Field Survey

Field Survey is an open-source Android application for building and using custom field surveys on a phone. It functions as a digital field logbook, allowing users to define survey sections and variables rather than relying on a fixed form. The app is suited to people collecting structured observations in the field who need to record each entry and later work with the resulting data.

Survey structures are supplied as YAML templates, with sections that can be nested from parent to child and variables assigned to each section. The template system supports text, integer, float, Boolean, date, time, date-time, option, option count, map, photo, and Markdown variables. Map variables can represent a location, path, or polygon. Field entries can receive automatic timestamps, use one-tap GPS, and include photos attached directly to the relevant record. Data remains on the device by default, without an account or a required third-party cloud service.

A template can be imported from a URL, a QR code, or a local file before collection begins. During fieldwork, users can add observations and use the device capabilities required by the template, including location and camera access. Completed records can be exported as XLSX or ODS spreadsheets for analysis. Permissions are tied to these functions: internet access loads map tiles or linked templates, location supports map position, camera captures photos, and photo or storage access attaches images and saves exported files.

Within the Education category, Field Survey fits Android distribution as a tool for practical data collection and structured learning activities. MirrorNest hosts the official build directly on its own storage and scans it for malware before publishing it for download. Because the project is open-source, its license is part of the product’s platform identity, while MirrorNest provides a separate download route for the Android build.