Getting Started with Flight Reader
Thank you for trying Flight Reader! I’ve put together this guide to help you get started and address some of the most common questions I receive.
If you have any questions as you explore Flight Reader, please create a new topic in the Flight Reader forum or contact me directly at [email protected].
Mike Singer
Founder, Flight Reader
Which drone models does Flight Reader support?
Flight Reader is compatible with any drone that generates DJI TXT flight logs, including all consumer DJI drones, many enterprise DJI drones, and drone models from Anzu and Specta.
TXT flight log files are generated and stored on the mobile device used to fly your drone. This includes remote controllers with touchscreens (like the DJI RC) or Android and Apple devices running DJI Fly, DJI GO, or other compatible flight apps.
Note: TXT flight logs are never stored on the drone itself and cannot be retrieved unless you have access to the device used to fly the drone.
Are DAT flight logs also supported?
In addition to generating a TXT flight log on the device used to fly, the drone also creates and stores a DAT flight log internally. These files can only be accessed and viewed by DJI, so they are not compatible with Flight Reader.
Note: If you need to access content within a DAT flight log, you’ll need to contact DJI Support for assistance.
Retrieving Flight Logs from Your Drone
TXT flight logs can be imported into Flight Reader using one of these options:
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Automatically sync flight logs from the DJI Cloud (not available in the US)
DJI Fly, DJI GO, and other DJI apps used to fly DJI drones are able to automatically upload your flight logs (commonly referred to as “syncing them”) to the DJI Cloud after a flight has been completed. Flight Reader can then be configured to automatically check the DJI Cloud for new flight logs (see these instructions) and download and process them when found.
You can also manually initiate the syncing process at any time by choosing File → Sync Flight Logs from the menu at the top of the main Flight Reader window.
Note: DJI disabled flight log syncing in the US on June 12, 2024. See more details here.
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Manually retrieve flight logs for import into Flight Reader
A TXT flight log is created on the device used to fly your DJI drone (phone/tablet/DJI RC) each time you fly. Those TXT files can be manually retrieved by following these instructions, and then manually imported into Flight Reader.
For importing into Flight Reader, copy the files to your Windows desktop (or another local folder on your computer) and then drag and drop them onto the main Flight Reader window. You can also choose File → Import Flight Log… from the menu at the top of the main Flight Reader window to select a TXT flight log file to import via a file dialog window.
This manual import option will also work if importing other supported CSV log types – including DroneDeploy, Drone Harmony, Litchi, and Map Pilot.
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Transfer DJI TXT flight logs directly from Android devices
Transfer TXT flight logs directly from Android devices (phones/tablets/DJI RCs) that are connected to your computer with a USB cable. These transfers are quick and don’t require uploading your flight logs to the Internet.
Follow these instructions to connect an Android device to your computer with a USB cable that supports files transfer and then start Flight Reader (if not running) or choose File → Sync Flight Logs from the menu at the top of the main Flight Reader window (if Flight Reader is already running).
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Transfer DJI TXT flight logs over your local network
The Flight Log Transfer Service to help quickly transfer flight logs from Apple or Android mobile devices connected to the same local network as Flight Reader (like your local network at home).
Open any web browser on your Apple or Android mobile device, browse to the Service Location URL, and select one or more flight logs to transfer to Flight Reader. The selected flight logs will be instantly transferred over your local network and processed in Flight Reader.
Launching and Accessing Flight Reader
After installing Flight Reader, you’ll see a Flight Reader shortcut on your Windows desktop. Simply double-click that shortcut to launch the application.
While Flight Reader is running, you can open its main window by left-clicking the Flight Reader icon in your system tray. Right-click the icon to access the menu, where you can find additional Flight Reader features.
Navigating the Main Flight Reader Window
The main window displays a list of flights for previously processed flight logs.To filter the flight logs, use the dropdown menus located above the flight list.
You can customize the displayed columns by right-clicking the header and selecting your preferences.
At the bottom of the window, you’ll find buttons to view different types of data generated for the currently selected flight.
Right-clicking a flight allows you to access additional data, plot data on charts, generate reports, and use other features.
To manually import or sync flight logs, use the options available in the File menu. Alternatively, you can drag and drop TXT flight log files directly onto the main window to process them.
To resize the window, left-click and drag the lower-right corner.
View Flight Path on a 2D or 3D Map
Select a flight in the main Flight Reader window and click the Map button to display a 2D map of the flight path, along with associated flight data below the map. Use the Play button to replay the flight, and click it again to cycle through different playback speeds, allowing you to slow down or speed up the playback.
By default, the map highlights points in the flight log where notable changes occurred. To display all data points, adjust the **Map Data Resolution** setting to "Show All Available Flight Data" in the **General** section of the Flight Reader Options window.
In the Log/Reports section of the Flight Reader Options window, you can adjust the selected fields for the Map Log to customize which columns are displayed below the map.
To view the flight path in 3D, click the **KML** button to open the generated KML file in Google Earth. Ensure [Google Earth](https://www.google.com/earth/versions/#earth-pro) is installed on your computer before using this feature.
Customizing Flight Log Fields
By default, Flight Reader includes a standard set of flight log fields in the generated aircraft and battery logs. However, you can customize these fields in the Log/Reports section of the Flight Reader Options window. Adjust the selected fields for the Aircraft Log or Battery Log to determine which columns are displayed.
Note: Aircraft and battery log files are generated when the flight log is processed. If you make changes to the selected fields, those changes will only appear after reprocessing existing flight logs or processing new ones. To reprocess an existing flight log, right-click the flight in the main Flight Reader window and select Reprocess Flight Log.
Hover the mouse pointer over a field name to view the field description.
Reviewing Flight Log Data
Flight Reader extracts flight data from processed TXT flight logs, normalizes it, and generates separate CSV files for aircraft and battery data. These CSV files can be opened in a CSV viewer like Excel or directly in Flight Reader’s built-in log viewer.
To access the built-in log viewer, select the flight of interest in the main Flight Reader window and click either the Aircraft Log or Battery Log button, depending on the log you’d like to view.
Once the log opens in the viewer, you can right-click any cell to access additional features for reviewing the data. Options include copying the selected cell, hiding unnecessary columns, or highlighting a column or row. Any changes made in the viewer will be reverted when you close and reopen the log.
Generating Aircraft & Battery Reports
The best way to view a list of all flights or track aircraft and battery usage over a specific period is to generate an aircraft or battery report. You can access the report menu by right-clicking any flight in the main Flight Reader window.
You can customize the fields displayed in reports through the Log/Reports section of the Flight Reader Options window.
Note: Any changes will only apply to reports generated after those changes are made.
Licensing & Software Updates
All Flight Reader licenses are perpetual, meaning once purchased, you have the right to use the software for as long as you’d like without additional subscription payments or renewals.
Each license includes one year of free software updates. After that year, you can continue using your current version of Flight Reader. Alternatively, you can pay $29 for Personal Use licenses or $59 for Commercial Use licenses to receive another year of software updates.