Free beta now open

DJI drone mission planning for mapping surveys

Draw your survey area, choose semi-auto or full-auto capture, and export a WPML-format KMZ. Terrain-following heights and automatic flight splitting are built in.

Start Free Beta See how it works

Browser-based Terrain-aware WPML-compatible KMZ

Start End ~30 ha
Drone
Mission stats
Mission
— Flight time
— Distance
— Area
— Batteries
Capture quality
— GSD/px
— Front overlap
Route details
— Strips
— Waypoints
— Photos
Flight plan
Side Overlap
%
Speed
m/s
Altitude
m
Margin
m
Direction
°
Simulation The full planner adds terrain following, flight splitting, and mission export.
0lifetime QGIS plugin downloads
0average QGIS downloads per day
Freebeta access for version 1
WPMLstructured DJI mission format

The Problem

Survey cameras got cheap. Survey flying didn't.

Anyone can afford a drone with a survey-grade camera. Almost nobody can fly it as a survey aircraft. DJI is where the gap is widest today, and where FlyPath starts.

Survey tools depend on the aircraft

DJI mapping, terrain, and mission-transfer features vary by aircraft, controller, application, and firmware. Consumer workflows do not consistently include survey-grid, overlap, and resolution planning.

Compatibility remains fragmented

Third-party support also varies by aircraft and controller. A planner must separate route creation from the exact application and transfer workflow used to load and verify the mission.

Large sites are hard to coordinate

Dividing one survey across several pilots while preserving overlap, coverage, and field progress still requires careful coordination.

In FlyPath: available soon

Step by Step

From survey area to a reviewable mission file

FlyPath creates a WPML-format KMZ from a survey plan in your browser. Loading and flying the file still depends on the target aircraft, controller, DJI application, and firmware, so every export must be checked in the intended workflow before flight.

01

Draw or import a boundary

Draw a survey polygon on the map or import a polygon from a KML file.

Survey area polygon drawn on the satellite map in the FlyPath planner
02

Tune and validate the route

Choose semi-auto or full-auto capture, then set aircraft, altitude, speed, overlap, margin, safety actions, and automatic fastest direction.

Generated flight route with the flight settings panel in the FlyPath planner
03

Plan terrain and flight splits

Preview elevation and clearance, add terrain-following heights, and divide long routes around battery and waypoint limits.

Terrain following with inserted waypoints and contour lines over hilly ground
04

Save and export

Reopen saved missions and download one WPML KMZ or a ZIP of continuous KMZ flights.

Reviewing and exporting the mission as a DJI WPML KMZ file

Terrain Aware

Missions that follow the ground

The elevation data is built in, with no separate elevation account or subscription. FlyPath samples the route and writes per-waypoint heights into the exported WPML-format KMZ; the pilot must verify how the intended DJI workflow interprets them.

⛰️

Terrain follow

Set a tolerance in metres and FlyPath inserts waypoints wherever the ground rises or falls beyond it, keeping height above terrain steady.

🗻

Contours and elevations

Overlay contour lines at your chosen interval and colour, and show ground elevation beside each waypoint while you plan.

📈

Elevation profile

Draw a line across the site to see its elevation profile, with the line length and the ground height at both ends.

Flight Safety

Plan with confidence. Fly with responsibility.

FlyPath is a planning aid, not flight authorization or a substitute for pilot judgment.

⌖

Review every route

Confirm the boundary, waypoints, altitude, speed, camera behavior, finish action, and controller-loss action.

◆

Verify compatibility

Open the exported file in the intended DJI application and check the exact aircraft, controller, and firmware combination.

☁

Assess the real site

Check airspace, permissions, people, obstacles, weather, battery reserve, and current conditions before every flight.

Aircraft Profiles

Built-in planning profiles

FlyPath uses aircraft-specific camera and trigger assumptions to calculate spacing, GSD, overlap, and mission estimates. Planning profiles are available for DJI Mini 3 Pro, Mini 4 Pro, Mini 5 Pro, Air 3, Air 3S, Mavic 3 Classic, and Mavic 4 Pro. A profile does not by itself guarantee application, controller, firmware, or flight compatibility.

DJI Mini 3 Pro

DJI Mini 3 Pro

Planning profile
Mission output
WPML-format KMZ
Camera model
1/1.3" CMOS
Trigger interval
2.0 s
Planning use
Small-site mapping
DJI Mini 4 Pro

DJI Mini 4 Pro

Planning profile
Mission output
WPML-format KMZ
Camera model
1/1.3" CMOS
Trigger interval
2.0 s
Planning use
Compact mapping
DJI Mini 5 Pro

DJI Mini 5 Pro

Planning profile
Mission output
WPML-format KMZ
Camera model
1" CMOS
Trigger interval
2.0 s
Planning use
Higher-detail grids
DJI Air 3

DJI Air 3

Planning profile
Mission output
WPML-format KMZ
Camera model
1/1.3" CMOS wide
Trigger interval
2.0 s
Planning use
Dual-camera mapping
DJI Air 3S

DJI Air 3S

Planning profile
Mission output
WPML-format KMZ
Camera model
1" CMOS wide
Trigger interval
5.0 s
Planning use
Higher-detail mapping
DJI Mavic 3 Classic

DJI Mavic 3 Classic

Planning profile
Mission output
WPML-format KMZ
Camera model
4/3" CMOS
Trigger interval
2.0 s
Planning use
Longer mapping flights
DJI Mavic 4 Pro

DJI Mavic 4 Pro

Planning profile
Mission output
WPML-format KMZ
Camera model
4/3" CMOS wide
Trigger interval
5.0 s
Planning use
High-resolution mapping
DJI Matrice 4E

DJI Matrice 4E

Coming soon
Mission output
In validation
Camera model
4/3" CMOS
Trigger interval
0.7 s
Planning use
Not yet available

Matrice 4E export remains disabled while its WPML definition is validated.

Global Reach

Used in 16 countries

FlyPath QGIS plugin downloads, tracked across the drone mapping community worldwide.

Source: QGIS Plugin Repository  ·  709 tracked downloads (top 16 countries)  ·  Updated 19 Aug 2026

FAQ

Before you plan your first mission

Is FlyPath free?

Yes. The current web release is a free beta. If paid plans or limits are introduced later, they will be presented before any charge applies.

What can I export today?

FlyPath exports one DJI WPML KMZ or, with flight splitting enabled, a ZIP of continuous KMZ flights. Terrain-following heights can be included. Always inspect every file in the intended DJI application before flying.

How does flight splitting work?

Set a minimum number of flights and a per-flight waypoint limit. FlyPath divides the route at existing waypoints into continuous flights, not the survey area itself. Each flight starts where the previous one ended, and all of them download as separate KMZ files in one ZIP.

How does terrain following work?

Choose a tolerance in metres. Along each flight line, FlyPath samples built-in global elevation data and inserts a waypoint whenever the ground has changed more than your tolerance, giving every waypoint its own flight height so the drone holds a steady height above terrain.

What are semi-auto and full-auto capture?

Semi-auto keeps capture control with the pilot. Full-auto adds photo actions along each flight line from the selected front overlap and the aircraft camera profile. Review every generated camera action before flight.

Which aircraft profiles are available?

FlyPath includes DJI Mini 3 Pro, Mini 4 Pro, Mini 5 Pro, Air 3, Air 3S, Mavic 3 Classic, and Mavic 4 Pro profiles. Multi-camera aircraft must use the wide mapping camera. The Matrice 4E remains in validation.

Can FlyPath check airspace or weather?

FlyPath can display elevation contours, preview terrain clearance, and export terrain-following heights. It does not provide airspace authorization, no-fly-zone, weather, or obstacle checks.

Does an exported mission guarantee a safe flight?

No. FlyPath is a planning aid. The pilot remains responsible for route review, compatibility checks, legal compliance, site assessment, and safe operation.

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