A computing device for a distributed data management system (100, 200) integrated in an aircraft, an unmanned aerial vehicle, a spacecraft, a satellite, a watercraft, or a land-based vehicle, the computing device comprising: an interface configured to communicate with a second computing device of the distributed data management system (100, 200); a memory configured to store a first copy of a file that is synchronized with a second copy of the file stored at the second computing device; and a processor configured to execute a sensor application that is configured to generate output data summarized or collected from the one or more sensors and wherein the processor is configured, in response to receiving an update to the first copy of the file from the application while the interface is unable to communicate with the second computing device, to: access versioning management data indicating, for each particular file of a plurality of files that includes the file, a synchronization setting associated with the particular file, wherein the synchronization setting associated with a file indicates a particular synchronization scheme of multiple selectable synchronization schemes to control synchronization of the corresponding file, so that different synchronization settings can be used for different files, wherein system files are associated with a second synchronization setting so as to be managed in accordance with a quorum mode to protect data integrity of the system files, and wherein sensor-generated files are associated with a first synchronization setting so as to be managed in accordance with a high availability mode; conditioned on determining that the versioning management data indicates the first synchronization setting associated with the file, write the update to the first copy of the file; and conditioned on determining that the versioning management data indicates the second synchronization setting associated with the file, refrain from writing the update to the first copy of the file. an interface configured to communicate with a second computing device of the distributed data management system (100, 200); a memory configured to store a first copy of a file that is synchronized with a second copy of the file stored at the second computing device; and a processor configured to execute a sensor application that is configured to generate output data summarized or collected from the one or more sensors and wherein the processor is configured, in response to receiving an update to the first copy of the file from the application while the interface is unable to communicate with the second computing device, to: access versioning management data indicating, for each particular file of a plurality of files that includes the file, a synchronization setting associated with the particular file, wherein the synchronization setting associated with a file indicates a particular synchronization scheme of multiple selectable synchronization schemes to control synchronization of the corresponding file, so that different synchronization settings can be used for different files, wherein system files are associated with a second synchronization setting so as to be managed in accordance with a quorum mode to protect data integrity of the system files, and wherein sensor-generated files are associated with a first synchronization setting so as to be managed in accordance with a high availability mode; conditioned on determining that the versioning management data indicates the first synchronization setting associated with the file, write the update to the first copy of the file; and conditioned on determining that the versioning management data indicates the second synchronization setting associated with the file, refrain from writing the update to the first copy of the file. access versioning management data indicating, for each particular file of a plurality of files that includes the file, a synchronization setting associated with the particular file, wherein the synchronization setting associated with a file indicates a particular synchronization scheme of multiple selectable synchronization schemes to control synchronization of the corresponding file, so that different synchronization settings can be used for different files, wherein system files are associated with a second synchronization setting so as to be managed in accordance with a quorum mode to protect data integrity of the system files, and wherein sensor-generated files are associated with a first synchronization setting so as to be managed in accordance with a high availability mode; conditioned on determining that the versioning management data indicates the first synchronization setting associated with the file, write the update to the first copy of the file; and conditioned on determining that the versioning management data indicates the second synchronization setting associated with the file, refrain from writing the update to the first copy of the file.