Drone Forecast. UAV Air map icon
Drone Forecast: A Specialized Weather App for UAV Pilots and Enthusiasts

by Aleksandr Alekseev

4.6
IOSWeather
Designed to help drone operators make informed flight decisions, this app consolidates critical weather and airspace data into a clean interface. It provides detailed wind forecasts, restricted zone maps, and preflight checklists tailored for UAV safety. For anyone who needs precise atmospheric insights beyond standard weather apps, it serves as a reliable planning companion.

Detailed Review

Drone Forecast. UAV Air map positions itself as a niche weather application focused on the needs of drone pilots and aviation aficionados. Unlike general weather apps, it filters out extraneous information to deliver data points crucial for unmanned aerial vehicle operations, such as wind patterns at different altitudes and regulatory no-fly zones. Its market appeal lies in this specialization, catering to a community that requires more than just temperature and precipitation forecasts. Core functionality revolves around several key tools. The app offers hourly and five-day forecasts for surface winds and winds aloft, presented in a clear, tabular format that allows users to assess conditions at various flight levels. Animated wind maps provide visualizations of wind direction and speed, aiding in route planning to avoid battery depletion during upwind returns. Additionally, a global map highlights restricted airspaces, integrating data from aviation authorities, while a built-in preflight checklist prompts users to verify factors like battery life, GPS signal, and weather thresholds. Other features include radar, temperature, pressure, and precipitation maps, all accessible within a few taps. In real-world usage, the app proves valuable for scenarios like commercial drone photography shoots or recreational flying in variable climates. For instance, a pilot preparing for a coastal survey can check wind gusts at 100 feet to ensure camera stability, or someone flying near an airport can quickly confirm airspace restrictions to avoid violations. The interface is designed for at-a-glance comprehension, with color-coded indicators and minimal clutter, though some users might find the map loading times slightly sluggish on older devices. The free version provides substantial functionality, but certain advanced data layers require a subscription. User feedback trends highlight strong satisfaction with the app's detail and accuracy. Reviews indicate that users, particularly in regions like Minnesota or the Dominican Republic, appreciate the localized weather precision and the absence of gimmicky elements common in mainstream apps. Specific praise centers on the wind forecast layouts and the animated maps for flight planning. However, some critiques point to limitations in the free tier, such as the wind altitude screen only displaying data for evening hours, which reduces utility for daytime recreational flyers. This balance of praise and constructive criticism reflects the app's targeted effectiveness with room for minor improvements. Overall, Drone Forecast delivers a robust toolset for its intended audience, combining essential weather metrics with aviation-specific resources. Its strengths lie in data specialization and user-friendly design, while the main drawback involves feature restrictions in the free version. For drone pilots and weather enthusiasts, it represents a dependable option for preflight preparation, though those needing unlimited access to all forecasts may consider the premium upgrade.

Key Features

  • Hourly and five-day wind forecasts for surface and multiple altitudes, enabling pilots to assess conditions at different flight levels for safe operation.
  • Animated wind maps that visualize direction and speed patterns, helping avoid battery drain during upwind return journeys.
  • Global restricted airspace map displaying no-fly zones and regulatory areas, integrated from aviation authority data.
  • Preflight checklist covering weather, battery, GPS, and safety checks to ensure compliance and reduce operational risks.
  • Comprehensive weather maps including radar, temperature, pressure, and precipitation for holistic environmental assessment.
  • At-a-glance weather summary with color-coded indicators for quick decision-making before launch.

Why Users Love It

Detailed wind and weather data for UAV safety
Integrated airspace maps and preflight tools

Perfect for: Drone pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and weather-focused users requiring precise atmospheric and regulatory data for flight planning.

Screenshots

Drone Forecast. UAV Air map screenshot 1Drone Forecast. UAV Air map screenshot 2Drone Forecast. UAV Air map screenshot 3Drone Forecast. UAV Air map screenshot 4Drone Forecast. UAV Air map screenshot 5Drone Forecast. UAV Air map screenshot 6

Ranking History

Track Drone Forecast. UAV Air map's performance in Weather over the last 30 days

Top 5
Top 10
Top 15
Below 15

Current Rank

#40

Best Rank

#40

All-time high

Average Rank

#40

30-day average

User Reviews

ciiguy
Dec 13, 2024

I love this app. At the time of this writing, it is way too cold to fly a drone over Minnesota’s frozen tundra, but the Drone Forecast app is still my go to source for weather. It contains everything I need to know at a glance without all the gimmicky fluff that clutters standard weather apps. And sometime in mid-July, after the igloo melts, it will be the perfect source for weather information before launching my drone. Most importantly for drone pilots, it lays out the current and forecast surface winds and winds aloft in an easily understood format. Those forecasts are hourly and extend for five days. There is also a section that features temperature, precipitation, wind, pressure and radar maps. Again, the animated wind map is essential for avoiding the trap of flying with a tail wind and needing to return upwind with diminishing battery power. Drone Forecast includes an invaluable world map showing restricted airspace and a checklist of preflight considerations. Whether you fly a drone or not, this is an excellent app for obtaining precise weather information. Outstanding Weather App I love this app. At the time of this writing, it is way too cold to fly a drone over Minnesota’s frozen tundra, but the Drone Forecast app is still my go to source for weather. It contains everything I need to know at a glance without all the gimmicky fluff that clutters standard weather apps. And sometime in mid-July, after the igloo melts, it will be the perfect source for weather information before launching my drone. Most importantly for drone pilots, it lays out the current and forecast surface winds and winds aloft in an easily understood format. Those forecasts are hourly and extend for five days. There is also a section that features temperature, precipitation, wind, pressure and radar maps. Again, the animated wind map is essential for avoiding the trap of flying with a tail wind and needing to return upwind with diminishing battery power. Drone Forecast includes an invaluable world map showing restricted airspace and a checklist of preflight considerations. Whether you fly a drone or not, this is an excellent app for obtaining precise weather information.

Dougie_P
Dec 21, 2023

This app is freaking incredible ! I have a drone and that is why I downloaded it. I noticed some guy using it on. YoudTube video about my drone. But I am also a general aviation pilot and a weather nerd. This app has so much incredible local weather detail it is AMAZING ! And if you don’t believe me, please note that I am in the Dominican Republic! And it STILL has incredible local detail. This a is MUST APP !! Best App Ever ! This app is freaking incredible !I have a drone and that is why I downloaded it. I noticed some guy using it on. YoudTube video about my drone. But I am also a general aviation pilot and a weather nerd. This app has so much incredible local weather detail it is AMAZING !And if you don’t believe me, please note that I am in the Dominican Republic! And it STILL has incredible local detail. This a is MUST APP !!

NashHeliDude
Aug 6, 2023

I’m using the free version for now and really find it quite useful. The at a glance by weather summary is great! However, WHY is the Wind screen which shows winds at several altitudes limited to only showing them for 7 PM hourly through 11 PM? That severely limits it usefulness, especially for recreational flyers! Great overall, but has limitation I’m using the free version for now and really find it quite useful. The at a glance by weather summary is great!However, WHY is the Wind screen which shows winds at several altitudes limited to only showing them for 7 PM hourly through 11 PM? That severely limits it usefulness, especially for recreational flyers!

A Plain Rating
Oct 5, 2024

I used to use UAV Forecast, but that started to charge me money even though I was using the free version. So I switched to this. This is much better than UAV Forecast. It has more info, more details, and more helpful in what I’m looking for. There’s just one thing: I can’t figure out why it is still showing that I have not open the geolocation settings when I have multiple times. Please fix the bug fast. GREAT APP I used to use UAV Forecast, but that started to charge me money even though I was using the free version. So I switched to this. This is much better than UAV Forecast. It has more info, more details, and more helpful in what I’m looking for. There’s just one thing: I can’t figure out why it is still showing that I have not open the geolocation settings when I have multiple times. Please fix the bug fast.

App Details

Developer

Aleksandr Alekseev

Platform

ios

Rating

4.6

Last Updated

12/26/2025