Flipper Zero WiGLE Upload: Marauder, GhostESP & SigRoam

PINGEQUA Lab field guide · Updated September 26, 2026

You have a GPS-tagged wardrive on a Flipper Zero setup. How do you get the CSV into WiGLE without losing an afternoon to the upload settings? The answer depends on the firmware running on your external Wi-Fi board.

Which Flipper Zero wardriving setup do you have?

Flipper Zero is the controller and display here; the GPIO board supplies Wi-Fi scanning, and the setup needs GPS and storage to make a useful WiGLE log. Before changing firmware, identify the board and the app. A Flipper .fap and an ESP32 scanner image are different files.

These are workflow choices, not interchangeable firmware images. The official Flipper Wi-Fi Devboard uses ESP32-S2. Scout Lite uses ESP32-C5 for 2.4 and 5 GHz scanning, one band at a time. SigRoam's scanner image is supported on Scout Lite; do not flash it to an unrelated C5 board on the assumption that the chip matches. See the full firmware comparison for broader hardware context.

Still working on your first GPS-tagged CSV? Follow the first Flipper Zero + Scout Lite wardrive walkthrough, then return here for the upload method that matches your firmware.

Before any upload: check the CSV and API key

1. Get a WiGLE account and copy the API Name and API Token from your WiGLE account page. Use the API values, not your website password.
2. Capture a wardrive with a GPS fix and confirm the board saved a nonempty WigleWifi CSV. A plain AP scan or a file with no location rows does not become a useful WiGLE upload.
3. Keep the scanner powered, its microSD inserted, and a working upload Wi-Fi network in range. The Flipper's own connection to a phone is not the board's internet connection.

Where does the SD card go? For Scout Lite, every file in the steps below goes on the Scout Lite microSD, not the Flipper Zero SD card. This is the most common setup mix-up.

ESP32 Marauder: direct WiGLE upload

As of September 26, 2026, Marauder's latest public release is v1.17.0. Its release notes mention a wardrive-upload stack overflow fix and saved Wi-Fi profiles. Choose the binary for your exact hardware target and update the Flipper companion app as its release page directs; the generic _flipper.bin is not a universal image for every board.

1. At the root of the scanner board's microSD, create wigle_api_name.txt and wigle_api_token.txt. Put only the corresponding API value in each file. Reboot the Marauder board to import them; its official guide says the source files are removed after import.
2. On the Marauder interface, scan for access points. Use WiFi → General → Join WiFi, select your authorized upload network and enter its password. The documented CLI equivalent is join -a <ap_index> -p <password>. On a Flipper-controlled board, that first password entry is the fiddly part many users notice.
3. Record a GPS-tagged wardrive, then use Marauder's Direct Upload option for a previous session. Keep power and the SD card in place until the result appears.

Marauder is not asking you to type that password every time: v1.17.0 can save up to five Wi-Fi profiles and scan for a visible saved network. If you want its wider toolkit, that may be a good trade. The official Direct Upload guide and Join WiFi guide are the current menu references. For a Marauder-only walk-through, see our Marauder Direct Upload setup and fixes.

Scout Lite + SigRoam: configure upload Wi-Fi on microSD

Scout Lite ships with Marauder. SigRoam is an optional switch: flash the SigRoam v0.6 scanner image to Scout Lite using the Scout Lite Web Flasher, then install the matching SigRoam v0.6 FAP on the Flipper. The release has a build for Official/Momentum and a separate Unleashed build. On the Flipper, set Settings → System → Log Device → Off so the serial connection is free.

Now put four plain-text files in the root of Scout Lite's microSD. Create them on your computer, with one value per file:

• wigle_api_name.txtWiGLE API Name
• wigle_api_token.txtWiGLE API Token
• home_ssid.txtUpload Wi-Fi network name
• home_psk.txtUpload Wi-Fi password; an empty file for an open network

1. Insert the card and restart Scout Lite. The scanner imports the values and removes those four source files. Confirm the SigRoam FAP Upload page shows Key and Home configured. Keep the credentials private.
2. From Dash, start your survey after GPS has a fix. Press OK to STOP when finished. The scanner seals and verifies the CSV first.
3. If the configured Wi-Fi is reachable at that point, SigRoam attempts to upload pending sealed files. Wait for Uploaded and a WiGLE transId. That indicates the service accepted the file; map processing and scoring happen later.
4. If you were offline or the request failed, return within range and choose retry on the FAP Upload page. Simply walking back into Wi-Fi range does not itself start a new SigRoam upload attempt.

This is the practical advantage for someone who dislikes entering a network name and password through the Flipper interface: both WiGLE credentials and home Wi-Fi details are prepared as files on the Scout Lite card. It is a different setup method, not a claim that SigRoam invented direct or automatic WiGLE uploads. SigRoam v0.6 is a pre-1.0 release; check the Scout Lite setup guide and release notes before flashing.

GhostESP: auto upload when station Wi-Fi connects

GhostESP's WiGLE documentation describes another valid auto-upload path on a supported GhostESP device with GPS and SD. Set a WiGLE API key from its display or CLI, enable wigle auto on, and connect the device as a Wi-Fi station. When it gets an IP address and has queued CSV files, it starts a background wigle upload all. You can also use wigle files and wigle upload <filename> for manual control.

GhostESP's trigger is station connection with pending files; SigRoam's documented automatic attempt follows STOP and CSV sealing. Check GhostESP's supported hardware and GPS/SD instructions for your exact board. This article does not imply its image runs on Scout Lite.

Manual upload still works

If the board cannot reach WiGLE, shut it down cleanly, remove the scanner microSD and upload the WigleWifi CSV through WiGLE's website on a computer. Save a copy of the file before changing firmware or formatting the card. This route also helps isolate a network or credential problem from a bad capture.

Why the WiGLE upload fails

FAQ

Can Flipper Zero upload to WiGLE without removing an SD card?

Yes, when a compatible external scanner has GPS, storage, a WiGLE-capable firmware and internet access. Marauder, GhostESP and the Scout Lite SigRoam stack offer different on-device upload flows.

Does Scout Lite automatically upload with factory Marauder?

Factory Scout Lite uses Marauder's Direct Upload workflow. SigRoam's after-STOP attempt requires flashing the optional SigRoam scanner firmware and installing its matching Flipper FAP.

Do I enter Wi-Fi credentials on the Flipper with SigRoam?

For the complete Scout Lite + SigRoam v0.6 workflow, put home_ssid.txt and home_psk.txt on the Scout Lite microSD. Marauder's Join WiFi route instead selects an AP and enters its password through the interface; recent Marauder releases save profiles.

Does “Uploaded” mean my points are already visible?

No. A returned WiGLE transId means the file was accepted for processing. Visibility and scoring are separate stages.