Theodolite HD vs Dronetag
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Theodolite HD
This app combines a compass, inclinometer, rangefinder, GPS, and map for augmented reality navigation. It allows users to capture data-overlay photos and videos, view positions on a map with offline options, and share location data with others. It's designed for professional use and outdoor activities.
- Augmented reality viewfinder
- Compass and inclinometer
- GPS and map with offline options
- Data-overlay photo/video camera
- Rangefinder and nav calculator
- Location sharing and team tracking
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Theodolite HD is a multi-function viewfinder that combines a compass, two-axis inclinometer, rangefinder, GPS, map, nav calculator, and geo-overlay photo/movie camera into one indispensable app. Theodolite was one of the very first augmented reality (AR) apps when it was released in 2009, and it’s been downloaded and used by millions of customers since then. Uses are endless, and the app is great for land measurements, outdoor sports, sightseeing, navigation, and finding your way around. Theodolite is a pro grade app and is used extensively by surveyors, geologists, architects, engineers, competitive sportsmen, first responders, military personnel, and search and rescue workers around the world. Theodolite lets you take data-overlay photos and movies with 2X-8X zoom. Overlay geographical data, angle markings, date/time, author/company info, and project notes directly on photos and movies for later reference. The same data is written into the metadata record of images, making image files self-contained data records. Third-party apps can tap into Theodolite's advanced camera functions with a camera sharing feature. View current position on the built-in map with optional offline Outdoors maps that include topo contours, roads, trails, landmarks, campgrounds, ski lifts, and more. Live map markers continually update distance/heading relative to the current location and also show wayfinding info in the main viewfinder. Draw polygons on the map to mark things like property boundaries and trails, and import/export polygon data via KML. Share map markers and nav calculator points with other users of Theodolite via text messages or e-mail. This powerful capability opens up a wide range of collaborative uses including team land surveying, accident investigations, spotting wild fires, triangulation of landmarks, and advanced tactical observation and targeting. With an optional in-app purchase to enable team tracking, you can share location with up to 20 people on Theodolite's map. Theodolite includes features for serious users like a reference angle mode, nav calculator, map marker import/export, manual and automatic data logging with CSV and KML export, clipboard integration, %grade display, mil compass readout, optical rangefinders (including a mil-based reticle, sniper-style stadiametric graphs, and a variable 4X-24X scope), and night filters to improve use in dark conditions. Theodolite can provide location in military grid reference system (MGRS) coordinates, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates, British/Irish National Grids, US National Grid, Maidenhead locator system, Map Grid of Australia, and six latitude/longitude formats. Optional US State Plane coordinates include SPCS27 and SPCS83 zones covering all US States. The optional Datum Pack adds over 230 geodetic datums to the app to improve position computation from GPS data, covering regions and countries on all continents around the world. AR Layers include navigational aids like the sun, moon, planets, and Polaris (North star), and the optional US Mountain Summits layer that shows over 70,000 US mountain summits in the viewfinder. Theodolite has been shown in Apple Keynotes, featured on the App Store, and has been a #1 selling Navigation app in App Stores around the world. Since its introduction in 2009, Theodolite has defined augmented reality navigation. The app continually introduces new technologies, pushing the limits of iOS app development and taking advantage of new hardware capabilities. Find out why Apple named Theodolite one of the most amazing apps available and showed it being used to explore the Great Wall of China. Where will you take it on your next adventure? Note: Theodolite HD is an iPad app -- see the regular “Theodolite” app for use on an iPhone or iPod Touch. And be sure to check out the all-new "Theodolite for Watch" and put Theodolite on your wrist!
Dronetag
Enhance drone safety and compliance with European regulations. Manage your drone fleet, track flights in real-time, and view restricted airspace. Integrates with a hardware device for enhanced visibility.
- European regulation compliance
- Fleet management
- Real-time flight tracking
- Restricted zone identification
- Flight planning
- Flight journal export
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Dronetag brings an all-in-one solution for safe drone flights that allows you to comply with the new European regulations, manage your fleet and stay informed about your current flights. Our vision is to provide drones with safe access to the airspace and to prevent their accidents. We manufacture a hardware device Dronetag Mini designed as an add-on that can be mounted to any drone. Mini ensures that your drone is visible for all air traffic participants. It is no larger than half of your favorite müsli bar, weighs 30 grams, and stays charged for up to 8 hours. The device may be combined with our app to unlock new possibilities for your flights. The combination of the Dronetag Mini device and app offers the following: - Local and network remote identification in compliance with the European regulations. - Add and manage an unlimited number of unmanned aircraft. - View restricted zones such as airports within the whole EU. - Plan your flight, including the time and altitude. - Track your current flight on the map and receive notifications. - Keep and export a flight journal for all your drones. - See other airspace participants with Dronetag devices installed. - Search full-text: Locations, restricted zones, aircraft, and Dronetag devices.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Theodolite HD at 91% against Dronetag's 29%. Theodolite HD also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.7) and ratings volume (136 vs 9). Dronetag's advantage is price (Free vs $8.99) and in-app purchases (none vs 8). On 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
Dronetag is free to download; Theodolite HD costs $8.99 up front. Theodolite HD sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Dronetag asks for nothing beyond the download.
Theodolite HD holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Theodolite HD has 136 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Theodolite HD's written reviews are positive against 29% of Dronetag's.
Theodolite HD ships an update every 4 months, Dronetag every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Theodolite HD | Dronetag |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $8.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (136 ratings) — better | 2.7 (9 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 91.4% of reviews — better | 28.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 136 — better | 9 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 30 MB | 111 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Craig Hunter | Dronetag |
Customer experience
Theodolite HD
Dronetag
Bugs and requests
Theodolite HD
Reported bugs
2 issues- Occasional crashes or freezes, especially on older devices
- Camera orientation issues on some devices
Requested features
4 requests- Add option to set elevation angle to 0 degrees horizontal
- Implement cross-device sync and data sharing
- Expand map coverage and reduce in-app purchase costs
- Add support for more camera features like video recording
Dronetag
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Theodolite HD
- 1,000 Outdoors Map Tiles$0.99
- Team Tracking$1.99
- World Datum Pack$2.99
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- US Mountain Summits AR Layer$2.99
- 5,000 Outdoors Map Tiles$4.99
- 10,000 Outdoors Map Tiles$8.99
- 20,000 Outdoors Map Tiles$17.99
- US State Plane Coordinates$24.99
Dronetag
No in-app purchases









