DJI Fly App Storage & Cache Error

A “Storage Full” or “Cache Error” warning in the DJI Fly app indicates that either your mobile device lacks sufficient free internal storage to unpack flight assets, or the app’s local cache directory has become bloated or corrupted. When this occurs, the app may freeze, fail to record the low-latency video preview, refuse to load offline maps, or crash abruptly during flight.

Fast Fix

Open DJI Fly, navigate to Profile > Settings, scroll to the “Cache” section, and tap “Clear” next to Cache Data. Next, open your mobile device’s system settings, ensure your phone has at least 3 GB of free internal storage, and set the in-app “Max Video Cache Capacity” to Auto or 2 GB.

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Understanding App Storage vs. Aircraft Storage

Pilots frequently confuse three completely separate storage systems:

[ AIRCRAFT MICROSD CARD ]  ──> Stores full-resolution 4K/5K video files.
             │
[ AIRCRAFT ONBOARD FLASH ] ──> Stores flight logs, firmware, & FlySafe data.
             │
[ MOBILE PHONE STORAGE ]   ──> Stores app code, map tiles, and live screen cache.

A storage error displayed in the DJI Fly app almost always refers to Mobile Phone Storage, not the MicroSD card inside your drone’s camera.

The DJI Fly app continuously records a low-resolution proxy version of the live camera feed directly into your phone’s memory while you fly. If your phone’s internal storage drops below 1 GB, or if the designated cache directory reaches its user-defined limit, the app will throw warnings, drop frames, or fail to cache incoming flight data.

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Diagnostic Path: Resolving Storage Faults

Follow this diagnostic breakdown to isolate whether the issue is local cache bloat, operating system permissions, or physical drive depletion.

Storage / Cache Warning Appears
 │
 ├── Is phone internal storage under 2 GB?
 │    └── YES ──> Free up device storage by deleting unused media/apps.
 │
 ├── Phone has ample storage (>10 GB free)
 │    ├── Check DJI Fly "Max Video Cache Capacity" setting.
 │    │    └── Set to fixed low limit (e.g., 2 GB) ──> Set to Auto or clear cache.
 │    │
 │    └── Did the error begin after an Android system update?
 │         └── YES ──> Scoped Storage / Media Management permissions revoked.
 │
 └── App crashes immediately when caching video
      └── Cache folder database is corrupted; requires app data wipe.

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Step-by-Step Resolution

1. Clear the App Cache Within DJI Fly

Purging temporary files within the app resolves the majority of operational write errors without removing your user account or synced flight logs.

1. Open DJI Fly.
2. Tap Profile in the bottom right corner, then tap Settings.
3. Scroll down to the Cache section.
4. Tap Clear next to Cache (or individual categories: Video Cache, Map Cache, and Firmware Cache).
5. If the map display refuses to load properly after clearing cache files, see DJI Fly App Map Not Loading.

2. Configure Max Video Cache Limits

By default, the DJI Fly app allows you to cap how much space it uses for live video caching. If set incorrectly, write errors will appear mid-flight.

1. In the same Settings menu, locate Max Video Cache Capacity.
2. Select Auto (which dynamically manages space based on available storage) or set it to 2 GB or 4 GB.
3. Alternatively, toggle Record During Flight to OFF if you fly on a phone with very low storage capacity. This stops the app from saving live 720p/1080p preview streams to your phone, while leaving your camera’s high-resolution MicroSD card recording unaffected.

3. Resolve Android Scoped Storage Permission Blocks

On Android devices running Android 11 and later, “Scoped Storage” isolates file access. If DJI Fly loses its local media permissions, it cannot create or append to its cache directories.

1. Go to your phone’s Settings > Apps > DJI Fly > Permissions.
2. Tap Files and Media (or Storage).
3. Set the permission to Allow management of all files or Allow access to media only.
4. Tap App Battery Usage and ensure it is set to Unrestricted so background cache cleaners do not lock the directory while the drone is in flight.

4. Wipe Corrupted Local Data (Hard Reset)

If cache errors cause the application to crash on startup, the underlying database index has corrupted.

• Android: Go to Settings > Apps > DJI Fly > Storage. Tap Clear Data (Note: Ensure your flight logs are synced to your DJI account first).
• iOS: Apple’s operating system does not provide a manual cache clear tool for third-party directories. Delete the DJI Fly app completely, restart the iPhone, and reinstall the application from the App Store. If crashes persist upon relaunch, refer to DJI Fly App Not Opening or Crashing on Startup.