# Drone vs Operation

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Operation at none against Drone's 10. Operation also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 months). Drone's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 62). On price, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drone sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Operation asks for nothing beyond the download.

Operation holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drone has 1.2K ratings behind it against 62, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Drone's written reviews are positive against 81% of Operation's.

Drone ships an update every 3 months, Operation every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drone | Operation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drone-shadow-strike/id824808682/reviews) | **[4.7 (62 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/operation-anka/id1456835508/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 62 |
| Positive reviews | 76.5% of reviews | **81.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 505 MB | 736 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Reliance Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673672114) | [TUSAS - TURK HAVACILIK VE UZAY SANAYI ANONIM SIRKETI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1456835507) |

## What reviewers say

### Drone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drone-shadow-strike/id824808682)

Engage in covert aerial warfare as a special ops operator, piloting advanced drones with a vast arsenal. Strategize and execute air strikes in immersive, real-world inspired environments to complete challenging missions and dominate the battlefield.

**Highlights:** Pilot 8 types of advanced UCAVs, Arsenal of weapons: cannons, missiles, rockets, bombs, 34 missions across 5 campaigns, Live Events and Global Leaderboard, Upgradeable drone systems, Intuitive touch controls

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stack of Gold | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cash Doubler Bundle | $4.99 | one-time |
| The Starter Pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pile of Gold | $9.99 | one-time |
| “Bring The Rain” | $14.99 | one-time |
| Crate of Gold | $19.99 | one-time |
| Stealth Pack | $19.99 | one-time |
| Cyberhawk Pack | $24.99 | one-time |
| Truckload | $29.99 | one-time |
| Wraith Bundle Pack | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great game older than you think
- 🚀 Awesome game with or without spending money
- 👍 Very nostalgic and fun
- 👍 Pleasantly surprised with gameplay and no money grabbing
- 👍 Truly the best game ever

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Lame money grab, forces ads to progress
- 🐛 Drone repair feature doesn't work as advertised
- 🐛 Paid for gold but didn't receive it
- 🐛 Glitch where can't get past drone abilities screen after purchase
- 🐛 Paid for higher in-app purchase but never received it

**Reported bugs**

- Rewards don't register in leaderboard
- Longbow cannon damage gets nerfed after upgrading
- Game resets progress after update
- Game crashes or freezes frequently
- Game won't load or open after update

**Requested features**

- Add Ukraine-Russia War Mode and US-China Cold War Mode
- Add free roam mode with no missions, just blowing things up
- Add more levels and maps
- Add ability to convert in-game cash to gold
- Add more weapons and drones


### Operation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/operation-anka/id1456835508)

Engage in intense aerial combat as a pilot of an unmanned combat vehicle. Complete various missions, including support, infiltration, and rescue, by destroying enemy targets from a first-person perspective. Upgrade your weaponry and hull to face escalating threats.

**Highlights:** First-person aerial combat, Upgradeable weaponry (cannons, missiles, bombs), Multiple mission types (elimination, survival, defense, rescue), Diverse maps and enemy units, Hangar for upgrades and management, Voice-acted commander briefings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great graphics and gameplay
- 👍 Addictive and fun
- 👍 Good for passing time
- 👍 Realistic feel
- 👍 Increasing difficulty

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Level 29 impossible to pass
- 🐛 Weapons are awful
- 🐛 Takes too long to upgrade weapons
- 🐛 Game left unattended
- 🐛 Needs updates

**Reported bugs**

- Level 29 is impossible to pass
- Level 27 is impossible to pass
- Enemies shoot from off-map
- Missiles hit without being seen
- Mission fails even when enemies are killed

**Requested features**

- More weapons
- Add AR feature for supported phones
- Add ATAK 1-2 version
- Add destruction to buildings
- Add night vision mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Drone free?

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

### Is Operation free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Drone or Operation?

Operation is rated higher. Drone averages 4.4 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Operation averages 4.7 from 62 ratings.

### Do Drone or Operation have ads?

Drone shows ads; Operation does not.

### Which is updated more often, Drone or Operation?

Drone ships an update every 3 months, and Operation every 8 days. Most recently, Drone was updated on October 17, 2026 and Operation on October 6, 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.*