# SimuDrone vs Pilot Institute App

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pilot Institute App at none against SimuDrone's 13. Pilot Institute App also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). SimuDrone's advantage is ratings volume (247 vs 23) and review sentiment (36% vs 24%). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SimuDrone sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Pilot Institute App asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for SimuDrone against 4.1 for Pilot Institute App. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SimuDrone has 247 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 36% of SimuDrone's written reviews are positive against 24% of Pilot Institute App's.

SimuDrone ships an update every 3 months, Pilot Institute App monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimuDrone | Pilot Institute App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (247 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simudrone-drone-simulator/id1601657075/reviews) | **[4.1 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilot-institute-app/id6739142891/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **247** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | **35.7% of reviews** | 23.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 301 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mustafa Akkuzu](https://appshunter.io/developer/847488989) | [Pilot Institute](https://appshunter.io/developer/1476913751) |

## What reviewers say

### SimuDrone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simudrone-drone-simulator/id1601657075)

Practice drone maneuvers and flight modes in a realistic simulation environment. Use your own DJI remote controller to build muscle memory and flying skills without the risk of damage or costly repairs.

**Highlights:** Crash-free learning environment, Practice with DJI remote controller, Realistic physics simulation, Build muscle memory and flying skill, Learn complex maneuvers and flight modes

**Features:** Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy 30 Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Factory 2 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Settlement | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Parking | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Industry | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Island | $0.99 | one-time |
| Get 70 Coins | $1.99 | one-time |
| 50 monedas | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock 3 Maps | $1.99 | one-time |
| 150 Coins | $2.49 | one-time |
| 500 Coins | $2.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Coins | $3.49 | one-time |
| Combo Pack | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Works with actual DJI controller for realistic practice
- ✈️ Effective tool for learning drone flying skills
- 🎯 Good for beginners to practice control techniques
- 🏃 Responsive controller input and flight mechanics
- 🎬 Supports multiple flight modes (Cine, Normal, Sport)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Aggressive monetization with coin system
- 🐛 Frequent controller connection failures
- 📱 Limited controller compatibility (many DJI models unsupported)
- 🎨 Basic graphics quality
- 🔌 Confusing connection instructions and setup

**Reported bugs**

- Controller won't connect to app (multiple controller models affected)
- App crashes and lockups, especially in city map
- Flight orientation changes randomly mid-flight
- Purchased maps/coins disappear after updates
- Drone selection option disappears after initial setup

**Requested features**

- More maps and environments (forest, outdoor scenes)
- Controller sensitivity adjustment settings
- Better graphics quality
- One-time purchase option instead of coin system
- Ad-supported free play option


### Pilot Institute App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilot-institute-app/id6739142891)

This app helps aspiring pilots achieve their aviation dreams through comprehensive training. It has a history of successfully training a large number of pilots.

**Highlights:** Pilot training courses, Achieve aviation dreams, Trained over 400,000 pilots, Comprehensive aviation education

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimuDrone free?

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

### Is Pilot Institute App free?

Pilot Institute App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SimuDrone or Pilot Institute App?

Pilot Institute App is rated higher. SimuDrone averages 4.0 out of 5 from 247 ratings, while Pilot Institute App averages 4.1 from 23 ratings.

### Do SimuDrone or Pilot Institute App have ads?

Neither SimuDrone nor Pilot Institute App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SimuDrone or Pilot Institute App?

SimuDrone ships an update every 3 months, and Pilot Institute App monthly. Most recently, SimuDrone was updated on October 19, 2026 and Pilot Institute App on October 20, 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.*