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Can You Fly A Drone With An Ipad? What You Need To Know

Can You Fly A Drone With An Ipad? What You Need To Know

Many people have a lot of fun flying drones. If you have an iPad you may have heard that you can easily engage in this hobby. This is because some people will tell you that you can fly a drone with an iPad.

Yes, you can fly your drone with your iPad. There are apps that will help you do this safely. There are also certain drones and accessories that have been created specifically so that it is safe for you to fly your drone with your iPad. 

It is important to know what these are and how to use them before getting started. Keep reading below to learn everything you need to know.

drone controler with ipad added

Using Your iPad to Fly Your Drone

If you want to use your iPad to fly your drone, one of the most important things you will need to do is to choose the right iPad. This equipment is important because not only does it provide you with situational awareness of where your drone is located at all times but it is also responsible for handling a lot of the processing and communication that occur between you and your drone while you're flying it. For these reasons, you're going to want to make sure that you choose an iPad that has enough computing power to be able to deliver you a responsive and reliable experience whenever you fly your drone.

When you are ready to purchase a new iPad to use in flying your drone, you will find that the newest version will be the most powerful device available. You can choose either the 11 or 12.9-inch size as both will work well for what you need. However, you may find that the added weight and bulk of the larger device are a bit too much for you. This is why many people will simply opt for the 11–inch size.

Two other great options are the iPad Air and the iPad Mini 5. You will find that these both have the same specs as you would find with the iPad Pro you will just find yourself paying a lot less money for them. However, if you want to run some of the newest programs or you will be flying your drone in a hot, sunny climate, the iPad Air and the iPad Mini 5 are better options because you should have an additional tablet available just in case one overheats.

Choosing Your iPad Enabled Drone

Besides having an iPad the second most important equipment you'll need when flying a drone is the drone itself. There are a lot of great drones that can be powered by an iPad out on the marketplace today. Some of the options you may wish to consider include:

  • The DJI Phantom 4 is a great choice for anyone who wants to do large-scale aerial surveying. With this drone, you will be able to remain in the sky for 28-minutes. Considering that this drone hasn't been specifically designed for racing, you will also find that it flies at quite an impressive speed. One thing that the DJI Phantom 4 is known for though is its ability to be handled with ease. Since you will be flying it with your iPad you will also appreciate the fact that it pairs seamlessly with the mobile DJI GO app. This is also true of the Phantom 3 Standard which is another great option if you want to be able to fly your drone with your iPad.
  • The 3DR Solo Quadcopter is another reliable drone that is easy to control. Many people also like the fact that the exterior design of this drone is actually quite appealing. Others find that it's quite impressive how this drone can reach a top speed of 55 M.P.H. – something that can add to the fun of flying it. If you're looking to get some sharp video while flying, this is the drone for you because there's very little vibration. Another one of the cool features you'll appreciate with this drone include its "orbit" whereby you can lock your camera onto an object and get wraparound shots of it.
  • The Dromida Ominus is another user-friendly drone. With it, you get a lot of features that usually aren't available at such an economical price. You'll also have a lot of fun doing acrobatics with this drone because it is very versatile. There are a variety of skill modes available for the pilot to choose from so that they can hone their skills. Overall this is a great drone for someone who is just getting started.
  • The Parrot Bebop 2 is a compact, yet highly durable drone that can be flown with your iPad. Many people truly appreciate how easy it is to learn how to do a variety of tricks like barrel rolls and flips with this drone. What's really nice is that with this generation of drones the battery life is almost double that of its predecessor.

senior male flies drone with ipad

Apps for Flying Your Drone With Your iPad

Once you decide which drone will work best with your iPad you will need an app to use to connect the two. There are a variety of apps available for you to choose from, including:

  • The DJI Fly will easily help you fly your  DJI Mini 2, Mavic Air 2, and Mavic Mini. With help from its search function you'll be able to discover fly spots and GEO zones near you then you can easily get started using this app thanks to its easy-to-follow flight tutorials. One of the features you will also like is the intuitive UI and expansive camera view.
  • The Drone Deploy app is a great tool for anyone who wants to upgrade their drone so that it has autonomous and free flight capabilities. All it takes is a few taps in this app and your drone will fly itself which means anyone can use their iPad to fly a drone thanks to this app. You can also create missions from either your desktop or the mobile app then capture and share thermal scans, 2D and 3D maps, photos, panoramas, videos, and roof reports. This is great if you want to annotate, inspect, and share information with other drones. You can even use its fleet management option to manage an entire fleet of drones and their pilots – something that is great when you become a more advanced flyer.
  • Air Map is another great option for anyone who wants to use their iPad to fly their drone. This is a more advanced app in that it will allow you to do a lot more than what most basic apps allow. For instance, you will be able to maintain situational awareness, request digital authorization, get traffic alerts, get real-time information regarding where you can legally fly your drone, receive information regarding airspace rules and advisories, and toggle between various map styles with ease.

Accessories for Flying Your Drone with Your iPad

In the same way, as there are a lot of different apps available for you to choose from, you'll find that there are also a lot of different accessories that have been created to make flying a drone with your iPad more enjoyable. Some of those which come highly recommended include:

  • Depending on how frequently you fly your drone, you will probably need to invest in a few memory cards if you want to be able to save the pictures and video footage you capture while you're flying your drone. These should be 64GB, U3 speed so you have the best results.
  • A collapsible landing pad is a great investment because it will ensure that dust and rocks don't become lodged in your drone's motor while you're landing it. This will come with stakes to hold the pad in place. Since these don't cost much they're a worthwhile investment for keeping your drone in good working order.
  • A sunshade for over the top of your iPad will come in really handy when you're out flying your drone on a bright, sunny day. This will make it much easier for you to be able to see your screen while you're outside. Since you want to be able to always keep your eyes on your drone whenever you're flying it, you will want to spend a little money on one of these. Many people admit that this is one of the best investments they have made.

drone in desk surrounded by mac ipad iphone

Conclusion

There are a lot of great developments happening in the drone world that allow you to easily fly your drone anywhere through the use of your iPad. As long as you have WIFI available you will be able to use your iPad for flying your drone. This is necessary for communicating with your drone through the app of your choice. Today you will find that there are a lot of great apps available for you to choose from depending upon what you need. You will also find that there are a lot of great accessories available that will help to make your experience flying a drone with your iPad even more enjoyable.