# Drone Start vs NAV Drone

The clearest difference is rating: NAV Drone at 4.8 against Drone Start's 4.1. NAV Drone also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (52% vs 41%). Drone Start's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drone Start sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. NAV Drone asks for nothing beyond the download.

NAV Drone holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 47 and 17 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of Drone Start's written reviews are positive against 52% of NAV Drone's.

Drone Start ships an update every 3 weeks, NAV Drone every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on July 5, 2026 and August 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drone Start | NAV Drone |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drone-start/id1214900467/reviews) | **[4.8 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nav-drone/id1541014888/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **47** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | 41.4% of reviews | **52.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 120 MB | 356 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Neil Faulkner](https://appshunter.io/developer/527056831) | [NAV Canada](https://appshunter.io/developer/1541014890) |

## What reviewers say

### Drone Start

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drone-start/id1214900467)

This app provides advanced flight checks and planning for drones, ensuring safe takeoffs and operations. It analyzes weather, GPS, battery health, and local airspace conditions, while also offering detailed flight route planning with elevation and wind data.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive pre-flight safety checks, Detailed flight route planning, Real-time drone battery and sensor monitoring, Weather, GPS, and airspace analysis, No-fly zone and wind map visualization, Daily FlyCast notifications, Intelligent Return To Home height calculation

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Professional Monthly | $1.49 | per month |
| Professional Yearly | $9.99 | per year |


### NAV Drone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nav-drone/id1541014888)

This app helps drone pilots in Canada fly safely and legally. It provides airspace information, allows flight planning, and automates authorization requests for controlled airspace.

**Highlights:** Airspace information, Flight planning, Flight authorization, Controlled airspace guidance, Automatic authorization responses

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔐 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

**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

**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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drone Start free?

Drone Start is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is NAV Drone free?

NAV Drone is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Drone Start or NAV Drone?

NAV Drone is rated higher. Drone Start averages 4.1 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while NAV Drone averages 4.8 from 17 ratings.

### Do Drone Start or NAV Drone have ads?

Neither Drone Start nor NAV Drone shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Drone Start or NAV Drone?

Drone Start ships an update every 3 weeks, and NAV Drone every 4 months. Most recently, Drone Start was updated on July 5, 2026 and NAV Drone on August 12, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*