proper red-herring of an error!!

Thanks for sharing :+1:

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I bought a 1ft Anker cable from eBay for £7.98 which so far has been 100% and is just the right length for the iPad M4

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I use Amazon basic iphone cable… their certified by apple… and there cheap and do the job fine :slight_smile:

8

Thanks to one & all for chiming in. It’s interesting to find the brands that people recommend. Though my post was more to do with the bizarre nature of the error. I’m no slouch when it comes to various tech, but never would’ve put the problem down to the faulty cable. Well, until now.