Do You Organzize and Backup Flight Records

[Hegemone]

Or don't you?

I searched and saw mention of backing up flight data in the DJI Go app to the servers.

• Does anyone keep dated folders and use the Assistant 2 to save locally after every flight session or two?
• Is this even worth the time?
• Is there a stand-alone program for windows 10 to analyze the downloaded files for fun and entertainment?
• As an experiment, I saved today's 4 records to my local disk and it took several minutes? Does this sound normal?

I guess this might seem obsessive questioning but I have too much time on my hands now that summer break is afoot.

 

[Hegemone]

Or don't you?

I searched and saw mention of backing up flight data in the DJI Go app to the servers.

• Does anyone keep dated folders and use the Assistant 2 to save locally after every flight session or two?
• Is this even worth the time?
• Is there a stand-alone program for windows 10 to analyze the downloaded files for fun and entertainment?
• As an experiment, I saved today's 4 records to my local disk and it took several minutes? Does this sound normal?

I guess this might seem obsessive questioning but I have too much time on my hands now that summer break is afoot.

As I keep poking around I see that AirData is a platform a lot of folks use. I can see this would take care of a lot of the questions I asked.

Is there still value in using Assistant 2 to download and archieve the flight data or is that just overkill?

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

I keep track of every flight, currently only about 550. I only keep and analyze the txt flight records in the Go 4 app downloaded via iTunes. Only once and a while do I look at the DAT files on the aircraft, but I don't keep them.

I never liked the idea of uploading my flights to any site on the web. That's just me. So I wrote my own tracking and analysis system using Excel and VBA. It's all Windows 10 based. To make the system work, I also utilize TXTlogToCSVtool to convert the txt file to CSV, and CSView.3.6.5 to analyze some parameters but mostly to view the flight in the GeoPlayer.

In my Excel system, I make notes of what the flight was for (crazy huh?), look at a mess of flight statistics, and analyze battery usage and health to predict (maybe) battery failure. During the conversion process, the software makes automatic backups of the txt, csv, kml files, etc. I use an iPad mini 5 for Go 4. However, sometimes I upload all flight records (txt files) to my phone to have handy for viewing in the Go4 app.

I suppose it would be easier to use AirData, but programming is my second hobby so I have fun messing with flight data.

 

[DebianDog]

$3 a month for Airdata is enough for me since the batteries track the # of times charged and balance themselves. Not as challenging as it used to be.

 

[BrucenYvette]

I keep track of every flight, currently only about 550. I only keep and analyze the txt flight records in the Go 4 app downloaded via iTunes. Only once and a while do I look at the DAT files on the aircraft, but I don't keep them.

I never liked the idea of uploading my flights to any site on the web. That's just me. So I wrote my own tracking and analysis system using Excel and VBA. It's all Windows 10 based. To make the system work, I also utilize TXTlogToCSVtool to convert the txt file to CSV, and CSView.3.6.5 to analyze some parameters but mostly to view the flight in the GeoPlayer.

In my Excel system, I make notes of what the flight was for (crazy huh?), look at a mess of flight statistics, and analyze battery usage and health to predict (maybe) battery failure. During the conversion process, the software makes automatic backups of the txt, csv, kml files, etc. I use an iPad mini 5 for Go 4. However, sometimes I upload all flight records (txt files) to my phone to have handy for viewing in the Go4 app.

I suppose it would be easier to use AirData, but programming is my second hobby so I have fun messing with flight data.

I like what you are doing. I've never cared much about having to login to DJI, always wondering if they are "tinkering" with my firmware or data behind the scenes. My question is: DO YOU HAVE TO USE DJI ASSISTANT IN OR TO ACCESS / DOWNLOAD FLIGHT DATA TO SAVE ON YOUR PC?

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

I like what you are doing. I've never cared much about having to login to DJI, always wondering if they are "tinkering" with my firmware or data behind the scenes. My question is: DO YOU HAVE TO USE DJI ASSISTANT IN OR TO ACCESS / DOWNLOAD FLIGHT DATA TO SAVE ON YOUR PC?

Not to get the FlightRecords off the Go4 App. I use iTunes for that. I have tinkered with Assistant to see what's on the aircraft, but it's a lot of busy work and more trouble than it's worth. I've only done it a couple of times.

My main focus on retrieving my FlightRecords is avoiding uploading, and analyzing battery health. My interest in battery health started when I became aware of the AirData web site. I took a look at what they were doing regarding batteries analysis, and I disagreed with their approach of primarily cell voltage deviations. I do look at deviations, but relative to total through-put and power levels applied during flight.

 

[marklyn]

My response is only for your bullet two. I *used* to use DJI Assistant to download and uncompress the flight data on my Mavic 1 on a regular basis. This was extremely handy for situations where I lost controller contact and the accurate flight data could only be retrieved from the drone, which I then uploaded manually to Airdata. Now since Mavic 2 has encrypted data this can no longer be accomplished. That is disappointing to me.

 

[Phantom3SE]

No but I use AirData which tracks all of my flight data

 

[marklyn]

No but I use AirData which tracks all of my flight data

Except those, of course, that lose radio contact with the controller, in which case you have a straight line from where it lost contact to where it regained connection.