SanDisk SD cards are widely used by drone videographers and photographers to store high-resolution footage. However, if the SD card’s connector pins are damaged, it can prevent the card from being recognized by devices, leading to data loss.
This case study details how we successfully recovered critical drone footage for a local drone video company in Glasgow from a SanDisk SD card with broken connector pins, making it unreadable by cameras and computers.
As Glasgow Data Recovery, Scotland’s oldest and best data recovery company, we have 25 years of experience using chip-level NAND extraction and forensic data recovery techniques to restore lost files.
The Challenge: SanDisk SD Card with Damaged Connector Pins
A Glasgow-based drone video company contacted us after their SanDisk SD card stopped working, with the following issues:
- The SD card was not detected by any device or card reader.
- Connector pins were bent and damaged, preventing data transfer.
- Attempts to straighten the pins had failed.
- The SD card contained essential 4K drone footage for a client project.
Since damaged connector pins prevent standard data recovery methods, a professional chip-off recovery approach was required.
Diagnosis & Evaluation
When the SanDisk SD card arrived at our cleanroom facility, we conducted a full hardware diagnostic. Our findings:
- Connector pins were severely damaged, making the card unreadable.
- The NAND flash memory chip was intact, meaning the data was still recoverable.
- No physical damage to the internal memory storage, increasing the likelihood of a successful recovery.
Since the connector pins could not be repaired, we prioritized chip-off NAND data extraction.
The Recovery Process
1. Cleanroom SD Card Disassembly & Chip Removal
To extract the data directly from the NAND memory, we:
- Carefully removed the NAND flash memory chip from the SD card.
- Cleaned and prepared the chip for data extraction.
2. Chip-Off NAND Flash Extraction
Since the SD card’s controller was no longer functional, we:
- Used specialised NAND readers to extract raw data from the chip.
- Reconstructed the SD card’s file system manually.
3. Extracting & Verifying Drone Video Footage
Once the SD card’s data was extracted, we:
- Recovered all drone videos, including high-resolution 4K footage.
- Repaired any corrupted video files to ensure smooth playback.
- Transferred the fully restored data to a secure external storage device.
The Results: 100% Data Recovery Success
Thanks to our chip-off NAND extraction and SD card reconstruction techniques, we successfully recovered 100% of the drone company’s lost footage, including:
✅ High-resolution 4K drone footage
✅ Client project videos and raw media files
✅ Organized file structures restored for easy editing and access
The drone video company was able to deliver the project on time, preventing financial loss and client dissatisfaction.
Why Choose Us?
With 25 years of experience and tens of thousands of successful memory card recoveries, we are Scotland’s leading SD card data recovery specialists. Our expertise includes:
✔ SanDisk SD card chip-off NAND flash memory recovery
✔ Drone footage retrieval & high-resolution video file repair
✔ Connector pin damage repair & alternative extraction methods
✔ Secure & confidential SD card data recovery services
If your SD card is unreadable due to damaged connector pins, file corruption, or physical damage, stop using it immediately and contact us for expert SD card data recovery.