# NAV Drone — How to Fly Your Drone Safely

> Canadian drone flight planning and authorization app. (iPhone/iPad app by NAV Canada.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nav-drone/id1541014888 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [NAV Canada](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541014890)
- Category: Utilities
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.82/5 from 17 App Store ratings · 100 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 356 MB
- Released: 2021-06-02
- Data updated: 2026-08-12
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nav-drone/id1541014888/reviews.md

## What is NAV Drone?

Fly your drone safely and legally in Canada’s controlled airspace using NAV Drone, a mobile app from NAV CANADA. Review important guidelines, discover where you can fly, schedule flights, and receive automatic authorization responses from NAV CANADA when you’re approved to fly — all from your mobile device.

KEY FEATURES
•  Airspace information – Provides drone pilots with information on classification, restrictions, and NOTAMs.
•  Flight planning – Provides capabilities to schedule and plan flights in controlled airspace.
•  Flight authorization – Automates authorization responses to fly in controlled airspace.

## Key features

- Airspace information
- Flight planning
- Flight authorization
- Controlled airspace guidance
- Automatic authorization responses

## What do users think of NAV Drone?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 🚀 Fast flight authorization approval process
- 👍 Well-designed interface for beginners
- 📍 Helpful for compliance with airspace regulations
- ✅ Excellent customer support response times
- 🎯 Clear flight restriction information
- 📱 Useful for drone safety and legal compliance

**Cons**

- 🔐 Constant forced logout requiring repeated login
- 🗺️ Difficult map drawing and zone boundary adjustment
- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and instability
- ❌ Inaccurate drone weight/model restrictions
- 🔄 Inconsistent airspace restriction information
- 😤 Poor user experience with unintuitive navigation
- ⚠️ Major stability issues after June 2025 update
- 📋 Cumbersome flight planning process
- 🚫 Incomplete drone model database
- 🔑 Won't retain login credentials or pilot license documents

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App logs out constantly, sometimes mid-session
- Pilot license documents not saving/persisting
- Login credentials not retained between sessions
- App crashes during launch and landing functions
- Cannot save new flight areas
- Map defaults to wrong location despite location permissions
- Flight area scaling incorrectly after adjustment
- Validation errors preventing flight submission
- Unable to load login information
- Cannot select operation category
- Fails to pull user preferences and drone data
- Bad gateway errors after updates
- Inconsistent airspace restriction status for same location
- Map display too small on larger phones
- Difficulty zooming and expanding map areas
- Drone selection dropdown extremely slow to load
- Unable to register standard profile
- Cannot adjust map while setting flight limits
- Cumbersome altitude adjustment interface
- Dangerous goods field not defaulting to 'no'
- Withdraw flight button too close to accept button

**Most requested features**

- Biometric login (Face ID/fingerprint authentication)
- Remember email address on login screen
- Save default drone and flight operation preferences
- Numeric keypad for altitude and distance input instead of sliders
- Built-in NOTAM advisory information
- Automatic notifications for approaching aircraft
- Notification when requested flight time expires
- Support for uploading KML files for flight planning
- Ability to enter flight location coordinates directly
- Add provincial parks and local restrictions to map
- Auto-fill support for 2FA authentication codes
- Save favorite locations with custom names
- Edit existing flight permits after submission
- Multi-drone selection for single operation
- Longer approval windows for regular flying locations
- Conflict detection visible without account login
- Update drone model database (DJI Air 3S, Mini 4K, etc.)

## Recent user reviews (10 of 100)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nav-drone/id1541014888/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Good app

*2026-04-17, version 7.0.1*

Well designed

### 1/5 — Weight error

*2026-04-09, version 7.0.1*

Keeps showing me Not Allowed because of 250g regulation for a DJI Neo (160g)

### 1/5 — Not user friendly

*2026-03-29, version 7.0.1*

Very hard to navigate and can’t even get current weather

### 4/5 — App correcte

*2026-01-25, version 7.0.1*

L’app est correcte, mais délimiter les zones de vol n’est pas toujours facile sur un téléphone ou une tablette. J’ai probablement besoin de plus d’expérience, je n’ai pas beaucoup de vols à mon actif …

### 5/5 — New to drones

*2026-01-06, version 7.0.1*

As someone who’s new to drones and just getting into it this app is really well made and explains everything in detail. Quite impressed!

### 4/5 — Problème récurrent avec l atterrissage

*2025-11-19, version 7.0.1*

Problème récurent avec atterrissage

### 4/5 — NAV Drone opinion

*2025-10-28, version 6.2.1*

Easy to use app, nice to be able to request, and receive APPROVED permission within seconds, however, drawing the boundaries of the flight zone is definitely not easy on the phone app, so that function requires the use of a laptop before flight.

### 4/5 — Feed back

*2025-10-07, version 6.2.1*

I can’t tell if this app is just a cheap entertainment toy or if it’s legit, yes I like the resources but at a minimum it would be nice to get a ding when my requested time is done and a ding to notify me when a plane is approaching. That being said, I am new to this and still figuring it out.

### 1/5 — Unusable

*2025-10-03, version 6.2.1*

So many bugs it’s unusable. Can’t save new flight area. Keeps defaulting to Toronto despite allowing to use my location. After fiddling around with the the location for 10min it shifts it by 2NM and scaled it to about 1/50th the size. You guys heard of alpha testing apps before releasing them?

### 5/5 — With updates it’s now reliable

*2025-09-27, version 6.2.1*

Reliable and super convenient. Helps my work as a photojournalist. Great job

## Frequently asked questions about NAV Drone

### What does the NAV Drone app do?

The NAV Drone app helps drone pilots in Canada fly safely and legally within controlled airspace. It provides essential information about airspace classifications, restrictions, and NOTAMs. The app also facilitates flight planning and automates the process of obtaining flight authorizations from NAV CANADA.

### What are the key features of NAV Drone?

Key features include detailed airspace information for drone pilots, capabilities for scheduling and planning flights in controlled airspace, and an automated system for receiving flight authorization responses from NAV CANADA.

### Is NAV Drone free to use?

Yes, the NAV Drone app is free to use. It does not have any in-app purchases or advertisements, allowing drone pilots to access its features without cost.

### Who is the target audience for NAV Drone?

The app is designed for drone pilots who operate in Canada's controlled airspace. It is particularly useful for those who need to understand airspace regulations, plan their flights, and obtain necessary authorizations to fly legally and safely.

### How does NAV Drone help with flight authorization?

NAV Drone automates the process of receiving flight authorization responses from NAV CANADA. By using the app to schedule and plan your flights in controlled airspace, you can receive automatic approvals, simplifying the process of flying legally.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 7.2.1 — 2026-05-26

Improved NOTAM visualization for enhanced situational awareness.
Added support for multi-RPAS activities, enabling streamlined coordination for drone shows and airshow events.
Various UI/UX refinements and bug fixes.

### 7.0.1 — 2025-11-04

•	Expanded privileges for EVLOS operations
•	Support for Sheltered operations; manually approved for grid altitude thresholds 100ft or lower, and automatically approved otherwise.
•	Support for advanced operations with medium RPA (over 25kg up to 150kg)
•	Add/edit/remove logbook entries 
•	Notifications for withdrawn operations will include a reason.
•	New announcements screen
•	Bug fixes

### 6.2.1 — 2025-07-29

•	Logout and bug fixes, interface improvements, refactored map settings screen, filters/search bar for various screens.
•	Login History and Audit records.
•	“Accepted” operations can be edited if it is not associated with a permission request. 
•	Pilot in command can view operations assigned to them and not other pilots.
•	Ability to see Map Layers in the Edit Geometry screen.
•	Operation name is a required field.

### 6.1.4 — 2025-06-03

•	New operation planning flow
•	Support for SFOC operation planning
•	Operating weight (drone weight + payload weight) instead of MTOW used during operation validation to determine the weight category of a drone
•	New map layer for RPAS Restricted Airspace
•	New Documents management screen for managing pilot certificates and other documents
•	Ability to add Level 1 complex pilot certificate
•	New HTML based RPAS Operation Summary report replaces PDF report
•	Ability to identity operations involving the transportation of dangerous payloads
•	Various UI/IUX improvements and bug fixes

### 4.5.6 — 2024-06-04

Bug fixes

## Apps similar to NAV Drone

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Drone Buddy: Fly Drone Safely](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drone-buddy-fly-drone-safely/id992303145) | 4.7 (8,420) | Free | Utilities |
| [Drone Start](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drone-start/id1214900467) | 4.1 (47) | Free | Utilities |
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| [RUKO DRONE](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ruko-drone/id1528821629) | 2.8 (104) | Free | Utilities |
| [Bwine Drone](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bwine-drone/id1566691900) | 2.6 (40) | Free | Utilities |
| [Aircraft Checklist](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aircraft-checklist/id6738983164) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Utilities |

## Related topics

[drone pilot canada](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/drone-pilot-canada) · [ninox drone](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ninox-drone)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-12.*