What apps/software is a must have?

[rjp1267]

I am trying to sift through all of the apps out there for operating a drone and cant seem to come to a conclusion on whats the best to invest in. I am looking for apps for the following functions and am hoping to get some user feedback to limit the search.

App for autonomous flights
App for logging flights
App for getting flight info prior to takeoff (weather, air space, etc)
App to aid in safe operation of AC if not included above
App to track maintenance and provide suggestions on maintenance activities if not included above

In general what is the best app or suite of apps for drone ops from preflight to maintenance to reporting and logging?

Obviously those that are not vendor or AC specific are best as I will be upgrading regularly as new toys come out.

Feel free to let me know if there is anything I may have overlooked.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

 

[Fly Dawg]

What aircraft are you flying and what is the purpose? Recreational or Commercial? That would help tremendously for better answers.These will vary with different aircraft and may not be backwards compatible.

 

[rjp1267]

Thanks for the response. Right now for recreation but will be for commercial by the fall, I fly the p3p and will either be adding to my fleet or moving towards the Inspire or a combination of the two for flexibility and ROI at least that is the plan as of now. I want to ensure that I am capturing all the necessary info to demonstrate flight experience, info necessary in the event of having to file a report or for insurance claim, operate the unit autonomously where appropriate, track maintenance schedule/history, get vital pre and in flight weather and alerts, etc. I have looked at Kitthawk, Airmap, Hover and one or two others but have not given them a test drive since on review each has limitations and didnt want to pay $$ and or put time into something that wouldnt fit.

 

[Fly Dawg]

I want to ensure that I am capturing all the necessary info to demonstrate flight experience, info necessary in the event of having to file a report or for insurance claim, operate the unit autonomously where appropriate,

The above two would be covered by Litchi alone, IMO. It flies autonomously beautifully and does now have AGL reference for mission planning. Missions can be planned on the Mission Hub and downloaded to your device. Being the fact that Litchi's flight data logs are already in .csv format, and are and stored on the device you fly with, these could be used for claim purposes, etc. Directly importable in to Excel, without the need for a converter. All the apps have their pro's and con's and you will most likely be utilizing different apps for different purposes, especially for commercial use. There is no single app that covers everything.

 

[rjp1267]

Well I appreciate that, I will look LItchi up and see if I can test drive today without having to commit to a subscription or purchase. Would the other apps mentioned be the best choice(s) for the remaining needs or are there better alternatives? Thanks again for your input.

 

[Fly Dawg]

I will look LItchi up and see if I can test drive today without having to commit to a subscription or purchase.

You will have to purchase Litchi, but it is not extravagantly expensive and works excellent, but you can "play" around with the mission hub for free and plan a few test missions, just to get the feel of the interface.

 

[rjp1267]

Thank you.