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DESKTOP APPLICATION

FlyNat LogBook Desktop

Professional drone flight logging for Windows. Import DJI and FPV logs, generate compliance-ready PDF reports, and stay synchronized with your mobile app — all in one portable executable.

// Overview
What is FlyNat LogBook Desktop?

FlyNat LogBook Desktop is a standalone Windows application designed for professional drone pilots who need a structured, compliant flight log. It parses raw flight data files directly from your drone — no cloud upload required for the core logbook — and stores everything locally in an encrypted-at-rest SQLite database on your computer.

The app is distributed as a single .exe file built with PyInstaller. Just download and run — no Python installation, no dependencies, no admin rights needed.

Privacy-first design: All flight data is stored locally on your machine at C:\Users\[you]\FlyNat\logbook.db. No flight data is sent to any server. The only optional cloud feature is Google Drive sync, which you control.
// Features
Everything in one portable application
📄

FLIGHT LOGBOOK

Full searchable table of every flight: date, drone model, duration, location, battery levels, altitude, and personal notes.

📊

STATISTICS DASHBOARD

Summary stats — total hours flown, number of flights, average duration, favourite locations, battery trends.

📈

ADVANCED ANALYTICS

Charts and breakdowns by drone model, month, altitude distribution, and flight duration histogram.

📝

PDF EXPORT

Generate a professional, compliance-ready PDF logbook report. Includes flight map thumbnails, stats, and pilot info — suitable for CAA / CAAI inspection.

GOOGLE DRIVE SYNC

One-click backup of your entire logbook to Google Drive as a JSON file. Readable by the FlyNat mobile app for live viewing on your phone.

🔌

MULTI-FORMAT IMPORT

Drag and drop DJI binary logs, DJI CSV exports, Betaflight blackbox files, or generic CSV. The parser handles conversion automatically.

// Supported Log Formats
Import flight data from your drone directly
Format Description Fields Extracted Support
.DAT / .TXT DJI binary flight log (decoded via dji-log-parser) Date, duration, GPS path, altitude, battery, drone model FULL
DJI CSV CSV exported from DJI Flight Hub or DJI Assistant Date, duration, location, altitude, battery start/end FULL
.BBL / .BFL Betaflight / Cleanflight blackbox binary Date, duration, GPS (if available), drone identifier FULL
Flyability Elios 3 CSV / JSON export from Flyability Inspector — inspection drone logs Date, duration, location, altitude, flight identifier FULL
Generic CSV Any CSV with flight data — custom column mapping Configurable via CSV Mapper tool MAPPED
DJI binary parsing: Encrypted DJI logs (newer firmware) require a decode key from the DJI developer API. The desktop app includes a bundled dji-log.exe and handles this automatically.
// Local Database
Your data stays on your machine

All flight records are stored in a local SQLite database. No account, no login, no internet connection required to use the logbook.

📁

Database location:

C:\Users\[YourName]\FlyNat\logbook.db

The database contains three tables:

  • flights — One row per flight: date, duration, drone model, GPS coordinates, battery start/end, location name, notes, sync status.
  • flight_path — GPS path points (latitude, longitude, altitude, sequence) for each flight — used to render map thumbnails in PDF.
  • settings — Key-value store for pilot name, Drive token, and app preferences.
Backup tip: To back up your logbook manually, copy the FlyNat/ folder from your user profile to an external drive or cloud storage. The .db file is portable and can be moved to any Windows machine running FlyNat.
// PDF Export
Compliance-ready reports for CAA / CAAI

The PDF export feature generates a professionally formatted logbook report that meets the record-keeping requirements expected by civil aviation authorities, including Israel's CAAI (רשות התעופה האזרחית). Each report includes:

  • Cover page — Pilot name, report generation date, summary statistics (total flights, total hours, drones flown).
  • Flight table — Every flight in chronological order with date, location, drone model, duration, altitude, battery levels, and notes.
  • Map thumbnails — For flights with GPS path data, a map image showing the flight area is embedded per entry.
  • Statistics page — Aggregated totals, breakdown by drone model and month.
Format: A4 dark-themed PDF generated with ReportLab. Map tiles are rendered with Folium. The PDF is saved to your Downloads folder and can be emailed directly to an authority on request.
// Google Drive Sync
Backup and mobile viewing via Google Drive

The Google Drive sync feature lets you upload a snapshot of your entire logbook to your personal Google Drive with one click. This serves two purposes: a cloud backup, and a way for the FlyNat mobile app to read your desktop logbook data.

💻
DESKTOP APP
Windows .exe
JSON export
OAuth 2.0
GOOGLE DRIVE
flynat_logbook.json
read-only
Drive API
📱
MOBILE APP
FlyNat Android

The first time you sync, a browser window opens for Google OAuth authorization. After approving, a token is saved at C:\Users\[you]\.flynat\token.json. Subsequent syncs happen silently with no browser interaction.

  • Direction: Desktop → Drive only. The desktop app writes; the mobile app reads. No data flows back to the desktop.
  • File: Uploaded as flynat_logbook.json in your Drive root. Overwritten on each sync.
  • Scope: The app only requests drive.file permission — it can only access files it created, not your entire Drive.
// Getting Started
From download to first flight log in 3 minutes
1

Download the .exe

Download FlyNat LogBook.exe from the link above or from the FlyNat home page. No installation wizard — just a single portable executable (~320 MB, all dependencies bundled).

2

Run the app

Double-click the .exe. Windows SmartScreen may show a warning on first run — click More info → Run anyway. The app creates the FlyNat\ folder in your user profile and initializes the local database automatically.

3

Enter your pilot name

On first launch, a setup dialog asks for your pilot name. This name appears on exported PDF logbooks and is stored locally — no account needed.

4

Import your first flight

In the Logbook tab, click Import Flight Log. Select a DJI .DAT, .TXT, or CSV file from your drone or DJI Flight Hub export. The parser automatically extracts flight data and adds it to your logbook.

5

Export a PDF report (optional)

Click Export PDF in the Logbook toolbar to generate a compliance-ready A4 logbook. The PDF is saved to your Downloads folder.

6

Sync to Google Drive (optional)

Click Sync to Drive to back up your logbook and make it visible in the FlyNat mobile app. Authorize with Google once — all future syncs are one click.

// System Requirements
What you need to run FlyNat LogBook Desktop
  • OS: Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit). No macOS or Linux version is currently available.
  • Storage: ~350 MB for the executable. Additional space for your logbook database (grows with flight count — typically a few MB).
  • Memory: 512 MB RAM minimum. 2 GB recommended for large logbooks with GPS path data.
  • Internet: Required only for Google Drive sync and PDF map thumbnails. Core logbook works fully offline.
  • No admin rights required: The app writes only to your user profile folder. It does not modify system directories or the registry.
  • No installation: Single portable .exe — copy it anywhere, run from USB if needed.
Windows SmartScreen: Because the .exe is not code-signed with a commercial EV certificate, Windows may show a "Windows protected your PC" warning on first run. This is normal for unsigned executables. Click More info then Run anyway to proceed.