Over on their forums, Orbx has released their long-awaited update for Volanta. Announced back in June, v1.1 is a significant update to the popular flight tracking service, bringing a satellite image and weather radar to the world map and an in-app flight plan viewer, among other things.

The main part of this update was a core functionality update to the app. Along with the standard UI changes, adding convenience features such as a top-of-descent calculator, in-app simbrief flight plan viewer, and better flight statistics. There were also many performance improvements, to reduce memory usage and give more efficient operation of the software.

In addition to the update, Orbx also launched a paid addition to the service, named Volanta premium. It is emphasised by the team that this is not in any way mandatory and does not lock free users out of the core functionality of the program, but instead allows you to support Volanta’s continued development, whilst also getting some exclusive features and perks.

A few of the features included with premium include automatic autosaves, which are saved in the cloud for future reference if needed, taken at pre-chosen intervals, and easily loaded within the app.

Another nice feature included is the ability to geo-locate screenshots and tag them on the map for all to see. You are able to upload an unlimited amount of screenshots per flight, and will then always be stored for future reference, so you can go back and see that screenshot that you really liked.

It is worth mentioning that not all features are compatible with all simulators, so check the Volanta website to see a full breakdown, along with a full list of premium features.

Volanta premium can be purchased as a subscription through the app or the website for £4 per month. However, the core Volanta app is free to try out through the website.