Developers or pilots?
The tools split into two groups. Developer tools (an API or a library) turn a log into data your software can store and analyse: fleet dashboards, battery tracking, maintenance and compliance reports, survey QA. Pilot tools (web viewers and logbooks) let a person look at a flight on a map. If you are writing code, start with the first group.
Comparison table
| Tool | Access | Encrypted v13+ logs | Output | Self-host | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dronelog API | REST API | Yes, decrypted for you | CSV, up to 477 columns | No (hosted) | 100 calls/month free, paid plans from $8/month | Apps, fleet and maintenance tools that process many logs |
| Dronelog free viewer | Web upload | Yes | Map, charts, CSV, KML, GPX | No (hosted) | Free, 20 logs/day without an account | Looking at a single flight |
| dji-log-parser (open source) | Rust library and command-line tool | Yes, with your own DJI API key | Parsed records in code; the CLI writes files | Yes | Free (MIT licence) | Teams that want to own the parsing and can maintain it |
| DJI's FlightRecordParsingLib | Library from DJI | Yes, with a DJI app key | Parsed records in code | Yes | Free | Teams that prefer DJI's own reference code |
| AirData UAV | Web app with automatic sync from DJI apps | Yes | Dashboards and reports; exports depend on plan | No | Free plan and paid plans | Pilots and fleets who want a ready-made logbook |
| PhantomHelp Log Viewer | Web upload | Yes | Map and table view, CSV and KML downloads | No | Free | Quickly checking one flight in the browser |
The options one by one
Dronelog API
A REST API that takes a DJI flight record (.txt from DJI Fly, DJI GO 4 or DJI Pilot 2, or a .zip) and returns CSV in the same response, with up to 477 fields. Encrypted v13+ logs are decrypted for you. It also parses ArduPilot logs. The trade-off: it is hosted only, and output is CSV. The free tier covers 100 calls a month, and paid plans start at $8 a month.
How the DJI parser API works.
dji-log-parser (open source)
dji-log-parser is an MIT-licensed Rust library with a command-line tool that reads every version of the DJI .txt format. Older logs parse offline. For v13+ logs you supply your own DJI developer API key, and the library fetches the keys from DJI for each log. It is the best choice if you want to run the parsing yourself and have Rust skills in the team. Expect to own updates when DJI ships new aircraft or format changes.
DJI's FlightRecordParsingLib
DJI publishes its own flight-record parsing library on GitHub. Like the open-source option, it runs on your own machines and needs a DJI app key to decrypt current logs. It suits teams that prefer to build on DJI's reference code and are comfortable integrating a native library.
AirData UAV
AirData is a flight logbook and fleet platform for pilots. Logs can sync automatically from the DJI apps, and you get dashboards, battery and maintenance reports in the browser. It has a free plan and paid plans. It is the right pick if you want a finished logbook rather than raw data for your own software.
PhantomHelp Log Viewer
A free web page where you upload a DJI .txt log and see the flight on a map with a table of values, with CSV and KML downloads. It is a viewer for people, not an API.
When the free viewer is enough
If you need to check one flight, for example after an incident or to grab a GPX track, use the free DJI flight log viewer. No account is needed for up to 20 logs a day. You get the map, height, speed and battery charts, and CSV, KML or GPX downloads. Your file is not stored.
When to use the API
Use the API when logs need to end up in a database or another system: many pilots or aircraft, battery swaps and charge cycles tracked over time, maintenance intervals, client reports, or anything that runs without a person clicking. One request per log returns CSV you can load directly. New to the file format? Start with the DJI flight log format, explained.