Importing Annotations from KML and KMZ

Easily bring existing geospatial data into your FlytBase workspace by importing .kml or .kmz files. This helps unify planning across platforms and avoid redundant work during mission setup.

Why use Imports?

Whether your annotations originate from mission planners, GIS platforms, or previous project templates, importingallows you to:

Reuse legacy data without manual recreation
Standardize mission zones and POIs across teams
Maintain consistency across multi-platform workflows

KML/KMZ import behavior

FlytBase supports .kml and .kmz imports for annotations. For annotation imports, the file should contain supported annotation geometry, such as point data used to create annotation markers on the map.

KML/KMZ files created in GIS tools or third-party mission planners may contain different geometry types, such as paths, polygons, or multiple placemarks. These files may not always import as annotations.

Annotation imports and mission imports are different workflows. KML/KMZ files used for annotations are imported from the Annotations panel, while KML files used for Path Missions must be imported from the supported mission planning workflow.

Unsupported or incorrect KML files

A KML file may fail to import if it contains unsupported geometry or multiple independent shapes.

Examples of unsupported structures include:

Multiple shapes
Multiple separate paths
Multiple polygons
Multiple placemarks with independent geometries
Geometry that does not match the selected import workflow

When this happens, FlytBase may reject the file and show an upload error. For example, if multiple shapes are detected, the file is not imported and no annotation or mission geometry is created.

FlytBase does not automatically merge multiple shapes or choose one shape from the file. Make sure the file contains only the geometry supported by the workflow you are using.