Drone software and model railroad management: important tools for your hobby | 17 free downloads

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December 08, 2020 at 12:15 p.m.

Are you looking for drone software or tools for model railroad management? These programs help you with drone surveying, track planning and control.

Drone flights and model railroad planning have one thing in common: For both, you need compatible and good control or planning software. We have been looking for the best programs for drone measurement, drone control, but also for track planning and model railroad management. The result is this overview with our download recommendations.

1. DJI Flight Simulator: fly safely with the drone
   

2. Rocrail: control center for your model railway
   

3. Raily: Building model trains made easy
   

4. Costs for a drone flight and the model train
   

DJI Flight Simulator: fly safely with the drone

A drone controlling is not that easy. It is also extremely frustrating when the first flight with your newly purchased drone ends in an accident. The repairs are quick and expensive and in the worst case, someone can even be injured. The DJI Flight Simulator save yourself from this scenario by offering you a detailed training program for your first drone flights.

The extremely realistic flight simulator is compatible with Windows 10, and you also need the remote control of a compatible drone (Mavic, Phantom, Inspire series). In the DJI Flight Simulator you control your drone through virtual landscapes that not only look realistic, but also real environmental influences such as Wind, weather or include gravity.

While the free trial version is limited to the free flight mode, you can also try your hand at application exercises such as rescue missions or the inspection of power lines in the paid enterprise and energy sector versions. Rescue workers and network technicians can use DJI Flight Simulator to train for their everyday work.

Even the free version prepares you well for your first drone flight. The simulation is designed to be extremely realistic and also meets professional requirements. An absolute top tip for drone fans. Have you completed your training with the DJI Flight Simulator, you can with DJI GS Pro plan your first flight or im DJI FlightHub Prepare entire drone missions.

Rocrail: control center for your model railway

If you prefer to be on the rails, take a look at the software Rocrail. Available for Windows, Linux and Mac, Rocrail is one of the leading programs for monitoring and controlling model railways. You control not only individual trains, but also large model railways with several trains and various accessories from a central application.

Either you take the wheel yourself or you switch to automatic mode. You can even control selected trains manually while letting others run automatically. The Rocrail switchboard and the menu are initially a bit complicated for laypeople, but model railroad fans should have an overview within a few minutes.

We are impressed that you not only control the trains with the software, but also connected accessories such as cars or lighting systems. With Rocrail you operate almost all technical components of your model railway. The individual user interfaces such as the Web-Client Rocweb or the mobile remote control for Android you have to install it separately, but you can use them simultaneously. All displays are synchronized via your different input devices.

Rocrail not only replaces boring control panels, above all you no longer have to deal with different controls for individual components of your model railway. With this tool you control your model railway in a modern way and as a conductor you always have full control. The free software is available to every railroad owner to download for free.

Raily: Building model trains made easy

If, on the other hand, you are not yet an experienced model train conductor, but want to get yourself a train, we recommend this Download von Raily. The software helps you with the track planning so that you can try out different layouts without having to assemble and dismantle the rails. Rails are supported by over 150 track systems. You can find one on the manufacturer’s website List of all supported track systems.

The controls are just as simple as the interface. With just a few clicks you can line up individual rails and components. Practical functions such as “Copy”, “Move” or “Rotate” make readjustment easier. You plan inclines and ramps as well as a complete circuit diagram for the wiring. Meanwhile, the inventory shows you which components you need for your current design.

In addition, you can set upper masts, insert user-defined texts, edit flexible tracks comprehensively and automatically merge loose line ends. There is also an extensive editor for accessories such as trees and buildings as well as detailed information displays on the track width, center line and bedding width. All of this is packaged in a simple but functional 3D editor with an optional driver’s cab perspective.

You can then save your track plans or export them in various file formats (HPGL, DFX, BMP, EMF). Visually, Raily is kept simple, but in terms of functionality, the program overshadows comparable alternatives. A more appealing user interface would certainly be nice, but railroad fans (and those who want to become one) shouldn’t really care. The download for Windows and Mac is free, albeit a bit cumbersome, due to the license key that has to be entered.

Costs for a drone flight and the model train

Whether you invest in a drone or a model train, both Hobbies are not exactly cheap. It would be perfect if you didn’t have to pay high prices for additional software after the expensive purchase. Fortunately, the programs we have presented here show that you do not have to rush into further expenses for such software.

You can also browse through ours Product overview for technical toys, in which you can find, for example, cheap offers for robots, vehicles or electronic racing tracks. And when the next vacation is coming up, our guide will tell you everything you need to know about it Carrying technology with you on vacation need to know.