Squadron DayZ

SDZ Utopia Legacy Airdrop V1.5 — Configuration Reference

This ReadMe functions as a Configuration Guide for the SDZ Utopia Legacy Airdrop Mod. The mod features server-driven airdrops for DayZ. The mod periodically dispatches an aircraft that flies into a designated drop zone, releases a parachuted package, and spawns a crate, container, or vehicle cage on the ground for players to find and loot. Configurable map markers, configurable schedules, three-tier obstruction avoidance, optional AI hostiles, and player-fired flare drops are all included.

What this mod does

Install in your serverpack

Utopia Airdrop ships as four PBOs. Each goes in a specific place:

Step-by-step: bundle into a Workshop serverpack

1. Lay out the @-folder structure

@MyServerPack/
    addons/
        Utopia_Airdrop.pbo                  // + .bisign next to each
        Utopia_Airdrop.pbo.MyKey_v1.bisign
        Utopia_Airdrop_Scripts.pbo
        Utopia_Airdrop_Scripts.pbo.MyKey_v1.bisign
        Utopia_Core.pbo
        Utopia_Core.pbo.MyKey_v1.bisign
        // + your other mods in the pack (LBmaster, etc.)
    keys/
        MyKey_v1.bikey
    meta.cpp                                // written by Publisher.exe on first publish

2. Server-side mod folder (separate from the pack)

@Utopia_CoreServer/
    addons/
        Utopia_CoreServer.pbo
        Utopia_CoreServer.pbo.MyKey_v1.bisign      // optional but recommended

Drop this folder into your server's servers/dayz/<servername>/ directory alongside @CF, @Dabs_Framework, etc.

3. Server start command

Client mods (the serverpack) go in -mod=; server-only mods go in -serverMod=:

./DayZServer \
  -config=serverDZ.cfg \
  -port=2302 \
  -profiles=profiles \
  -mod=@CF;@Dabs_Framework;@MyServerPack \
  -serverMod=@Utopia_CoreServer

4. Client-side install (for your players)

Players subscribe to your serverpack on the Steam Workshop. DayZ Launcher resolves the subscription automatically — no manual file copying required on the player side.

5. Profile config

The first server start auto-creates profiles/Utopia_Airdrop/UtopiaAirdropSettings.json with defaults. Edit that file (see Quick start) and restart.

Quick start

Open the file UtopiaAirdropSettings.json in any text editor. The JSON is annotated with _comment_* keys describing each section — these are ignored by the mod, safe to keep or remove. Make changes, save, restart the server.

Minimal config — drops one crate every 30 min at NW Airfield

{
  "heliSpeed": 50.0,
  "heliHeightFromGround": 250,
  "startDelayMin": 10,
  "pkgIntervalMin": 30,
  "dropCrateContainerLifetimeInSeconds": 1800,
  "minPlayersToStartAirdrop": 1,
  "validateDropPosition": 1,
  "planeType": "Utopia_S64_Skycrane",
  "showHelicopterForCrateDrops": 1,
  "leftBottomCornerMap": [0.0, 0.0, 0.0],
  "rightUpCornerMap": [14900.0, 0.0, 14000.0],
  "dropLocations": [{
    "name": "NW Airfield",
    "dropPosition": [4640.0, 0.0, 10000.0],
    "radius": 50,
    "planeType": "",
    "airdropContainers": [{
      "containerName": "Utopia_Crate_Parachute",
      "lootPools": ["Tier 1"]
    }],
    "creaturesToSpawn": [],
    "numberOfCreatures": 0
  }],
  "lootPools": [{
    "lootPoolName": "Tier 1",
    "maxItems": 5,
    "items": [
      {"name":"AKM","quantity":1,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
      {"name":"M4A1","quantity":1,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
      {"name":"Ammo_762x39","quantity":4,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
      {"name":"Ammo_556x45","quantity":4,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
      {"name":"TacticalBaconCan","quantity":4,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]}
    ]
  }],
  "flareAirdropContainers": []
}

Common recipes

1. Fast-cycle testing schedule

Use these values when you're iterating and want a drop every couple of minutes:

"startDelayMin": 1,            // first drop 1 min after server boot
"pkgIntervalMin": 2,           // then every 2 minutes
"dropCrateContainerLifetimeInSeconds": 60,
"removeNettingTimeInSeconds": 5,
"minPlayersToStartAirdrop": 0,    // fire even with nobody online
"heliSpeed": 50.0                 // 60-sec flight at 3000m offset

2. Production schedule

"startDelayMin": 15,
"pkgIntervalMin": 45,
"dropCrateContainerLifetimeInSeconds": 3600,  // 1 hour on the ground
"removeNettingTimeInSeconds": 30,
"minPlayersToStartAirdrop": 3,
"heliSpeed": 80.0                        // 37-sec flight

3. Drop a specific car with full attachments (drivable)

{
  "lootPoolName": "Car - Hatchback Black",
  "maxItems": 1,
  "items": [{
    "name": "Hatchback_02_Black",
    "quantity": 1,
    "spawnChance": 100,
    "attachments": [
      {"attachName":"SparkPlug","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"CarBattery","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"Hatchback_02_Wheel","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"Hatchback_02_Wheel","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"Hatchback_02_Wheel","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"Hatchback_02_Wheel","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"Hatchback_02_Wheel","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"Hatchback_02_Door_1_1","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"Hatchback_02_Door_1_2","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"Hatchback_02_Door_2_1","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"Hatchback_02_Door_2_2","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"Hatchback_02_Hood","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"Hatchback_02_Trunk","quantity":1},
      {"attachName":"HeadlightH7","quantity":2}
    ]
  }]
}

4. Mixed-vehicle pool — random pick from 3 cars

Set maxItems = 1 so only one is picked. Each item's spawnChance is a probability weight.

{
  "lootPoolName": "Mixed Vehicles",
  "maxItems": 1,
  "items": [
    {"name":"Hatchback_02_Black","quantity":1,"spawnChance":50,"attachments":[...]},
    {"name":"OffroadHatchback","quantity":1,"spawnChance":30,"attachments":[...]},
    {"name":"Truck_01_Covered","quantity":1,"spawnChance":20,"attachments":[...]}
  ]
}

5. Tiered crate loot (rare vs common items)

{
  "lootPoolName": "High-tier Crate",
  "maxItems": 8,
  "items": [
    {"name":"M4A1",         "quantity":1,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"AKM",          "quantity":1,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"VSS",          "quantity":1,"spawnChance":15, "attachments":[]},   // rare
    {"name":"NVGoggles",    "quantity":1,"spawnChance":5,  "attachments":[]},   // very rare
    {"name":"PlateCarrierVest","quantity":1,"spawnChance":40,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"Ammo_762x39",  "quantity":8,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"Ammo_556x45",  "quantity":8,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"TacticalBaconCan","quantity":4,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]}
  ]
}

6. Medical-themed crate

{
  "lootPoolName": "Medical Crate",
  "maxItems": 10,
  "items": [
    {"name":"FirstAidKit",         "quantity":2,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"BandageDressing",     "quantity":10,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"BloodTestKit",        "quantity":3,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"BloodBagEmpty",       "quantity":3,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"IVBloodBag",          "quantity":3,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"InjectionVial",       "quantity":2,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"Epinephrine",         "quantity":2,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"Morphine",            "quantity":2,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"PainkillerTablets",   "quantity":4,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"TetracyclineAntibiotics","quantity":3,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]}
  ]
}

7. Building-supplies crate

{
  "lootPoolName": "Building Supplies",
  "maxItems": 12,
  "items": [
    {"name":"Nail",          "quantity":50,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"WoodenPlank",   "quantity":20,"spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"MetalSheet",    "quantity":6, "spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"MetalWire",     "quantity":5, "spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"Hammer",        "quantity":1, "spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"Pliers",        "quantity":1, "spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"Sledgehammer",  "quantity":1, "spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]},
    {"name":"CombinationLock","quantity":3, "spawnChance":100,"attachments":[]}
  ]
}

8. Single-zone server — drops only at one location

Remove all but one entry from dropLocations:

"dropLocations": [{
  "name": "NW Airfield",
  "dropPosition": [4640.0, 0.0, 10000.0],
  "radius": 100,                     // wider drop zone
  "airdropContainers": [{
    "containerName": "Utopia_Crate_Parachute",
    "lootPools": ["Tier 1"]
  }]
}]

9. Mixed-container zone — random crate/container/vehicle at one spot

Multiple airdropContainers entries at one location → the mod picks one at random per drop:

{
  "name": "NW Airfield",
  "dropPosition": [4640.0, 0.0, 10000.0],
  "radius": 50,
  "airdropContainers": [
    {"containerName":"Utopia_Crate_Parachute",    "lootPools":["High-tier Crate"]},
    {"containerName":"Utopia_Container_Parachute","lootPools":["Building Supplies"]},
    {"containerName":"Utopia_Car_Parachute",      "lootPools":["Car - Hatchback Black"]}
  ]
}

10. Boss event — heavy AI defense + premium loot

{
  "name": "Tisy Military",
  "dropPosition": [1600.0, 0.0, 14600.0],
  "radius": 80,
  "airdropContainers": [{
    "containerName": "Utopia_Container_Parachute",
    "lootPools": ["Boss Premium Loot"]
  }],
  "creaturesToSpawn": [
    "ZmbM_SoldierNormal_Base",
    "ZmbM_SoldierNormal_Base",
    "ZmbM_SoldierNormal_Base",
    "ZmbM_PatrolNormal_Autumn",
    "ZmbM_PatrolNormal_Autumn"
  ],
  "numberOfCreatures": 5
}

11. Silent drop — no helicopter visible

Set the visibility flag to 0 → the container teleport-spawns at altitude and just falls. No aircraft sound, no flight path:

"showHelicopterForCrateDrops": 0,
"showHelicopterForContainerDrops": 0,
"showHelicopterForVehicleDrops": 0

12. Use a different aircraft per location

// Global default = Skycrane
"planeType": "Utopia_S64_Skycrane",
...
"dropLocations": [
  {
    "name": "NW Airfield",
    "planeType": "Utopia_S64_Skycrane",    // heavy lift for cars
    ...
  },
  {
    "name": "Berezino",
    "planeType": "Utopia_V22_Osprey",      // tiltrotor
    ...
  }
]

13. Recolor map markers

Override the default marker color (yellow) per drop type:

"crateMapMarkerColor":    [255, 255, 0],   // crates → yellow
"containerMapMarkerColor":[0,   200, 255], // containers → cyan
"vehicleMapMarkerColor":  [255, 0,   0]    // vehicles → red

Leave any of these empty ([]) to use the default.

14. Disable validator entirely (drops land anywhere)

Skips the 3-tier ladder. Drops will sometimes land in buildings/trees but never get rejected:

"validateDropPosition": 0

15. Wide-area drop zone (player exploration)

Bigger radius = more spread:

{
  "name": "Whole NW Region",
  "dropPosition": [5000.0, 0.0, 9500.0],
  "radius": 600,                      // 600m search zone, big map marker
  ...
}

16. Custom map (non-Chernarus)

Set the map bounds to match your terrain (in metres). For Livonia: 12800×12800. For Namalsk: 12800×12800. For Sakhal: 14336×14336:

"leftBottomCornerMap":  [0.0, 0.0, 0.0],
"rightUpCornerMap":    [14336.0, 0.0, 14336.0]

This affects where the carrier aircraft can spawn (3000 m offset from drop). If a location is closer than 3000 m to the map edge, the aircraft spawn position gets clamped to the boundary.

17. Custom flare drop — player flares spawn vehicles

"flareAirdropContainers": [{
  "containerName": "Utopia_Car_Parachute",
  "lootPools": ["Car - Hatchback Black"],
  "itemName": "UtopiaAirdropFlare",
  "planeType": "",
  "creaturesToSpawn": []
}]

Global settings

Schedule & lifecycle

Plane / aircraft

Visibility toggles

Drop-position validator

If validateDropPosition is 1, the mod runs a 3-tier ladder before each drop:

Each rejection is tagged with a reason: sea, slope, tree, building, object, static_wall_fence. If all 30 attempts fail, the drop is rejected and the scheduler moves on. The log captures a per-reason breakdown of the failure.

Map markers

Marker shape is a circle with diagonal-stripe (striked) fill matching the drop accuracy radius.

Drop locations

Each entry under dropLocations[] is a preset zone. The scheduler picks one at random per cycle. Fields:

Container types

Container behaviour is inferred from containerName — you no longer need an explicit isCarDrop field in your JSON. The mod walks the CfgVehicles inheritance chain on load; anything that extends Utopia_Car_Parachute is treated as a vehicle drop. The legacy isCarDrop bool is still honoured if present (older configs keep working unchanged).

Loot pools

Top-level lootPools[] defines named pools. Each airdropContainer references one or more via lootPools: ["Pool Name"]. Schema:

{
  "lootPoolName": "My Pool",        // referenced by name
  "maxItems": 5,                    // max items to actually pick per drop
  "rarity": 1,                      // optional, default 1. Weight when this pool competes with others — see below
  "items": [
    {
      "name":        "AKM",           // classname (any loaded mod's class works)
      "quantity":    1,               // stack size
      "spawnChance": 100,             // 0–100 probability weight
      "attachments": [                  // pre-installed sub-items
        {"attachName": "AK_PlasticBttstck", "quantity": 1},
        {"attachName": "Mag_AKM_30Rnd",      "quantity": 2}
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Debug decision trace

Setting "debugDecisions": true at the top level of the settings JSON makes the validator + landing snap emit a per-candidate decision trace to profiles/Utopia_Logs/AirdropLog/AirdropLog_*.log (and to RPT) under the tag [AIRDROP-DEBUG]. Use it to stress-test a custom settings file against hundreds of simulated drops, then grep the logs — much faster than visual screenshot verification.

"debugDecisions": true

Example output around a single drop:

[AIRDROP-DEBUG] === START validator for NW Airfield (center=<4640,0,10000> radius=60m) ===
[AIRDROP-DEBUG] validator: pos=<4621.3,72.5,10024.1> terrainY=72.5 trueY=78.2 delta=5.7 slopeMaxDiff=0.4 clearance=8
[AIRDROP-DEBUG]   → REJECT overObject (trueY 78.2 > terrainY 72.5 + 0.5m)
[AIRDROP-DEBUG] validator: pos=<4659.8,72.6,9988.4> terrainY=72.6 trueY=72.6 delta=0.0 slopeMaxDiff=1.1 clearance=8
[AIRDROP-DEBUG]   → ACCEPT (no rejections)
[AIRDROP-DEBUG] landing snap: pos=<4659.8,72.6,9988.4> terrainY=72.6 trueY=72.6 delta=0.0 (>0 = on roof/floor)

Decision tags you'll see:

• REJECT overObject — raycast hit something more than 0.5m above terrain Y (= building roof / edited structure). Vehicle cars dropped on rooftops would have produced this rejection had the validator been raycast-aware in earlier builds.
• REJECT static_wall_fence / tree / building / object — vanilla rejections from GetObjectsAtPosition3D within the configured clearance.
• REJECT tree with "overhead canopy" — Genesis "lands in trees" failure, now caught by the +5m AGL sample.
• ACCEPT — this position passed all checks. The next entry will be the landing snap (where the container actually settled).
• landing snap: delta > 0 — container landed on a roof/floor above terrain. That's the modded-floor / building-roof case; the new raycast logic keeps it on the surface instead of clipping through to the basement.

Leave debugDecisions off in production. Volume is roughly 10–30 lines per drop. Turn on, run a test session, turn off again.

Lootpool rarity (weighted selection)

When an airdropContainer references more than one pool via lootPools: ["A", "B", "C"], the mod picks one at drop time. By default each pool is equally likely. Setting the optional rarity field on a pool definition changes its weight in that pick.

Example — common medical drops, rare weapon drops, very rare premium drops from the same container:

{
  "lootPools": [
    { "lootPoolName": "Medical Crate",  "rarity": 10, "maxItems": 8, "items": [/* ... */] },
    { "lootPoolName": "Weapon Crate",   "rarity": 3,  "maxItems": 5, "items": [/* ... */] },
    { "lootPoolName": "Premium Crate",  "rarity": 1,  "maxItems": 3, "items": [/* ... */] }
  ],
  "dropLocations": [{
    "airdropContainers": [{
      "containerName": "Utopia_Crate_Parachute",
      "lootPools": ["Medical Crate", "Weapon Crate", "Premium Crate"]
    }]
  }]
}

Weights above are 10 : 3 : 1, so out of every 14 drops at that location you'd expect ≈10 medical, ≈3 weapon, ≈1 premium.

• rarity is optional — omit it and the pool defaults to weight 1 (existing configs work unchanged).
• Rarity is a property of the pool definition, not the per-container reference — set it once in lootPools[] and every container that lists the pool inherits the weight.
• Rarity only matters when a container references 2+ pools. With a single-entry lootPools: ["X"] it's a no-op.
• "rarity": 0 disables the pool — it stays defined and reachable from other containers, but is skipped in any weighted pick. Useful for temporarily benching a pool without deleting it.
• Negative values are clamped to 0. If every entry in a container resolves to weight 0 the system falls back to uniform pick so the drop never returns empty.

Cars + required attachments

Vehicle classnames common in vanilla Chernarus. SparkPlug + CarBattery + 4 wheels are always required; doors/hood/trunk/headlights are cosmetic but recommended.

Common drop colors for variety

Vanilla DayZ only ships those exact variants. Any other suffix (Pink, Cargo, Sport, etc.) does not exist as a registered class and will silently fail to spawn.

Flare drops

When a player fires a UtopiaAirdropFlare, the flareAirdropContainers list defines what arrives. Same schema as airdropContainers, plus:

You can have multiple flare entries — the mod picks one at random per flare use.

Troubleshooting

Drops never fire

• Online player count is less than minPlayersToStartAirdrop. Drop the threshold to 0 for testing.
• Less than startDelayMin minutes since server boot.
• Tail profiles/Utopia_Logs/AirdropLog/AirdropLog_*.log — every dispatch logs a line.

Drop rejected ("ALL TIERS FAILED")

• The zone is fully obstructed. The validator's 30 attempts all hit buildings/trees/fences/water/cliffs.
• Solution A: move dropPosition further from the obstruction.
• Solution B: increase radius so the search has more room to spread.
• Solution C: accept that the zone occasionally skips a drop cycle (this is intentional design — better than landing in a wall).

Car spawns but won't drive

• Missing SparkPlug.
• Missing CarBattery.
• Missing one or more wheels (you need exactly 4 of the correct class). Note that one of the wheels spawned might be spawned in the reserve / spare wheel slot. For cars that feature a spare wheel slot, we recommend spawning an extra wheel of the correct type.
• Wrong wheel class — HatchbackWheel won't fit a Hatchback_02. Match the wheel class to the car class.

Crate lands empty

• The lootPoolName referenced by the location doesn't match any top-level lootPools[] entry. Names are case-sensitive.
• All spawnChance values are 0.
• Item classnames don't exist in any loaded mod (typo, or the mod that adds those items isn't loaded server-side).

Drop lands in water

• The validator's sea check passed (false-negative). Move the location inland.
• Check the location's coordinate against the actual map; coords just off the coast can read as land on the height map but be in tidal zone.

Lifecycle log reference

Logs go to profiles/Utopia_Logs/AirdropLog/AirdropLog_*.log AND to the RPT under the [Airdrop] tag. Look for these structured lines:

Config Editor

Build a complete UtopiaAirdropSettings.json right here in your browser. Configure schedule, plane, map bounds, drop locations, loot pools and flare drops below, then download the file. Everything stays on your machine — nothing is uploaded.

© Utopia / Squadron DayZ (SDZ), 2026. All Rights Reserved.