Onboard DJI Waypoint Missions - Convert and Export to KMZ

Which plans include KMZ export?

KMZ export is in the Elite, Starter, Growth, Enterprise and Education plans. The Basic and Premium plans do not include KMZ export.

The plan comparison tables call this feature "Onboard waypoints". See the Hobbyist table and the Professional table.

Your plan must also include the drone that you select when you export:

• Elite and Starter: DJI Fly drones and Inspire 3.
• Growth, Enterprise and Education: All drones in the export list. This includes Matrice drones and the Mavic 3 Enterprise series.

If your plan does not include the feature or the drone, the mission planner shows an upgrade message. Older plans can be different. To see what your plan includes, read Which features and drones are included in my plan?

There are 2 different workflows to run onboard DJI waypoint missions depending on your drone.

1. Modern Drones Workflow

Convert and export a DJI Waypoints KMZ file from the Dronelink web mission planner and run the mission in the DJI Fly, or DJI Pilot 2 app. The Dronelink mobile app is not required. This method enables Dronelink to provide basic support to run mapping, waypoint, and orbit missions for drones that are not fully supported, due to a DJI SDK limitation.

The detailed instructions below cover the modern drones workflow only.

2. Legacy Drones Workflow (Mavic 2 Series, Phantom 4 Series, Inspire 1 and 2 Series)

Convert a Dronelink mission into an onboard DJI waypoints mission, and run the mission in the Dronelink app. Workflow stays within the Dronelink app, and does not support exporting to a KMZ file.

For legacy drones, see this article for detailed instructions.

Key Details for Modern Drones Onboard DJI Waypoints Workflow

• Requires the Elite, Starter, Growth, Enterprise or Education plan. Matrice drones and the Mavic 3 Enterprise series require Growth, Enterprise or Education.
• Onboard only drones, such as the Air 3, Mavic 4 Pro and Mini 5 Pro. To check your drone, see dronelink.com/download.
• Adds onboard support for the following drones that are already supported by Dronelink: 
  • Mavic 3 Enterprise Series 
  • Mini 4 Pro
  • Matrice 4 Series
  • Matrice 30 Series
  • M300 RTK / M350 RTK
• Mini 4K is not supported.
• Supported Mission Types:
  • Mapping, Waypoints and Orbits (with automatic capture)
• Not Fully Supported Mission Types and Actions:
  • Pano, Photo, Hover, Linear Map, Vertical Facades
  • Camera actions at waypoints or on path actions (use automatic capture instead)
• If the DJI app allows the creation of waypoint missions, this workflow is supported.
• Workflow requires using the DJI app to execute the mission, and importing a KMZ file generated by the Dronelink mission planner.
• Importing a KMZ file to the DJI Fly app is complicated and not for everyone. For Onboard Only drones, the Dronelink app will not connect to the drone, and running the converted mission from the Dronelink app will not work.
• There will be differences between the original mission and the converted mission. The path will be slightly different, and not all the waypoint actions may work as expected.
• For DJI Fly app drones, a waypoint mission needs to be created in the DJI Fly app, which will be replaced by the Dronelink generated KMZ file. 
• For DJI Fly app missions, interval photos and video need to be started manually.
• DJI Pilot 2 supports importing KMZ files.
• For low power RCs with screens, large waypoint missions (over 50+) will experience low performance.

Step 1 - Select Convert to DJI Waypoints Format

Open Mission Plan Settings and Select Convert from the Menu

Select DJI Waypoints

Step 2 - Select Conversion Strategy (Single vs Multiple)

There are 2 options if you have a mission with multiple mission components like the example.

Selecting Single Component will combine the 2 mission components into 1, and in a later step when exporting to a KMZ file, only 1 KMZ file will be generated. This is recommended for drones using DJI Fly.

Selecting Multiple Components will keep the same number of mission components, and in a later step when exporting, 1 KMZ file will be created per mission component. This will require multiple uploads to the DJI app.

Adjusting the Default Waypoint Spacing value will result in a different total number of waypoints for the onboard DJI mission. The preview will display changes.

Step 3 - Finish Conversion

Select Finish Conversion and select where to save the mission plan to.

The new mission plan will have the original plan name with "DJI Waypoints" appended.

Step 4 - Export to DJI KMZ File and Select Drone Model

Select Export from the mission settings menu and then select DJI.

Select the drone model.

If the incorrect drone is selected, the mission will not run in the DJI app.

Select DJI Fly for drones that use the DJI Fly app.

Select Export. The Export Complete dialog opens with two options:

• Send to Controller: Writes the mission directly to a connected DJI controller.
• Download: Saves the KMZ file to your computer.

The dialog also shows transfer instructions for your controller.

Step 5 - For DJI Fly App - Create a Temporary Waypoint Mission

Skip this step for DJI Pilot 2 app.

On Android, install DJI Fly only from dji.com. DJI Fly is not on Google Play. An app on Google Play looks like DJI Fly, but it is a different app.

The temporary mission must have 2 or more waypoints. To save it, exit Waypoint Flight and select Save and Exit.

In the DJI Fly app, a temporary waypoint mission must be created before it can be replaced by the generated KMZ file.

Select the Waypoint button on the left side in DJI Fly, and add several waypoints to create a temporary mission that will be replaced in the next step.

Watch this video for more details. Start at 3:30 in the below video, or just select the link.

Step 6 - Import KMZ File to DJI App

Which option do I use?

• Android phone with DJI Fly: Use Option 3 if you have a computer with adb and an AI agent. If not, use Option 2.
• DJI Pilot 2: Use Option 1 or Option 2.
• DJI Fly on a controller with a screen: Use Option 2. On a Windows PC, you can also use Option 1.
• iPhone: We have not tested a transfer to an iPhone.

Option 1: Send to Controller

Connect the controller to your computer by USB, and set the controller to File Transfer mode.

Your computer must have one of these:

• The Dronelink Bridge app. The Export Complete dialog has the download links for Windows and Mac.
• Chrome or Edge on Windows, with the controller connected as a drive.

On a Mac, Send to Controller works only with DJI Pilot 2 controllers. For DJI Fly controllers, use a Windows PC. Send to Controller does not work with the DJI RC.

After the transfer:

• DJI Fly: Open the waypoint mission list and make sure that the mission is there. If it is not there, use Option 2.
• DJI Pilot 2: Go to Flight Route > Import, and select the file. If you used Dronelink Bridge, the file is in Download > Dronelink.

Option 2: Download and transfer the file yourself

This step varies depending on the DJI app, DJI Fly vs DJI Pilot 2 and if DJI Fly is on a RC with screen, or an Android mobile device is being used.

For DJI Fly, the KMZ file must be uploaded and replace the temporary file created above in the "waypoint" folder. This can be done either by connecting the RC, or device to a computer, or using a SD card, and following these steps:

1. Find previously created temporary waypoint mission in this folder /Android/data/dji.go.v5/files/waypoint   (use created date to find the right one)
2. Copy file name, and rename generated KMZ file from step 4 to the exact same name.
3. Copy generated KMZ file from Step 4 and replace existing file.

Watch this video for more details.

After you replace the file, restart DJI Fly.

History still shows the title, thumbnail and distance of the temporary mission. Open the mission to see the correct distance and number of waypoints.

If DJI Fly shows "RC signal weak. Unable to load flight waypoint", change the flight direction in the mission planner from 0 to 1 degree.

CAUTION: DJI Fly does not support route import, so this file replacement is not a DJI feature. A DJI Fly update can stop it from working.

For DJI Pilot 2, the KMZ file can be imported directly. Select "+" and then "Import Route"

Option 3: Use an AI agent to replace the file (Android phone only)

An AI agent on your computer can do the file replacement in Option 2. It does only the file replacement. You make the temporary mission, and you start the flight.

You need:

• An Android phone with DJI Fly and USB debugging on.
• A computer with adb and an AI agent that can run commands.
• The KMZ file from Step 4.

Dronelink tested this on one phone, a Samsung A16 with Android 15. It does not work with an iPhone, because adb is only for Android. We have not tested it on an RC 2.

1. Make the temporary mission in Step 5.
2. Connect the phone to the computer by USB.
3. Give this request to the AI agent: Use adb. In Android/data/dji.go.v5/files/waypoint, find the newest folder that has a long ID as its name. Do not use kmzTemp. Make a backup of the KMZ file in that folder. Copy [path to your KMZ file] to the phone. Use adb shell cp to overwrite the KMZ file in that folder, and keep the old file name. Compare the checksums of the two files, and tell me if they are the same.
4. Restart DJI Fly.
5. In Waypoint Flight, open the mission from History.
6. Make sure that the distance and the number of waypoints are correct.

WARNING: Do not let an AI agent operate DJI Fly or the drone. With the drone connected, GO appears in the same place as Next. Select GO only when you are ready to fly. If you select it too early, the mission can start before you are ready.

Step 7 - Run Mission

Connect drone and open mission to fly.

Additional Details

• Dronelink's mission preview of onboard DJI waypoint missions will not account for waypoint actions in the estimated time, mission may be longer.
• When planning in Dronelink directly using DJI onboard waypoints, panos will use the DJI pano instead of the Dronelink pano. Converted missions will fly the Dronelink pano.

Create Onboard Waypoints Mission Plans Directly

You can use the Dronelink web based mission planner to create missions directly using Onboard DJI Waypoints. From the Create menu, select Onboard Waypoints to mission plan, instead of having to convert a Dronelink mission. Add waypoints and waypoint actions.