DJI EXIF Data Guide
Everything you need to know about EXIF metadata from DJI cameras — including brand-specific MakerNote fields, popular models, and privacy considerations.
About DJI
DJI (Da-Jiang Innovations), founded in 2006 in Shenzhen, China, is the world's largest manufacturer of consumer and professional drones. DJI expanded into handheld cameras with the Osmo Action and Pocket series. DJI drones are responsible for a massive volume of aerial photography and videography worldwide, making DJI one of the most common sources of aerial photo EXIF data.
DJI dominates the consumer and prosumer drone market with over 70% market share. Their Mavic, Air, Mini, and Inspire series drones, along with Osmo handheld cameras, produce photos with distinctive aerial EXIF data including GPS coordinates, altitude, gimbal angles, and flight parameters.
Common EXIF Fields in DJI Photos
These are the standard EXIF fields you will find in photos taken with DJI cameras:
| Field | Description | Example Value |
|---|---|---|
| Make | Device manufacturer | DJI |
| Model | Drone or camera model | FC3582 |
| Software | Firmware version | v02.00.0700 |
| GPSAltitude | Altitude above sea level | 156.2 m |
| GPSLatitude | Latitude coordinate | 32.7767 N |
| GPSLongitude | Longitude coordinate | 96.7970 W |
DJI-Specific MakerNote Fields
Beyond standard EXIF data, DJI cameras embed proprietary metadata in the MakerNote section. These fields are unique to DJI and contain additional technical details about how the photo was captured:
| Field | Description | Example Value |
|---|---|---|
| AbsoluteAltitude | Absolute altitude in meters | +156.20 |
| RelativeAltitude | Height above takeoff point | +120.00 |
| GimbalRollDegree | Gimbal roll angle | +0.00 |
| GimbalYawDegree | Gimbal yaw (heading) angle | +145.30 |
| GimbalPitchDegree | Gimbal pitch (tilt) angle | -90.00 |
| FlightRollDegree | Aircraft roll angle at capture | +0.50 |
| FlightYawDegree | Aircraft heading at capture | +145.30 |
| FlightPitchDegree | Aircraft pitch angle at capture | -1.20 |
| SpeedX | Aircraft speed on X axis | 0.0 |
| SpeedY | Aircraft speed on Y axis | 0.0 |
| SpeedZ | Aircraft vertical speed | 0.0 |
Popular DJI Camera Models
These are the most common DJI cameras you will encounter when viewing EXIF data:
| Model | Type | Megapixels | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mavic 3 Pro | Drone | 20 MP | 2023 |
| Mavic 3 Classic | Drone | 20 MP | 2022 |
| Air 3 | Drone | 48 MP | 2023 |
| Mini 4 Pro | Drone | 48 MP | 2023 |
| Mini 3 Pro | Drone | 48 MP | 2022 |
| Inspire 3 | Professional Drone | 20 MP | 2023 |
| Osmo Pocket 3 | Handheld Gimbal | 20 MP | 2023 |
| Osmo Action 4 | Action Camera | 20 MP | 2023 |
Tips for Reading DJI EXIF Data
- 1.DJI drone photos contain both absolute altitude (above sea level) and relative altitude (above takeoff point) in metadata.
- 2.Gimbal angle metadata reveals the exact camera orientation — pitch of -90 degrees means the camera was pointed straight down.
- 3.DJI uses internal model codes in the EXIF Model field (e.g., FC3582 for Mavic 3). These don't match marketing names directly.
- 4.Flight speed data (SpeedX, SpeedY, SpeedZ) is recorded at the moment of capture — useful for motion blur analysis.
- 5.DJI drone photos always contain GPS data since GPS is required for flight. This cannot be disabled in most models.
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Try the Photo Metadata ViewerFrequently Asked Questions
What EXIF data do DJI drones store?
DJI drones store extensive EXIF data including GPS coordinates, absolute and relative altitude, gimbal angles (roll, pitch, yaw), aircraft orientation, flight speed on all three axes, camera settings, and firmware version. This makes DJI drone photos among the most metadata-rich of any camera type.
Can I remove GPS data from DJI drone photos?
Yes, you can strip GPS and all other metadata from DJI drone photos using a metadata removal tool. However, note that DJI drones always record GPS during flight since it is essential for navigation. The GPS data is embedded in every photo and video by default.
What does the DJI model code in EXIF mean?
DJI uses internal camera model codes in the EXIF Model field. For example, FC3582 is the Mavic 3, FC3411 is the Mini 3 Pro, and L2D-20c is the Mavic 3 Pro Hasselblad camera. These codes identify the camera module rather than the drone itself.
Related Guides
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What Is EXIF Data?
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Photo Privacy Guide
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Camera Settings in EXIF
Understand aperture, ISO, shutter speed, and other camera settings in metadata.