Tape drive sensor system

A data drive, comprising:

• a drive base;
• a receiver for receiving a storage media device, the receiver being movably coupled to the drive base and translatable from an unloaded position to a loaded position;
• a media flag movably coupled to the receiver and translatable from a first position to a second position, such that, at any instant, all points of the media flag move at the same velocity and direction of motion as every other point of the media flag, in response to inserting the storage media device into the receiver, wherein the media flag comprises an insertion depth measure for identifying a media type;
• a media flag sensor fixedly coupled to the drive base for detecting movement of the media flag;
• a receiver flag fixedly coupled to the receiver, wherein the receiver flag comprises a distance measure for determining if the storage media device is in the loaded position;
• and
• a receiver flag sensor fixedly coupled to the drive base for detecting movement of the receiver flag.