Several apps are called "Drone Forecast". This page compares Altiwind with "Drone Forecast UAV Air map DJI" by Aleksandr Alekseev, which has its own site at drone-forecast.com. Of the apps with that name we found in the US App Store, it has the most ratings. In short: Drone Forecast is a native iPhone and iPad app with a fly-zone map, flight windows and reminders, and its altitude wind is for subscribers. Altiwind is a web app with a free 24-hour forecast, wind at four heights and a check against the nearest airport's METAR.
Which "Drone Forecast"?
App names on the stores overlap a lot. We checked Google Play and found no Android version of this Drone Forecast from the same developer (checked October 2026). On Android, Drone Forecast - Mobile Assist is a different app from a different developer. If you use another app with a similar name, the table below may not apply to it.
Side by side
Checked October 2026. Drone Forecast details are from its US App Store listing, and prices in other stores and currencies differ.
| Altiwind | Drone Forecast | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free download; subscriptions listed at $1.49–$1.99/week, $3.99–$4.99/month or $24.99/year; lifetime $59.99–$79.99 |
| Free tier | Today plus the next 24 hours, 1 spot, 1 drone, go/no-go, Kp now, verified badge | Not stated; the developer says altitude wind shows current data only to subscribers |
| Platforms | Web app, installable on the home screen; native iPhone app planned | iPhone, iPad, Apple silicon Mac, Apple Vision |
| Wind at flight altitude | 30, 60, 90 and 120 m (100–400 ft) | Yes, a wind screen with several heights (subscribers) |
| Gusts | Estimated gusts at each height | Wind speed, maximum gusts and direction |
| Kp / GPS | Kp now, weighted by latitude | Kp index and satellite count |
| Go/no-go per drone | Yes, from your drone's wind limit, with a reason for each check | Not stated; offers flight windows and reminders |
| Forecast checked against METAR | Yes, nearest airport within 25 km | Not stated |
| Airspace | Not yet; informational overlays planned | Fly-zone map ("Fly Zone 2.0") |
| Account required | No | Not stated |
Where Drone Forecast is better
- A native app on Apple devices. It runs on iPhone, iPad, Apple silicon Macs and Apple Vision, and the listing names 15 languages. Altiwind is a web app for now.
- Fly zones today. Its May 2026 update (3.0.1) brought "Fly Zone 2.0", an improved weather map and weather analytics. Altiwind's airspace overlays are still planned.
- Flight windows with reminders. The same update improved flight windows and reminders. Altiwind doesn't send alerts.
- Satellites. The August 2026 update (3.0.8) fixed the Kp index and the satellite count, so it shows both. Altiwind shows Kp but no satellite count.
- Cheap short passes. Weekly plans start at $1.49, which suits a one-off trip.
Where Altiwind is different
- A documented free tier. Altiwind's free tier is spelled out: today plus the next 24 hours, one spot and one drone profile. You also get the go/no-go score with reasons, Kp now, sun times and the verified badge. There's no account, no ads and no trackers.
- Altitude wind with a stated method. Drone Forecast's developer said in 2023 that free users see only past data on the altitude wind screen. Altiwind gives wind at altitude at 30, 60, 90 and 120 m, interpolating on a log scale between the model levels (10, 80, 120 and 180 m).
- Gusts at height, labelled as estimates. Altiwind takes the 10 m gust excess (gust minus mean wind) and adds it to the wind at your height, never less than 1.2× that wind. It always calls these estimated gusts.
- A forecast that gets checked. The verified forecast compares the last 6–24 hours of wind and gusts at the nearest METAR station with 2–3 models. It then picks the one with the smallest error and shows the bias, e.g. "Checked vs EGLL 40 min ago: running 3 km/h high".
- Limits from your drone. Pick your drone and the score uses its rated wind resistance. Sustained wind up to 60% of it is within your limits and up to 85% is marginal. Estimated gusts are within your limits up to 80% and marginal up to 100%. See drone profiles.
- Any phone. It runs in the browser on iPhone and Android, and you can add it to your home screen.
FAQ
Is Drone Forecast free?
It's a free download with in-app subscriptions. The listing doesn't say which features are free. In a 2023 reply to a review, the developer said the altitude wind screen shows current data only to subscribers (checked October 2026).
Is Drone Forecast on Android?
We found no Android version from the same developer on Google Play (checked October 2026). Other Android apps use similar names. Altiwind works in any phone browser.
Does Altiwind have a fly-zone map?
Not yet. Informational airspace overlays with links to official sources are planned. Altiwind is weather guidance only and not for air navigation, so check your local rules.
How far ahead do the forecasts go?
Drone Forecast's description says hourly, 5 days ahead. Altiwind covers today plus the next 24 hours.