Flight Log Analysis
ArduDeck can parse ArduPilot DataFlash .bin log files, run automated health diagnostics, visualize flight data, and provide AI-powered analysis with actionable parameter recommendations.
Location: Flight Logs (in the left navigation rail)
There are two ways to load a flight log:
- From the flight controller - Connect to your FC, go to Flight Logs, and the log list shows all logs stored on the board. Click a log to download and parse it.
- From a file - Click "Open .bin File" to load a DataFlash log from your computer.
After parsing, ArduDeck automatically switches to the Health Report tab.
The Health Report runs automated checks against the flight data and displays results as color-coded cards:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Fail (red) | A critical issue was detected that should be addressed before flying again |
| Warning (amber) | An issue that may affect flight performance or safety |
| Pass (green) | The check passed within normal parameters |
| Skip (gray) | Required data was not present in the log |
Each check analyzes a specific subsystem:
- Vibration - Peak accelerometer vibration levels (X/Y/Z axes) and clipping events
- GPS Quality - Satellite count, HDop, and 3D fix percentage
- EKF Health - Extended Kalman Filter variance and innovation levels
- Battery - Voltage sag, current draw, and capacity used
- Compass - Magnetic interference and compass offset drift
- Failsafe Events - Any failsafe triggers during the flight
- Power - Board voltage stability and brownout detection
Each card shows a summary, detailed values, and a recommendation. Cards with issues include:
- View Data - Jump to the Explorer tab with the relevant fields pre-selected for visualization
- Analyze with AI - Send the issue details to the AI for deeper analysis (requires AI Setup)
The header displays key flight metrics computed from the log:
- Max altitude and max speed
- Total distance traveled (Haversine calculation from GPS)
- Battery consumption (mAh)
- Flight duration and message type count
If you have an AI provider configured (see AI Setup), click "Analyze log with AI" in the report header. The AI analyzes the complete flight data and health check results, then generates 3-6 insight cards that appear above the automated checks. These focus on:
- Correlations between issues (e.g., vibration causing GPS degradation)
- Parameter tuning suggestions with specific values
- Flight efficiency and battery health assessment
- Predictive maintenance concerns
- Overall flight safety assessment
AI insight cards persist when you navigate away and are restored when you reopen the same log file.
The Explorer tab is a full analysis workspace built from dockable panels: Chart, Flight Path, Fields, plus Events, Params, and Spectrum panels you can add when you need them. Panels can be rearranged, closed, and restored with Reset Layout; your arrangement is kept while the log stays open.
The Fields panel lists all message types in the log (GPS, IMU, BATT, VIBE, etc.) as collapsible, color-coded groups. Expand a group and check individual fields to add them to the chart.
- Search - Filter message types and fields by name
- Clear All - Deselect all fields at once
- Color-coded groups make it easy to distinguish data sources on the chart
Selected fields are plotted on a shared time axis with automatic alignment across different message types (which may log at different rates). A colored flight mode timeline runs above each chart, so every spike has its mode context.
- Independent Y axes - Toggle Y: Indep and every series gets its own auto-scaled axis, so RCOU values and battery voltage stop fighting for the same scale. Y: Fit returns to a shared axis.
- Windowed stats - The legend shows min / avg / max per field, computed over the visible window as you zoom, or over the full log when zoomed out.
- Zoom and pan - Dedicated Zoom and Pan tools, scroll to zoom, Shift+scroll for Y zoom, right-drag to pan, double-click to reset; the ? button lists all gestures. Reset Zoom is one click.
- Add Chart - Add comparison charts, each with its own field selection. Zoom can be Synced across charts so the same flight phase lines up everywhere.
- Export CSV - Export the visible window of any chart as CSV.
The Events panel lists errors, events, messages, mode changes, and commands from the log, with filter chips and a Problems only switch. Click an entry and every chart jumps to a window around that moment; hovering walks the marker on the flight-path map.
The Params panel shows the PARM records from the log: what the vehicle was actually configured as during this flight. Filter by all, changed, or non-default, and click an in-flight parameter change to jump the charts to when it happened.
The Spectrum panel computes an FFT of the selected signals for hunting vibration peaks, with per-IMU series, a dominant-peak frequency marker, a dB scale toggle, and a Follow zoom mode that recomputes the spectrum for just the span you are zoomed into.
The Flight Path panel renders the GPS track as a 3D flight path on a map. Color the trail by Solid, Modes, Altitude, or Speed, switch the base layer, and use Center to fit the map to the flight. Hovering a chart shows the same instant as a marker on the path, so a spike in the graph becomes a place on the ground.
The AI Analysis tab is a conversational chat interface for asking questions about the flight. It requires an AI provider to be configured (see AI Setup).
When you send a message, ArduDeck includes the following context with every request:
- Vehicle type and firmware version
- Flight duration, max altitude, max speed, distance, battery usage
- Complete health check results
- Full conversation history (for follow-up questions)
- Parameter metadata including reboot-required flags
The AI is constrained to only answer questions about the flight log, ArduPilot configuration, and drone troubleshooting. Off-topic requests are refused.
The empty state offers one-click suggestion chips:
- "Analyze this flight and highlight any issues"
- "Is my vibration level safe for auto missions?"
- "What parameters should I tune based on this flight?"
- "Explain the battery performance and estimate health"
- "Were there any GPS or compass anomalies?"
When the AI recommends parameter changes, they render as interactive action cards below the response:
- Each parameter shows its current value (if connected) and the suggested value
- Parameters requiring a reboot are flagged with an amber badge
- A warning appears if any suggested parameter requires a flight controller reboot
If the flight controller is connected:
- Apply button per parameter writes the value directly to the FC via MAVLink
- Apply All button sets all suggested parameters at once
- Visual confirmation when each parameter is successfully applied
If the flight controller is disconnected:
-
Export .param file button saves all suggestions as a
.paramfile - The file can be loaded later via the Parameters screen when connected
Conversations are automatically saved per log file path. When you reopen the same log, the previous conversation (and any AI insight cards on the Health Report) are restored. This means you can:
- Navigate between tabs without losing the conversation
- Close and reopen the app
- Analyze the same log days later and pick up where you left off
Fail and warning cards on the Health Report have an "Analyze with AI" button. Clicking it:
- Adds the card's full context (status, summary, details, recommendation) as a question
- Switches to the AI Analysis tab
- Automatically sends the question to the AI
AI-generated insight cards have an "Ask AI" button that works the same way, sending the card's content as context for a follow-up conversation.
| Issue | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "No log loaded" on Health Report | Haven't opened a log file yet | Open a .bin file or download from FC |
| Chart shows nothing with fields selected | Different message types with no overlapping timestamps | Select fields from the same message type, or check that the log contains data |
| AI tab not visible | No AI provider configured | Go to Settings > AI Flight Analysis |
| "Failed to parse AI response" on insight cards | AI returned malformed JSON | Click "Analyze log with AI" again |
| Parameter "Apply" button missing | FC not connected | Connect to FC first, or use "Export .param file" |
| Conversation not restored | Log opened from a different file path | Conversations are keyed by file path |