diff --git a/.github/workflows/carbonix_build.yml b/.github/workflows/carbonix_build.yml
index c48f7a245c..ebaa3cea7b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/carbonix_build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/carbonix_build.yml
@@ -265,7 +265,10 @@ jobs:
       - name: Collect XML files
         id: collect
         run: |
-          xml_files=$(find libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration -name "*.xml" -print0 | xargs -0 echo | tr -d '\n' | jq -R -s -c 'split(" ")')
+          xml_files=$(find libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration -name "*.xml" -print0 | \
+            xargs -0 -n 1 basename | \
+            sed 's/.xml$//' | \
+            jq -R -s -c 'split("\n")[:-1]')
           echo "aircraft-config-files=$xml_files" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
   process-ac:
@@ -316,11 +319,19 @@ jobs:
         shell: sh -e {0}
 
       - name: Run aircraft_config.py
+        id: aircraft_config
         run: |
-          python Tools/Carbonix_scripts/aircraft_config.py ${{ matrix.xml_file }} ${{ env.commit_id }}
-          ls -la final-output/*/ || echo "No files found"
+          python Tools/Carbonix_scripts/aircraft_config.py "libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/${{ matrix.xml_file }}.xml" "${{ env.commit_id }}"
+          if [ -d "final-output" ]; then
+            echo "exists=true" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+            echo "Found final-output directory"
+          else
+            echo "exists=false" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+            echo "No final-output directory found"
+          fi
       
       - name: Install AWS CLI
+        if: ${{ env.exists == 'true' }}
         run: |
           apt-get update -y
           DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y curl unzip
@@ -329,6 +340,7 @@ jobs:
           ./aws/install --update
   
       - name: Configure AWS credentials
+        if: ${{ env.exists == 'true' }}
         uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v4
         with:
           aws-access-key-id: ${{ secrets.AWS_S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
@@ -336,11 +348,20 @@ jobs:
           aws-region: us-east-1
   
       - name: Upload to S3
+        if: ${{ env.exists == 'true' }}
         run: |
           PATH_TO_S3=${{ needs.setup-s3-path.outputs.s3_path }}
           echo "Uploading Artifacts to: $PATH_TO_S3"
           aws s3 cp final-output/ $PATH_TO_S3 --recursive
 
+      - name: Upload build artifacts
+        if: ${{ env.exists == 'true' }}
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: ${{ matrix.xml_file }}
+          path: final-output/${{ matrix.xml_file }}/
+        
+
   build-sitl:
     runs-on: 'windows-latest'
     if: ${{ !contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'SKIP_BUILD') }}
@@ -446,3 +467,84 @@ jobs:
           $env:PATH_TO_S3 = '${{ needs.setup-s3-path.outputs.s3_path }}'
           echo "Uploading to: $env:PATH_TO_S3"
           aws s3 cp temp/ $env:PATH_TO_S3 --recursive
+
+  build-upload-zip:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
+    if: ${{ !contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'SKIP_BUILD') }}
+    needs: [process-ac, build-sitl, setup-s3-path]
+    steps:
+      - name: Extract folder name from s3_path
+        id: extract-folder-name
+        run: |
+          s3_path="${{ needs.setup-s3-path.outputs.s3_path }}"
+          folder_name=$(basename "$s3_path")
+          echo "folder_name=$folder_name" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - name: Create folder from s3_path
+        run: mkdir -p aircraft_zip
+
+      - name: List available artifacts
+        id: list-artifacts
+        uses: actions/github-script@v6
+        with:
+          script: |
+            const artifacts = await github.rest.actions.listArtifactsForRepo({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+            });
+            return artifacts.data.artifacts.map(artifact => artifact.name);
+
+      - name: Filter artifacts
+        id: filter-artifacts
+        run: |
+          echo "Filtered artifacts:" > filtered_artifacts.txt
+          for artifact in ${{ steps.list-artifacts.outputs.result }}; do
+            if [[ $artifact =~ .*_AC_.*[0-9]+(\.[0-9]+)? ]]; then
+              echo $artifact >> filtered_artifacts.txt
+            fi
+          done
+          echo "sitl" >> filtered_artifacts.txt
+          cat filtered_artifacts.txt
+
+      - name: Download filtered artifacts
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: ${{ steps.filter-artifacts.outputs.result }}
+          path: aircraft_zip/
+      
+      - name: Delete unnecessary folders
+        run: |
+          rm -rf aircraft_zip/build-periph-*
+
+      - name: List downloaded files
+        run: ls -R aircraft_zip/
+      
+      - name: Install p7zip
+        run: sudo apt-get install -y p7zip-full
+
+      - name: 7zip the folder
+        run: |
+          cd aircraft_zip
+          7z a ../${{ env.folder_name }}.7z .
+
+      - name: Upload 7z folder to artifacts
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: ${{ env.folder_name }}
+          path: ${{ env.folder_name }}.7z
+          retention-days: 15
+      
+      - name: Configure AWS credentials
+        uses: aws-actions/configure-aws-credentials@v4
+        with:
+          aws-access-key-id: ${{ secrets.AWS_S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}
+          aws-secret-access-key: ${{ secrets.AWS_S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY }}
+          aws-region: us-east-1
+      
+      - name: Upload 7z folder to S3
+        run: |
+          PATH_TO_S3=${{ needs.setup-s3-path.outputs.s3_path }}
+          # Remove trailing slash if it exists
+          PATH_TO_S3=${PATH_TO_S3%/}
+          echo "Uploading to: $PATH_TO_S3"
+          aws s3 cp ${{ env.folder_name }}.7z $PATH_TO_S3/${{ env.folder_name }}.7z
diff --git a/Tools/Carbonix_scripts/aircraft_config.py b/Tools/Carbonix_scripts/aircraft_config.py
index 0dae0d95fe..91404862d5 100644
--- a/Tools/Carbonix_scripts/aircraft_config.py
+++ b/Tools/Carbonix_scripts/aircraft_config.py
@@ -231,6 +231,28 @@ def build_flight_controller_firmware(board_name : str) -> None:
         raise RuntimeError(f"Error building firmware for {board_name}")
 
 
+def check_config_status(xml_file : str) -> bool:
+    """Check the status of the aircraft configuration.
+
+    Args:
+        xml_file (str): Path to the XML file.
+    Returns:
+        bool: False if the configuration is deprecated, True otherwise.
+    """
+    tree = ET.parse(xml_file)
+    root = tree.getroot()
+
+    aircraft = root.find('aircraft')
+    if aircraft is None:
+        raise AssertionError(f"'aircraft' element not found in {xml_file}")
+
+    status = aircraft.find('status')
+    if status is None:
+        raise AssertionError(f"'status' element not found in the 'aircraft' element of {xml_file}")
+
+    return status.text == 'active'
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
     parser.add_argument('xml_file', help='Path to the XML file')
@@ -241,6 +263,10 @@ def build_flight_controller_firmware(board_name : str) -> None:
     print('XML file:', args.xml_file)
     print('Commit ID:', args.commit_id)
 
+    if not check_config_status(args.xml_file):
+        print('Aircraft configuration is deprecated. No further action needed.')
+        exit(0)
+
     xml_file = copy_configuration_file(args.xml_file, args.commit_id)
     copy_lua_scripts(xml_file)
     fc_board_name = get_flight_controller_board_name(xml_file)
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Ottano_AC_1.xml b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Ottano_AC_1.xml
index 8f441aceb1..56f6c30bc1 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Ottano_AC_1.xml
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Ottano_AC_1.xml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
             CAN Airspeed,
             CAN Battery Monitor
         </model_description>
+        <status>deprecated</status>
         <configuration_version>1</configuration_version>
     </aircraft>
     <flight_controller>
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Ottano_AC_2.xml b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Ottano_AC_2.xml
index c565c47b38..df3fa23a7e 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Ottano_AC_2.xml
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Ottano_AC_2.xml
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
             CAN Airspeed,
             CAN Battery Monitor
         </model_description>
+        <status>active</status>
         <configuration_version>1</configuration_version>
     </aircraft>
     <flight_controller>
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Volanti_AC_1.xml b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Volanti_AC_1.xml
index 8b3697f4a0..ef82c1b7ed 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Volanti_AC_1.xml
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Volanti_AC_1.xml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
             Non Crystal CPNs,
             CAN Airspeed
         </model_description>
+        <status>active</status>
         <configuration_version>1</configuration_version>
     </aircraft>
     <flight_controller>
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Volanti_AC_2.xml b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Volanti_AC_2.xml
index a762c47472..882ed542ad 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Volanti_AC_2.xml
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Volanti_AC_2.xml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
             CAN GPS,
             CAN Airspeed
         </model_description>
+        <status>active</status>
         <configuration_version>1</configuration_version>
     </aircraft>
     <flight_controller>
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Volanti_AC_3.xml b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Volanti_AC_3.xml
index c334ec568a..6fa557e2af 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Volanti_AC_3.xml
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ChibiOS/hwdef/CarbonixCommon/aircraft_configuration/Volanti_AC_3.xml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
             CAN GPS,
             CAN Airspeed
         </model_description>
+        <status>active</status>
         <configuration_version>1</configuration_version>
     </aircraft>
     <flight_controller>