ZIP Import

The ZIP Import feature lets you restore a complete backup of your UAV Desk data or migrate from another UAV Desk account. Upload a ZIP file containing your UAVs, flight logs with GPS telemetry, maintenance records, and configuration files. All data is automatically extracted, validated, and merged into your current account with duplicate detection.

When to use this

Use ZIP Import when:

• You previously exported your data using the Export All Data feature and want to restore it
• You are migrating from one UAV Desk account to another (e.g., different subscription tier or organization)
• A colleague is sharing their UAV Desk backup for you to review or use as a template

Prerequisites

You need:

• A ZIP file exported from UAV Desk (from Export All Data or a previous backup)
• A paid subscription plan in UAV Desk (required for all imports)
• Sufficient storage quota in your subscription (large imports require more space)

Step 1: Open the Imports page

From the app's main sidebar, navigate to Imports. Scroll to the Import Data from ZIP section.

Step 2: Select or drag-and-drop your ZIP file

You can:

• Click the upload button to open a file picker and select a .zip file
• Drag and drop a ZIP file directly into the upload zone

Step 3: Wait for processing

Once selected, the ZIP file is:

1. Extracted on the client side or sent to cloud storage (based on file size)
2. Validated to ensure it contains the correct structure (UAVs, flights, maintenance logs, reminders, configs)
3. Checked against your current data for duplicates
4. Imported into your account, storing telemetry data in compressed format

A progress bar monitors the import status. Processing time depends on the ZIP size and number of flights—typically a few seconds to a minute.

ZIP file contents

A standard UAV Desk export ZIP contains:

• UAVs: All aircraft profiles (serial number, manufacturer, model, etc.)
• Flight logs: All flight records with basic information (date, location, duration, pilot, etc.)
• GPS telemetry: Flight tracks and instrument data (compressed and batched for efficiency)
• Maintenance logs: All maintenance events and work records associated with each UAV
• Maintenance reminders: Scheduled reminders for planned maintenance (batteries, filters, inspections, etc.)
• Configuration files: UAV configuration exports (parameter files, firmware versions, etc.)

Step 4: Review the import result

After import completes, a detailed result panel shows:

• UAVs: Count of imported aircraft profiles
• Flights: Count of newly added flight records
• Flights skipped: Count of duplicate flights (not re-imported)
• Maintenance logs: Count of imported maintenance events
• Maintenance reminders: Count of imported scheduled reminders
• Configuration files: Count of imported UAV configuration files
• Errors: Any validation or import errors (e.g., malformed JSON, constraint violations)

All successfully imported data appears immediately in your Flight Logs, UAV Management, and Maintenance sections.

Duplicate detection

To protect your data, UAV Desk detects and safely skips duplicates. Records are considered duplicates based on:

UAVs

• Serial number (if both have one), or
• Combination of drone name + manufacturer

Flight logs

• Same UAV + departure date + time + landing time (±1 minute tolerance)

Maintenance logs

• Same UAV + event date + event type + description

Maintenance reminders

• Same UAV + component type

Configuration files

• Same UAV + file name + upload date

Skipped duplicates are noted in the result summary. Nothing is silently overwritten or lost.

Handling import errors

Most ZIP imports succeed fully. Common errors include:

• Invalid ZIP format: The file is not a valid ZIP archive or is corrupted. Re-export your data or verify the source file.
• Missing required fields: A JSON record is missing required fields. This typically indicates a corrupted export. Contact support if you suspect data corruption.
• Quota exceeded: Your subscription's storage space is full. Delete old data or upgrade your plan to import large backups.

Partial imports are supported—if some records fail validation, the valid records are still imported. Check the error list to see which records were rejected.

Tips

• Before a major import: Export your current data as a backup (using Export All Data) in case you need to revert.
• Organization strategy: If migrating from another account, consider creating a new project folder or renaming UAVs to distinguish old and new data.
• Large files: If importing a very large ZIP (thousands of flights), process it during off-peak hours and keep your browser tab open until import completes.
• Check results immediately: After import, navigate to Flight Logs and UAV Management to verify that data appears correctly and no unexpected duplicates or conflicts occurred.