• Free Tool – No Sign-Up Required
Free Timelapse &
Drone Storage Calculator
Select your DJI drone model and shoot mode — get your required write speed, SD card class, recording time, and export file size instantly. Covers video capture, export delivery, reverse bitrate, and RAW timelapse sequences. Plan your storage before you leave home. No spreadsheets, no guesswork, no corrupted recordings in the field.
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The Fundamentals
What Does ShotCalc Calculate?
ShotCalc is a free drone and timelapse storage calculator that determines how long a given memory card lasts at a specific bitrate, what minimum SD write speed class (V30, V60, or V90) your camera requires, how large a rendered export file will be across codecs, and how much storage a RAW timelapse sequence needs before you shoot a single frame.
Why Storage Planning Is a Pre-Flight Skill, Not an Afterthought
Running out of memory card mid-flight is not an inconvenience — it is a ruined session. A DJI Mavic 4 Pro recording in H.264 ALL-I at 1,200 Mbps fills a 128 GB card in under 14 minutes. A DJI Mini 4 Pro at 150 Mbps will consume around 66 GB in an hour. A standard SanDisk Extreme V30 card will fail immediately at those bitrates because its sustained write speed — 30 MB/s — is less than a third of what the camera demands.
The same problem appears in post-production. A 5-minute YouTube 4K export at 45 Mbps is a manageable 1.6 GB. A 5-minute broadcast deliverable at 100 Mbps is 3.7 GB. A full RAW timelapse sequence of 480 frames from a 24-megapixel camera is 11.25 GB — before you render a single frame of video. Each of these requires a different planning answer, and ShotCalc provides all four of them in one tool.
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Step-by-Step Guide
How to Use ShotCalc
From zero to correct settings in under two minutes. Here is exactly how to use every tab and interpret every output.
Select the Capture Tab for In-Field Storage Planning
Open the Capture tab. Choose your drone or camera from the dropdown — ShotCalc auto-populates the available shoot modes and their official DJI bitrates. If you are using a camera not in the list, select Custom / Other Camera and enter the bitrate manually.
Select a card size matching the card you plan to use in the field. Hit Calculate. The tool returns four values:
- Recording Time — how many minutes that card gives you at that bitrate.
- Storage Rate — GB per hour consumed, useful for multi-battery planning.
- Required Write Speed — the minimum MB/s your card must sustain continuously.
- Minimum Card Speed Class — V30, V60, or V90, with a warning if your bitrate exceeds V30 limits.
If you see a V60 or V90 warning, the tool surfaces a recommended card that can handle that bitrate. A card rated below the required class will cause dropped frames or a complete recording stop mid-flight. This is not recoverable in post.
Use the Export Tab to Size Your Deliverable Files
Switch to the Export tab before you sit down to render. Select your target platform — YouTube 4K, Vimeo, Instagram Reel, broadcast, or a custom bitrate. Enter the clip duration. ShotCalc calculates the H.264 and H.265 file sizes side by side so you can see exactly how much drive space and transfer time each codec requires.
The Transfer Time output assumes USB 3.0 at ~300 MB/s. If you are transferring to a client server or uploading to a cloud platform, this figure sets your minimum time expectation before delivery.
Use the Custom Bitrate option for VFX deliverables, ProRes proxy exports, or formats not listed. Enter separate H.264 and H.265 values — ShotCalc will fill in the missing codec automatically using a 45% compression ratio estimate.Use the Reverse Tab to Find the Maximum Bitrate for a Given Space
The Reverse tab solves a practical production problem: how high can I set my bitrate without overflowing a card of known capacity during a fixed-length clip?
Enter the available space in GB or MB and your clip duration. ShotCalc returns the maximum sustainable bitrate and places it on a quality tier scale from "streaming only" through "cinema-grade." This is particularly useful when you are handed a client card with an unknown remaining capacity, or when you are rationing space across multiple shots on a single shoot day.
A result below 8 Mbps means the space-to-duration ratio is too tight for acceptable 1080p quality. The tool flags this and recommends using a larger card or reducing clip duration.Plan RAW Timelapse Sequences Before You Leave Home
The RAW Sequence tab is designed specifically for photographers and videographers who shoot timelapse in RAW rather than in-camera video. Select your sensor preset — options range from 12 MP action cameras to 61 MP full-frame bodies — or enter a custom per-frame file size in MB.
Enter the total frame count from your Timelapse Interval Calculator result. ShotCalc returns the total sequence size in GB, how many 128 GB and 256 GB cards you need, and the rendered output file size once you apply your target frame rate and bitrate.
If the sequence exceeds 128 GB, the tool recommends an external portable SSD for on-location offloading so you can continue shooting without stopping to swap cards.
FAQ - Drone Storage Calculator
What is ShotCalc and what does it calculate?
ShotCalc is a free drone and timelapse storage calculator that determines recording time on a given memory card, required SD write speed class (V30, V60, or V90), rendered export file sizes in H.264 and H.265, the maximum bitrate that fits a fixed amount of storage, and the total RAW file storage needed for a timelapse sequence. It covers DJI Mini, Air, Mavic, Avata, and Osmo Action series cameras, plus custom inputs for any other camera.
How do I know if my SD card is fast enough for my drone?
Use the Capture tab in ShotCalc. Select your drone model and shoot mode — the tool calculates the exact write speed your card must sustain and tells you whether you need a V30, V60, or V90 card. As a rule: any bitrate up to 240 Mbps requires V30 (30 MB/s); 240–480 Mbps requires V60 (60 MB/s); anything above 480 Mbps — including Apple ProRes and ALL-I modes — requires V90 (90 MB/s).
Why does my DJI drone stop recording mid-flight?
The most common cause is a memory card whose write speed is too slow for the selected bitrate. When the camera’s internal buffer fills faster than the card can drain it, the camera halts recording to protect data integrity. A second cause is card capacity. Use ShotCalc’s Capture tab to verify both the required write speed and how many minutes your card provides at that bitrate before every flight.
What is the difference between H.264 and H.265 file sizes?
H.265 (HEVC) achieves approximately 40–50% smaller file sizes than H.264 at equivalent visual quality. For a 5-minute clip at YouTube 4K quality settings, H.264 at 45 Mbps produces roughly 1.65 GB while H.265 at 24 Mbps produces roughly 0.88 GB. ShotCalc’s Export tab calculates both side by side for any platform and clip duration. Note: H.265 requires more CPU power to decode and is not supported on all client playback systems.
How much storage does a RAW timelapse sequence need?
Storage needs depend on your sensor resolution and frame count. At 24 MB per RAW frame (typical for a 24 MP camera): 100 frames = 2.3 GB; 480 frames = 11.25 GB; 2,880 frames = 67.5 GB. A 4-hour sunrise timelapse at 1 shot every 5 seconds generates 2,880 frames. Use ShotCalc’s RAW Sequence tab with the frame count from the Timelapse Interval Calculator to get an exact GB figure before you pack your bag.
What memory card should I use for the DJI Mavic 4 Pro's 1200 Mbps ALL-I mode?
At 1,200 Mbps, the required write speed is 150 MB/s — this exceeds V90 minimum specifications and requires a V90-rated card confirmed for sustained writes above 130 MB/s, such as the ProGrade Digital V90 or Sony Tough G. Standard V30 and V60 cards will fail within seconds. The Capture tab will flag this automatically and recommend a suitable card.
Also From AeroTimelapse
Complete Your Workflow
ShotCalc handles your storage and write-speed planning. These AeroTimelapse tools complete the rest of your pre-shoot and post-shoot workflow:
Know Your Storage Before You Fly
Two minutes with ShotCalc before every shoot. The right card class, the correct recording time, enough space for every RAW frame. Zero sessions ruined by a full card.
Need help capturing professional drone footage for your next project but not ready to invest in the gear yet? Check out our Drone Videography service to see how Aero Timelapse Studio can help elevate your production.