Retrieving flight log files from Autel RC

Purpose

Flight logs are the authoritative record for post-flight review, warranty claims, and incident reconstruction. They live in app-private storage on the controller and are not exposed to the gallery or to most third-party file managers. This procedure pulls them off the controller without deleting the originals.

Before starting

Insert a FAT32 or exFAT USB drive into the controller USB-C port and confirm USB appears in the Files app left rail. Keep the controller on a charger if pulling a large set of logs.

Path summary

RCPad > Android > data > com.autel.enterprise > files > FlightLog > <aircraft-serial>

Select logs > Overflow menu > Copy to > USB > COPY > verify on USB > eject

Video walkthrough

[EMBED VIDEO HERE]

The step timestamps below match this recording.

Procedure

Step 1 — Open Files, internal storage (RCPad) (0:01 in the video)

Launch the Files app on the Smart Controller and select RCPad in the left rail. Flight logs are not in DCIM or Downloads, so ignore the media shortcuts and tap Android.

Step 2 — Android > data (0:05 in the video)

Open data. This is app-private storage; Autel Enterprise writes its telemetry logs here. Many third-party file managers cannot see this path — the stock Files app on the controller can.

Step 3 — Open com.autel.enterprise (0:07 in the video)

That package is the Autel Enterprise / Autel Explorer app. Inside are cache and files. Open files.

Step 4 — files > FlightLog (0:10 in the video)

Neighbors in this directory are LogCat, lowHeight, mega, waypointMission, and zone. FlightLog holds the per-flight .bin telemetry used for log review and incident reconstruction.

Step 5 — Open the aircraft serial folder (0:11 in the video)

One folder per airframe bound to this controller, named by serial (here 1748FEV3HMK824491350). The temp folder holds in-progress writes — leave it alone.

Step 6 — Sort by Modified, newest first (0:14 in the video)

Tap the Modified column so the newest flights land on top. Naming is autel_YYYY-MM-DD_[HH-MM-SS-mmm].bin, typically 0.8–8 MB per flight.

Step 7 — Long-press the first .bin to enter select mode (0:17 in the video)

The header flips to 1 selected and a share / delete / overflow row appears at the top.

Step 8 — Tap the remaining logs you need (0:22 in the video)

Grab every flight in the incident or mission window, not just the last one. Three logs are selected here: 791 kB, 5.34 MB, 5.51 MB.

Step 9 — Overflow menu > Copy to (0:26 in the video)

Use Copy to, not Move to. Move pulls the only copy off the controller; Copy leaves the originals in place for the aircraft record.

Step 10 — Open the drawer and choose the destination (0:30 in the video)

The picker opens in Downloads (internal storage). Open the drawer and pick USB for the drive in the controller's USB-C port. Downloads is the fallback if no drive is inserted.

Step 11 — Land in the USB root, then tap COPY (0:31 in the video)

Copy to the volume root or a folder you created. Do not write into System Volume Information.

Step 12 — Transfer runs in the background (0:34 in the video)

A Copying 3 items toast appears and the view drops back to the FlightLog folder. Larger logs take a few seconds — do not pull the drive while the toast is up.

Step 13 — Verify on the USB volume before pulling the drive (0:43 in the video)

Switch to USB in the left rail and confirm all three .bin files are present with matching sizes (5.51 MB, 5.34 MB, 791 kB). Eject with the arrow next to USB.

Step 14 — Fallback: the Downloads copy (0:51 in the video)

If no USB drive is available, copy to RCPad > Downloads. From there the logs can be emailed, uploaded, or pulled over the network for analysis off the controller.

Notes and cautions

• Use Copy to rather than Move to — the on-controller copy stays the primary record until the export is verified.
• Verify file count and sizes on the destination before ejecting. A copy interrupted by drive removal can produce a truncated .bin that will not parse.
• One folder exists per airframe serial. Confirm the serial matches the aircraft in question before exporting.
• The temp folder inside FlightLog holds in-progress writes and should not be copied or deleted.
• Log the export in the aircraft record: date, serial, file names, destination media, and who performed it.