The camera looked clear outside. A few minutes after the drone came into a warm room, the view turned milky. That can look like a focus fault, but the more ordinary explanation is condensation.
A rapid change in temperature can put a thin film of moisture on a cold lens. Refocusing will not remove it, and repeatedly wiping the glass may only add smears. The useful response is time, not a more aggressive cleaning routine.
Let the aircraft reach the room slowly
DJI’s support guidance says lens fog can form when humidity is high and the temperature rises quickly—the same reason glasses mist when someone walks indoors on a winter day. It recommends leaving the aircraft in an environment with a smaller temperature difference and waiting for the fog to clear as conditions stabilise.
Put the powered-off drone somewhere dry, stable and ventilated. Remove it from a closed bag, but keep dust, kitchen steam and direct heat away from it. Do not try to speed the process with a hair dryer, radiator or other strong heat source. A sudden blast of heat is not a controlled way to treat a camera, battery or adhesive seal.
The weather principle is simple. The FAA’s remote-pilot study guide explains that moisture begins to condense when air is cooled to its dew point. A cold camera brought into warmer, humid air can therefore become the surface on which that moisture appears. The effect is about the relationship between temperature and water vapour, not about whether the camera’s autofocus is working.
Wait for a clear image before the next flight
Do not use a fogged live view as the basis for framing, obstacle judgement or an inspection. Keep the drone on the ground until the image is clear and the aircraft has had time to adjust to the new environment. Even with an unobstructed camera feed, the pilot still needs direct awareness of the aircraft and its surroundings.
Once the fog has disappeared, check the image again in good light. If misting returns frequently when there is little temperature difference, or if it appears to be inside the lens and does not clear, DJI advises arranging diagnosis rather than treating it as routine condensation.
The important distinction is modest but useful: a temporary fogged lens after a sharp temperature change may need patience; persistent fog in ordinary conditions may need service.
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