Comparison

AutoPylot For Drones vs Waves

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AutoPylot For Drones

This app provides FAA-approved services for drone pilots, including B4UFLY status, LAANC airspace authorizations, and operational awareness. It simplifies flight planning with airspace visualization, weather tools, and customizable safety checklists.

Highlights
  • FAA-approved B4UFLY and LAANC services
  • Instant flight readiness indicator
  • Simplified airspace visualization
  • Near real-time LAANC authorizations
  • Operational awareness of airspace restrictions
  • Customizable safety checklists
  • All-in-one mission management
Features
Read full description

AutoPylot: The #1 Rated FAA-Approved Provider of B4UFLY and LAANC AutoPylot is the highest-rated FAA-approved provider of B4UFLY and LAANC services and is trusted by over 100K drone pilots for its seamless user experience and powerful features. Whether you’re a recreational flyer or a professional operator, AutoPylot makes flying drones safer, easier, and stress-free. Why AutoPylot? FAA-Approved (B4UFLY & LAANC) & Trusted: AutoPylot is the easiest-to-use FAA-approved app, offering unparalleled reliability and a user-friendly interface. Top-Rated by Pilots: Join the over 100K+ satisfied pilots and enthusiasts who have made AutoPylot the highest-rated drone app on the market. Key Features - Instant Flight Readiness (B4UFLY Status Indicator): Instantly know if you are good to fly, need approval (LAANC), or cannot fly in your planned flight area. - Simplified Airspace Visualization: Take the guesswork out of airspace with clear, easy-to-read maps and advisories to remove uncertainty from your flight planning. - Near Real-Time Authorizations (LAANC Approvals): AutoPylot is an FAA-approved LAANC provider that helps pilots get fast, near-real-time authorizations for flights in controlled airspace. - Operational Awareness: B4UFLY, stay informed with detailed data on local drone rules, Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs), National Parks, wilderness areas, and wildlife refuges. - Customizable Safety Checklists: Build pre-, during-, and post-flight checklists and add them to any missions to improve safety. Make tasks time-sensitive to receive reminders via push notifications. - All-in-One Mission Management: Log, monitor, and edit mission details, access advisories, track weather, create notes, share flights, and more—all in one place. - Mission-Specific Weather Tools: Plan with precise mission-specific weather insights, including hourly updates, 10-day forecasts, and wind/precipitation maps. Sign up for a free trial of AutoPylot+, our advanced pre-flight planning weather features! Fly Smarter, Fly Safer AutoPylot takes the guesswork out of drone flying, helping you confidently focus on your mission. Download the highest-rated FAA-approved app and experience the easiest way to manage your drone operations. Download AutoPylot today and take flight like never before! https://www.autopylot.io AutoPylot: Ready, Set, Fly! Terms: https://www.autopylot.io/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://www.autopylot.io/privacy/

About

Waves

Features
Read full description

Waves shows you how heavy of a workload your calendar actually is.. Your calendar tells you when things happen. Your task list tells you what's outstanding. Neither tells you whether Thursday is possible. Waves reads both and draws your real daily load as a chart, so an overloaded day is visible days before you live it. - Every task and event as an hours-tall block - Days over your sustainable hours shade red - Drag a task to a lighter day, or into the bin when it's done - Split a three-hour job into a one and a two, on different days - All-day events go on a shelf until you decide what they really cost - Priority bands keep the important work at the foot of the day - Projects with colors, statistics, CSV and calendar export Waves reads your calendars and reminders. It never changes them, and nothing you enter leaves your device. No account, no server, no subscription.

Screenshots

AutoPylot For Drones4 screens
Waves4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Waves at none against AutoPylot For Drones's 4. Waves also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. AutoPylot For Drones sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Waves asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AutoPylot For Drones ships an update monthly, Waves every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
AutoPylot For Drones versus Waves: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAutoPylot For DronesWaves
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (5.3K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings5.3K — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB30 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAutoPylot, INCPhilip Hawkins

Bugs and requests

AutoPylot For Drones

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Miscategorizing flights as requiring ATC approval
  • Lack of controlled airspace information in certain regions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to edit missions
  • Support for polygonal LAANC requests
  • Integration with FAA TFR website
  • Access to weather data before LAANC submission
  • Support for Part 107 and recreational missions

Waves

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

AutoPylot For Drones

Subscriptions4
  • AutoPylot+ (Monthly)7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • AutoPylot+ (Monthly)7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • AutoPylot+ (Annual)7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • AutoPylot+ (Annual)7 Days trial$49.991 Year
None

Waves

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is AutoPylot For Drones free?
AutoPylot For Drones is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Waves free?
Waves is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do AutoPylot For Drones or Waves have ads?
Neither AutoPylot For Drones nor Waves shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AutoPylot For Drones or Waves?
AutoPylot For Drones ships an update monthly, and Waves every 2 weeks. Most recently, AutoPylot For Drones was updated on October 17, 2026 and Waves on October 17, 2026.

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