Is this fogging?

richandhiscat · Jun 3, 2022

Tested again today....and first flight it fogged. Second flight, video only, was ok.
Tried again 15 minutes later, slight fogging appeared but then it cleared. Going to leave it with the bag of silica gel behind the camera unit and the cover on.

SpinItUp · Jun 3, 2022

I had the same issue today...I put it down to being humidity/temp change from inside to out and taking off immediately.

I then reset the weather ;-)

Rich QR · Jun 3, 2022

scro said:
Yup, it's a halo/Heiligenschein as @Kilrah says. I've often seen it when flying with the sun behind the drone, and often seen it on drone videos on youtube etc. The bright spot is around the drone's shadow.

Correct. I've also seen it with my eyes (no camera involved) out the window of small planes and airliners.

MAvic_South_Oz · Jun 3, 2022

richandhiscat said:
Tested again today....and first flight it fogged. Second flight, video only, was ok.
Tried again 15 minutes later, slight fogging appeared but then it cleared. Going to leave it with the bag of silica gel behind the camera unit and the cover on.

Does it do this in start up and just left on a table ?? (as per the blog post in the first reply links)

I was initially wondering if the camera gets warm and contributes to this, or perhaps a transfer of heat from the main body.

richandhiscat · Jun 3, 2022

MAvic_South_Oz said:
Does it do this in start up and just left on a table ?? (as per the blog post in the first reply links)

I was initially wondering if the camera gets warm and contributes to this, or perhaps a transfer of heat from the main body.

First, and worst, time the drone was on the table to upload all the updates, and shut down eventually as it overheated. Then I took it outside and flew, and the fogging was very bad. Since then though all flights have been with the drone switched on outside and taken off within a minute or two of switch on.

MAvic_South_Oz · Jun 3, 2022

richandhiscat said:
First, and worst, time the drone was on the table to upload all the updates, and shut down eventually as it overheated. Then I took it outside and flew, and the fogging was very bad. Since then though all flights have been with the drone switched on outside and taken off within a minute or two of switch on.

As suggested, keep trying a different angle with approaching DJI customer support.

Even go to the DJI forum (Product > Mavic . . . create an account if not already a member) to post the issue, others might also contribute their experiences, and there ARE DJI people there that do help from time to time.

Mavic Series - DJI Products forum

Seize the Moment. DJI Products discussion and support.

forum.dji.com

fRog2 · Jun 4, 2022

No problems today after it had spend 24 hours in a box of desiccant.

Hopefully things remain that way and the internal moisture was just from manufacture/transport.

grugerflap · Jun 7, 2022

I’ve had a few flights in the last few days (I’m on holiday - on Benbecula - would you believe i Have sunburn? It’s amazing). I’m by the sea - no fogging. I did run a lens tip cleaner over the lens cover but so far drone has been fault free. I did log a ticket with DJI - so far I have had 3 different emails from them asking for my details and a deposit of £1.19 in my dji account for no apparent reason. As long as there is no more fogging I’ll be happy.

richandhiscat · Jun 7, 2022

grugerflap said:
I’ve had a few flights in the last few days (I’m on holiday - on Benbecula - would you believe i Have sunburn? It’s amazing). I’m by the sea - no fogging. I did run a lens tip cleaner over the lens cover but so far drone has been fault free. I did log a ticket with DJI - so far I have had 3 different emails from them asking for my details and a deposit of £1.19 in my dji account for no apparent reason. As long as there is no more fogging I’ll be happy.

Not surprised you have sunburn - the air is so clear there.
Mine might also be cured after being left with the dessicant bag behind the camera and the cover on for a couple of nights. Will give it a proper test in the next few days.

richandhiscat · Jun 7, 2022

Mine isn't cured.
Just tested again on this warm sunny day and it was ok until I bought it down to 30m - then fogged instantly. Tried again and same thing happened.
Seems to be heat related (as you'd expect with condensation), so it'll have to go back. LCE say they would replace, but they've no stock (think I'd rather have it repaired anyway as it seems to be a common problem). Wan to take it to Scotland in 10 days time, so I might just risk it and do straight up, photo and down again.

SpinItUp · Jun 8, 2022

richandhiscat said:
Mine isn't cured.
Just tested again on this warm sunny day and it was ok until I bought it down to 30m - then fogged instantly. Tried again and same thing happened.
Seems to be heat related (as you'd expect with condensation), so it'll have to go back. LCE say they would replace, but they've no stock (think I'd rather have it repaired anyway as it seems to be a common problem). Wan to take it to Scotland in 10 days time, so I might just risk it and do straight up, photo and down again.

Either use a dehumidifier overnight and place it close to it or on a radiator blow it with warm air for a while to release the moisture trapped inside. If it can get in it (due to shipping/transportation then it should be able to find its way out. Silica gel is the usual way to go by using with some in the flymore bag or however it is stored. You find shoes and some consumer electronics come with a small pouch just for this reason.

richandhiscat · Jun 8, 2022

SpinItUp said:
Either use a dehumidifier overnight and place it close to it or on a radiator blow it with warm air for a while to release the moisture trapped inside. If it can get in it (due to shipping/transportation then it should be able to find its way out. Silica gel is the usual way to go by using with some in the flymore bag or however it is stored. You find shoes and some consumer electronics come with a small pouch just for this reason.

I've now left it for 24 hours in the hot conservatory in a sealed food bag with 2 bags of gel. I'll leave it another 24 hours then try it, but someone on the DJI forum did the same and it didn't work, so in the meantime I've contacted DJI and they've agreed it should be returned, but I've told them I can't return it till after I've been away.

richandhiscat · Jun 9, 2022

Update after the drone had been in a sealed food bag with 2 then 4 packets of silica gel in a hot conservatory for 2 days plus next to a dehumidifier for 7 hours.

Just completed an 18 minute flight out to 1km, back then out again to 1km - no problems, but the day is fairly cool and cloudy, humidity 64%.

AnzacJack · Jun 12, 2022

I have one of the internal lense fogging cameras
Ill check with dji and see if they will replace. Im not keen on disassembling a camera on a new drone

richandhiscat · Jun 13, 2022

anzacjack said:
I have one of the internal lense fogging cameras
Ill check with dji and see if they will replace. Im not keen on disassembling a camera on a new drone

You don't need to take it to bits, you can try what I did and see if that works - I've now flown on a warm sunny day for 10 minutes and it was still ok. But I would inform DJI, as they need to know.

Yogi053 · Jun 13, 2022

grugerflap said:
I’ve had a few flights in the last few days (I’m on holiday - on Benbecula - would you believe i Have sunburn? It’s amazing). I’m by the sea - no fogging. I did run a lens tip cleaner over the lens cover but so far drone has been fault free. I did log a ticket with DJI - so far I have had 3 different emails from them asking for my details and a deposit of £1.19 in my dji account for no apparent reason. As long as there is no more fogging I’ll be happy.

I did an 18 month tour of duty on Benbecula, early 80s. We had 10 weeks without rain and glorious weather throughout. (Even had a grass fire at RXS sie).

grugerflap · Jun 16, 2022

for Those of you who have dealt with DJI support, how did you go about logging a ticket? I logged a ticket on the 1st of June via email. I got an email with a ticket number and eventually someone asked me for serial number, address etc. this I provided immediately however since then all I have received are emails from different people either asking me for the same information or telling me that they were closing the ticket as they hadn’t heard from me for a couple of days. would it be better to try something over the phone?
By the way, I used the drone a lot whilst on holiday and I had no fogging issues at all.

KLRSKIR · Jun 16, 2022

grugerflap said:
for Those of you who have dealt with DJI support, how did you go about logging a ticket? I logged a ticket on the 1st of June via email. I got an email with a ticket number and eventually someone asked me for serial number, address etc. this I provided immediately however since then all I have received are emails from different people either asking me for the same information or telling me that they were closing the ticket as they hadn’t heard from me for a couple of days. would it be better to try something over the phone?
By the way, I used the drone a lot whilst on holiday and I had no fogging issues at all.

Any lens, including my reading glasses will fog in the right conditions. I wouldn't return the unit UNLESS this issue is happening in conditions that it should not be. Stock is very low and you may well be waiting for a replacement for a long time. Just my $.02