10 Best Drone Apps for Android to Help You Fly

Before going outside to fly your new drone, make sure you have all the tools you need to fly safely. This includes the latest software not only for the drone app to control your drone, but also for additional tools to improve your flight experience.

We have a list of the manufacturers' apps - the apps you need to fly - as well as a list of the DJI GO 4 app alternatives for DJI pilots. Today is all about the extra apps you can install to get more out of your flight apps, these are some of the best drone apps out there.

Best drone apps

First a theory. What do you hope to achieve before or with your flight? Maybe you are trying to keep it legal and make sure you can fly in a certain place. There is an app for that. Perhaps you are looking for a logging service to track your flights with, there are tools for that too, or you just want a weather report. Your requirements also depend on your drone - a camera drone has different requirements than a racing drone, for example.

Go through the list to get an idea of what a non-vendor app can do for you. We hope to help you find something new and helpful.

Google earth

Free

As you know, the first thing you need to do with a drone (after registering) is to find out a place to fly. The truth is, there are some drone mapping apps on our list today that are great at showing where it is safe to fly. Safe places to fly are one thing, but before you get to that point, be sure to search Google Earth for exceptional places to fly. Google Earth is free for your mobile device and is also available on the web

Related reading: Best mapping apps for Android - on Android Authority

Airmap

Free

Airmap is one of those tools that can do so much more than just map a potential flight location or help you keep a log of your flight. With the support of companies like Microsoft and Qualcomm, as well as drone players like Yuneec, Airmap is quickly becoming the de facto tool for commercial drone flight. Don't let the commercial drone mapping, geo-fencing, and flight logging tools put you off. Using the real-time traffic alerts in the mobile app is sufficient. Find out more about your basic needs or your commercial pilot business at Airmap.

Update April 2018: Airmap can now control your DJI drone! They have built in features to fly machines like the DJI Mavic Air, Mavic Pro, and more.

FAA's B4UFly

Free

Let's keep this simple. The FAA is the unit that enforces drone laws in the United States. This is their app that tells you where and when to fly. I could stop doing that, but I think you should know that B4UFly is a little arrogant at times and tells you that there are some places where you can't fly that you can. However, the app offers one of the most detailed airport listings showing the 5 mile radius of each. When in doubt, the B4UFly app boils down to how you go to the source for legal information about the drone flight in the US.

To update: Aside from that brief stint in 2017, you must register your drone with the FAA before flying. This is not a suggestion or an optional thing. If your drone weighs 0.55 pounds or more, you will need to register and put your registration number on the vehicle. The process is simple, but it will cost you $ 5 and you must be at least 13 years old. This registration exposes you to FAA drone flight rules, which it is essential to familiarize yourself with. Drone Rush can also help:

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If you fly for payment or some other form of compensation, you must work under a different set of rules and have a commercial drone license. We call it the Part 107, it's not too hard to come by, but it will take time to learn all of the rules. We want to help you learn the rules and get your commercial license. Check out our training material for drone pilots.

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Hover

Free

Hover is an underrated app that provides map and location information from Airmap, but then adds weather information. At a glance, Hover can tell you if it's safe to fly. With visibility, wind, location, and a lot more in mind, Hover may not be the only drone app you need. However, if you're sticking to just one, an app like this is sure to be a great choice. Get Hover for your mobile device now.

DroneDeploy

Free

Next up is an app, which we initially hesitated to include. We were hoping to make a list of the best drone apps that didn't focus on one vendor. The truth is, DJI is such a big player, and this app is so cool that we couldn't resist it. If you own a DJI drone from the Phantom 3 and higher, check out DroneDeploy as an alternative controller for your flying machine. The app offers advanced flight planning and autonomous control for your drone. Choose a coordinate path and watch your drone fly the route, let the app control the camera's exposure on the go, and much more. Try DroneDeploy now.

UAV forecast

Free

UAV Forecast focuses almost entirely on the weather and strives to provide detailed wind and weather information so you can decide if it is safe to fly. Tell the app the parameters of your drone. It can then quickly show whether or not today is the day to fly. A range of pilot information is provided including wind speed and direction, wind cold and temperature, cloud cover, visibility, and more. In order not to be outdone by other apps, UAV Forecast also offers maps with visible no-fly zones. Check it out for your weather needs.

Related Reading: Best Weather Apps For Android - On Android Authority

Kitty Hawk

Free

Let's see we covered apps that check the weather, apps with no-fly zone maps, active air traffic information maps, apps that keep flight logs and help you track your drones, now for one app that can do all of the above. Kittyhawk: Drone Operations is a robust app and platform that includes everything from pre-flight checks to post-flight analysis. Kittyhawk is an ambitious app and platform that will help you blow up and make the most of your time in the sky.

Sun surveyor (sun & moon)

Price: $ 7.99

If you've ever been out ... I'll stop this right there. Outdoor photography is almost entirely about dealing with sunlight. This is never more true than with drone photography as there is no shadow up there. Instead of guessing where the sun and moon will be, why not know for sure, Sun Surveyor does so with great accuracy. The perfect sun or moon position is just an app away. Sun Surveyor (Sun & Moon) is $ 7.99 for Android.

Verifly

Free

Insurance. Love it or hate it, insurance is an important part of modern life. Unlike your car or home insurance, which you pay a premium for every month, Verifly does something different, insurance on demand. The idea is simple: your flights, especially commercial operations, are either too few or too widespread and unpredictable to provide full-time insurance coverage. Verifly allows you to keep track of your start and end times and then only pay for what you use. It starts at around $ 10 an hour. Click the download buttons below for more details on actual coverage. The guidelines are signed by Global Aerospace, Inc.

Special consideration

Lychee for DJI drones

Price: $ 24.99

We all know you need the official DJI GO / DJI GO 4 app to fly our favorite DJI drones, right? Not correct! There are a few alternative apps that can take control of your DJI Mavic Pro, DJI Spark, DJI Phanom series drone, and more. This is the best of these apps we've tried with Litchi so far. The full app name is long but explains most of what it does. Litchi for DJI Mavic / Phantom / Inspire / Spark is a robust app that maintains the same feel as the DJI apps but does things a little differently. Basically, if you're looking for the best of the DJI application and a few new goodies, Litchi is worth considering. The waypoint flights and the integrated VR / FPV functionality are the key factors that attracted me to Litchi. Extensive features and functionality like these are available to you for the app at a low cost of $ 24.99, which may well be beyond what many consider.

That is all for today. We hope you have found one or two new apps to improve your flights or to get more out of the aerial photo taken afterwards. This is an early list with plenty of room to grow and mature, just like the drone market. Please log in in the comments if you would like to discuss any other apps that you think belong here.