To create maps using Excel data outside of Excel, you can also use online mapping services like BatchGeo.com or Google Earth. BatchGeo.com lets you paste your Excel data directly into their web page.

Using Excel 2016 and Google Earth, I was able to map not only the drone's flight path, but also its altitude, as shown in Figure 3. [Click on image for larger view.] Figure 3.

Indeed, you can use Excel to create heat maps for pretty much anything, from displaying your sports team's on-field strengths to showing how climate change is impacting temperatures over time.