Comparison

VARPLE vs DVA

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

Head to head
About

VARPLE

Features
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VARPLE: Virtual Aerial Remote-Piloting Learning Environment *** VARPLE is designed for school teaching and a school key is REQUIRED to start the simulator. Please contact CLST, CUHK for school key application. *** Dive into the future of drone piloting education with VARPLE. Built for K-12 and higher education learners, VARPLE is a mobile drone simulator that takes a student from their first hover to a full downtown checkride β€” no aircraft, no airspace, and no crash bill. NEW IN THIS VERSION Flight School β€” ten graded missions A structured syllabus that teaches one skill at a time: First Flight, The Elevator, Compass Turns, There and Back, Box Steps, The Circuit, Figure Eight, Spot On, Downtown Checkout, and The Checkride. Every mission states its objective, marks the flight path in the world, and debriefs the student against real criteria β€” touchdown speed, altitude overshoot, position hold β€” with star grading that rewards precision, not luck. Mini games β€” scored flying practice Drown Rescue: fly lifebuoys out to swimmers across the bay before their time runs out. Trains payload placement, hovering over water, and triage under pressure. Infinity Run: ride a storm wind down an endless city canyon that speeds up every second. Trains corridor flying, wind compensation, and small precise inputs at speed. Personal bests are recorded for each game, and more games are on the way. Choose your aircraft A fleet spanning pocket, mini, cinewhoop and industrial classes, each with its own mass, thrust and handling. Some hold position for you; the cinewhoop does not β€” which is exactly the point. Choose your terrain Fly a training field, a downtown trainer, a lifeguard bay, or a coastal dusk scene, each with its own size, light, weather and wind. A built-in terrain editor lets teachers build and share their own stages. KEY FEATURES Authentic drone simulation A physics-based flight model with position hold, battery drain, and real handling differences between airframes. Practice, repeat, and perfect at no risk. Unique pilot's view angle Complying with the Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) Order in Hong Kong, VARPLE simulates the pilot's own perspective from the ground, enhancing training realism and legal compliance. VLOS training and local law compliance Aligned with mandatory operational modes such as Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) in Hong Kong and other jurisdictions, VARPLE teaches students to fly the way local drone law requires. Controller compatibility Connect any Bluetooth game controller for a tactile experience that mimics a real transmitter β€” or fly right away with the built-in on-screen sticks. Stick modes 1, 2 (DJI), 3 and 4 are all supported. Tune it like a real radio Per-axis deadzone, expo, and invert for throttle, pitch, roll and yaw. Choose metres or feet, and decide whether a low battery lands the aircraft for you. Visual cues and indicators Front and back orientation lights, plus battery, speed and displacement readouts, so students always know where the aircraft is pointing and what it is doing. Bilingual interface Full English and Traditional Chinese (繁體中文) throughout. Self-directed learning and pedagogical affordance VARPLE supports self-directed learning and serves as a tool for drone-aimed learning (DAL), letting students progress at their own pace while expanding educational opportunities and applications.

About

DVA

Features
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Get access to all content in DVA: Online Baking Academy. Access pre-recorded courses, enroll for live workshops, get certified and a lot more! Be a part of the awesome community that you always wanted to be in!

Screenshots

VARPLE4 screens
DVA4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: VARPLE at none against DVA's 5. VARPLE also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. DVA sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. VARPLE asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VARPLE ships an update every 2 weeks, DVA every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
VARPLE versus DVA: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVARPLEDVA
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks β€” betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.616.4 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size311 MB85 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperCentre for Learning Sciences and Technologies, The Chinese University of Hong KongTagMango Inc

In-app purchases

None

VARPLE

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

DVA

One-time5
  • BRONZE MEMBERSHIP$14.99
  • Christmas Special Masterclass$34.99
  • Trending Cakes$99.99
Show 2 more
  • SILVER MEMBERSHIP$149.99
  • Super Baker Program$149.99

Questions

Is VARPLE free?
VARPLE is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is DVA free?
DVA is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do VARPLE or DVA have ads?
Neither VARPLE nor DVA shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VARPLE or DVA?
VARPLE ships an update every 2 weeks, and DVA every 6 months. Most recently, VARPLE was updated on October 17, 2026 and DVA on October 21, 2026.

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