Telemetry Import
The Telemetry Import feature lets you upload a telemetry CSV file for a specific flight record directly from the flight detail page. This enables GPS track visualization, instrument readings (HUD), and interactive animation playback for that flight.
When to use this
Use Telemetry Import when:
- You have a manually created flight record in UAV Desk and want to add telemetry to it
- You already completed an EdgeTX bulk import but missed some telemetry files (you can add them later)
- You have telemetry from a different source (not EdgeTX)
If you're importing many flights at once from EdgeTX, the bulk EdgeTX Import option is faster. Use this page for individual flights or when you have isolated telemetry files.
Step 1: Open a flight record
From the Flight Logs page, click on any flight to open its detail view. The detail page shows the flight's basic information: location, date, time, pilot, UAV, and any notes.
Step 2: Locate the Import Telemetry button
In the flight detail view, look for the Import Telemetry button. It appears in a section labeled GPS Track & Map or in the panel above the flight information.
Step 3: Select a telemetry CSV file
Click Import Telemetry to open a file picker. Select a single CSV file (UTF-8 encoded, max 10 MB):
File format: The CSV file must have the correct header row and columns (see CSV format section below). Common file names are TeleLog_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.csv or ModelName_TeleLog_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.csv, but the file name doesn't matter—only the content is validated.
CSV format
Your telemetry CSV must have a header row with the following 21 columns in this exact order:
| Column | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
time | Yes | Timestamp in milliseconds since epoch |
GPS_numSat | No | Number of GPS satellites |
GPS_coord[0] | Yes | Latitude in decimal degrees |
GPS_coord[1] | Yes | Longitude in decimal degrees |
GPS_altitude | No | Altitude in meters |
GPS_speed | No | Ground speed in km/h |
GPS_ground_course | No | Ground course heading in degrees |
VSpd | No | Vertical speed in m/s |
Pitch | No | Pitch angle in degrees |
Roll | No | Roll angle in degrees |
Yaw | No | Yaw / heading in degrees |
RxBt | No | Receiver battery in volts |
Curr | No | Current in amperes |
Capa | No | Battery capacity in mAh |
RQly | No | Receiver link quality in % |
TQly | No | Transmitter link quality in % |
TPWR | No | Transmitter power in dBm |
Ail | No | Aileron input (-1000 to 1000) |
Ele | No | Elevator input (-1000 to 1000) |
Thr | No | Throttle input (-1000 to 1000) |
Rud | No | Rudder input (-1000 to 1000) |
Minimum columns: Only time, GPS_coord[0] (latitude), and GPS_coord[1] (longitude) are strictly required. All other columns are optional. The CSV file is validated on the client before upload—if it fails validation, an error message explains the problem (invalid header, missing required columns, file too large, etc.).
Step 4: Confirm and wait
After selecting a file, UAV Desk validates it and then uploads and processes it. A confirmation modal shows:
- File name and size
- Number of telemetry data points to be imported
Click Confirm to proceed. Processing takes a few seconds to a minute. Once complete, the GPS track visualization and flight instruments become available in the flight detail page.
What happens after import
Once telemetry is imported:
- GPS Track & Map: You see the aircraft's flight path on an interactive map with color-coding by GPS quality, altitude, speed, or vertical speed
- Flight Instruments: A digital HUD and control stick visualization show aircraft attitude (pitch, roll, yaw) and pilot input during the flight
- Animation Controls: A playback timeline lets you scrub through the flight, play it back at different speeds, and view live statistics (current altitude, speed, course, etc.)
Replacing telemetry
If you need to replace telemetry data (for example, you have a corrected CSV or need a different range of data), find the Delete GPS Track button at the bottom of the GPS Track & Map panel. Delete the existing telemetry, then import a new file. Each flight can have only one GPS dataset at a time.
Tips
- File encoding: Ensure your CSV is UTF-8 encoded with LF or CRLF line endings.
- Column order: The column order must match exactly. If you have extra columns not in the list, add them to the end and they will be ignored.
- Timestamps in seconds? If your timestamps are in seconds instead of milliseconds, multiply them by 1000 before saving the CSV.
- Coordinates format: GPS coordinates must be in decimal degrees (e.g., 51.5074, -0.1278), not degrees/minutes/seconds.
- Missing values: Leave cells blank or use zeros for optional columns you don't have data for—they will be handled gracefully.
Next: Learn about ZIP Import for restoring full backups.