{"id":4713,"date":"2021-05-30T00:16:38","date_gmt":"2021-05-30T07:16:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/droneanalyst.com\/?p=4713"},"modified":"2022-08-12T01:48:46","modified_gmt":"2022-08-12T08:48:46","slug":"rise-of-open-source-drones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/droneanalyst.com\/2021\/05\/30\/rise-of-open-source-drones\/'","title":{"rendered":"The Rise of Open-Source Drones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Amidst Global Tensions and A Surge of New Manufacturers, Open-Source Has Risen as a Key Winner<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With much of the industry discussing the pressures on DJI, rise of Blue sUAS offerings such as the Skydio X2 and the promise of autonomous drones, there has been one consistent force driving many of these larger trends. That is the rise of drones relying on open-source technologies, and the strengthening of open-source protocols themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this analysis, we break down data and share insights into the trajectory of the open-source drone ecosystem, and explore the impacts of open-source in the coming years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Table of Contents<\/strong>\n\n<\/strong>1. What is Open Source?<\/a>\n2. Why Open Source Now?<\/a>\n3. Scale of Open-Source Commercial Drones<\/a> (updated data)<\/em>\n4. What's Next?<\/a><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
What is Open Source?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Open-source technologies are not a new element of the drone industry, with the two main open-source flight control projects \u2013 ArduPilot<\/strong><\/span><\/a> and PX4<\/strong><\/span><\/a> \u2013 being started in 2009 and 2011. These open-source projects predate the availability of cheap, ready-to-fly drones in 2013 and establishment of a legal framework for commercial drone operations in the US in 2016<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Open-source technologies broadly refer to projects with a free-use license (note these licenses are not created equal) that are openly and publicly worked on by developers. The projects of interest may cover everything from flight control software and communication protocols to battery management systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everything works around the flight control systems, with ArduPilot and PX4 reigning king among consumer and commercial imaging products. Chris Anderson and Jordi Munoz<\/span><\/a> created Ardupilot, and they also went onto creating 3D Robotics. The PX4 Autopilot traces its origins back to a team at ETH Zurich led by Lorenz Meier, who later founded Auterion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The critical difference here (besides the literal code) is the open-source licensing between the projects, each with its pros and cons. ArduPilot holds a GPLv3 license, while PX4 uses a BSD-3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There’s much to say about the differences between both licenses. However, in summary: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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GPLv3<\/strong><\/span><\/a> allows for commercial use, modifying, distributing the code, the authors cannot be held liable for damages, and the users cannot sublicense the original work or any derivatives. In addition, you need to include copies of the original software and disclose any significant changes made to the codebase (under the same license). You are also required to display copyright. Lastly, if you are distributing the software as part of a product or service, you must include the information necessary to modify and reinstall the software.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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BSD-3<\/strong><\/span><\/a> also allows for commercial use, modifying, and distributing the code or derivatives. The authors cannot be held liable for damages, and the users cannot sublicense the original work or derivatives. You can place a warranty on the licensed software. You must include the original copyright and the full text of the license. The main difference is that with BSD-3, you are not required to disclose any derivative works of the source code or include information on modifying and reinstalling the software. One crucial factor is the trademark. You cannot use the original company or its members to endorse your work unless given explicit permission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Disclaimer:<\/strong> This is only a summary and our interpretation of the full text of the licenses. No information listed here is legal advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While these two systems have their differences, they can often be used interchangeably with other open-source technologies (such as MAVLink communications protocol) even if they sit in the “opposite camp.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alongside the flight control software, the open-source community has built a variety of additional open-source technologies, a few of the more popular ones are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n