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Getting Started with LogHat

This guide walks you through creating an account, uploading your first flight log, and reading your first analysis report. The entire process takes under five minutes after you have your log file ready.

LogHat accepts logs from both major open-source flight controller stacks — ArduPilot (.bin, .log, .tlog) and PX4 (.ulg, .ulog). The format is auto-detected on upload.

What is a Flight Log File?

A flight log is a binary file recorded directly by your flight controller during a mission. It contains a dense record of your drone's sensor readings, GPS data, motor outputs, flight modes, and system messages — captured at rates of up to 400Hz depending on your firmware settings.

ArduPilot (ArduCopter, ArduPlane, ArduRover, ArduSub) records .bin DataFlash log files, stored in the APM/LOGS/ directory on the flight controller's SD card.

PX4 records .ulg ULog files, stored in the log/ directory on the SD card.

Step 1: Export Your Log File

From Mission Planner (ArduPilot)

  1. Connect your flight controller to your computer via USB.
  2. Open Mission Planner and connect to the flight controller.
  3. Navigate to DataFlash Logs in the top menu (or Config → DataFlash Logs).
  4. Select Download DataFlash Log Via Mavlink. A list of saved log files will appear.
  5. Select the log file corresponding to your most recent flight (sorted by number or timestamp).
  6. Click Download Selected Logs. The file will be saved to your computer as a .bin file.

Alternatively, you can remove the SD card from your flight controller and copy the .bin files directly from the APM/LOGS/ directory.

From QGroundControl (ArduPilot Logs)

  1. Connect your vehicle and open QGroundControl.
  2. Navigate to Analyze Tools → Log Download.
  3. Select the log entry from the list and click Download.
  4. The .bin file will be saved to your downloads folder.

Tip: ArduPilot log files are numbered sequentially (e.g., 00000003.bin). Each power cycle creates a new log file. The highest-numbered file is typically your most recent flight.

From QGroundControl (PX4 Logs)

  1. Connect your PX4 vehicle and open QGroundControl.
  2. Navigate to Analyze Tools → Log Download.
  3. Select the .ulg log entry and click Download.
  4. The .ulg file will be saved to your downloads folder.

Alternatively, remove the SD card and copy .ulg files directly from the log/ directory on the card.

Step 2: Create a LogHat Account

  1. Visit loghat.app and click Get Started or Sign Up.
  2. Enter your email address and choose a secure password.
  3. Check your inbox for a verification email and confirm your address.
  4. Once verified, log in to access your dashboard.

Guest mode available: If you want to try LogHat before creating an account, you can upload a log file at loghat.app/guest without registering. Guest uploads are processed locally in your browser and are limited to two logs per day. PDF report download and persistent flight history are available only to registered users.

Step 3: Upload Your First Log

  1. After logging in, you will land on the Dashboard.
  2. Drag and drop your .bin file onto the upload area, or click Upload Log to browse for the file.
  3. Complete the upload metadata form:
    • Drone name — Select an existing drone from your fleet, or add a new one.
    • Mission type — For example: Inspection, Delivery, Survey, or Training.
    • Environment — Urban, Rural, Coastal, or Mountain.
    • Wind conditions — Calm, Light, Moderate, or Strong.
    • Notes — Optionally describe the flight or any observed issues.
  4. Click Submit. Your file will upload to secure cloud storage and enter the analysis queue.

Format detection: LogHat auto-detects whether your file is an ArduPilot DataFlash log or a PX4 ULog. You do not need to specify the format — just upload the file as-is.

Upload Progress

A progress indicator will appear in the top-right corner of the dashboard while your file uploads. For large files (200MB–1GB+), the upload uses a chunked, resumable method — if your connection drops, the upload will resume from where it left off when you reload the page.

Step 4: Wait for Processing

After upload, your log enters the analysis pipeline. Processing time depends on file size:

| File Size | Typical Processing Time | |---|---| | Under 50MB | 30–60 seconds | | 50MB–200MB | 1–3 minutes | | 200MB–1GB | 3–8 minutes | | Over 1GB | 8–20 minutes |

Your flight log entry on the Logs page will show a status badge: Uploaded → Processing → Complete. You do not need to keep the page open — the analysis runs on the server and the result will be available when you return.

Step 5: Read Your First Report

Once processing is complete, click the flight entry on the Logs page to open the full analysis view. You will see:

Health Score Panel

A prominent numeric score (0–100) with a status badge:

  • Passed — No significant issues detected across all health dimensions.
  • Warning — One or more parameters are outside normal operating range and should be reviewed.
  • Grounded — Critical issues detected. Review the detailed analysis before flying again.

The health score is accompanied by per-category breakdowns for battery, vibration, GPS, and EKF health.

3D Replay

The flight path rendered in three-dimensional space over a map. You can rotate, zoom, and play back the flight with the animated drone model.

Telemetry Graphs

Interactive time-series graphs for key parameters including altitude, battery voltage, GPS satellite count, and vibration levels.

Vector AI Chatbot

An AI assistant pre-loaded with the context of your specific flight. You can ask questions in plain language, for example: "Was the battery healthy during this flight?" or "Were there any GPS issues?"

PDF Report

A download link for the full forensic PDF report. See Forensic PDF Report for details on report contents.

Next: AI Flight Health Score — understand what the health score measures and how to interpret your results.

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Introduction

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AI Flight Health Score