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3DR Solo User

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    Drone company DJI in active non-compliance of GPL (binaries released)

    in General Discussion

    Drone company DJI in active non-compliance of GPL (binaries released)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Just now, Captain Chaos said:

    GNU Public License, basically THE standard for open-source.  DJI claims to follow that standard, but apparently they are violating it.

     

    @3DR Solo User : needs more, see the guidelines.  Link to source article, quote from article, description explaining why this is relevant to us and a personal take. 

     

    *I* am the source article... I am the one that found that they are violating GPL... I revealed this via Twitter, which I linked above. 

     

    See second post above for info on WHY this matters... 

    https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html

    Drone company DJI in active non-compliance of GPL (binaries released)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    If you purchase a DJI Inspire2, DJI Spark, DJI Mavic or DJI Phantom4 series drone, please be aware there is GPL code inside:
    https://github.com/MAVProxyUser/dji_system.bin/ 
     
    Specifically Busybox, among others:

     

     

     
    You should be entitled to both redistribution of the binaries in question, as well as the accompanying source code per GPL licensing rules.  

    https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html 

     
    Quote

      

    
“GPL gives a person permission to make & redistribute copies of the program if & when that person chooses to do so”
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#CanIDemandACopy
“You can charge people a fee to get a copy from you. You can't require people to pay you when they get a copy from someone else.”
“if someone pays your fee and gets a copy, the GPL gives them the freedom to release it to the public, with or without a fee”
“The GPL says that anyone who receives a copy from you has the right to redistribute copies, modified or not.”
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#DoesTheGPLAllowNDA
“If it depends on a nonfree library to run at all, it cannot be part of a free operating system such as GNU;”
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#FSWithNFLibs
“If they form a single combined program then the main program must be released under the GPL”
You cannot incorporate GPL-covered software in a proprietary system.”
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#GPLInProprietarySystem
“you must make sure that the free and nonfree programs communicate at arms length”
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#GPLInProprietarySystem
“Can I release a modified version of a GPL-covered program in binary form only?”
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#ModifiedJustBinary
“The exception for the case where you received a written offer for source code is quite limited.”
“must be open to everyone who has a copy”
“This is a well-meaning request, but this method of providing the source doesn't really do the job.”
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#DistributingSourceIsInconvenient
“As long as you make the source and binaries available so that the users can see what's available and take what they want”
“Complete corresponding source means the source that the binaries were made from”
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#MustSourceBuildToMatchExactHashOfBinary
“If the version has been released elsewhere, then the thief probably does have the right to make copies and redistribute them under the GPL”
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#TradeSecretRelease
“If a company distributes a copy to you and claims it is a trade secret, the company has violated the GPL” 
https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.en.html#TradeSecretRelease

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    3DR Solo is NOT 'Open Source', 3DR Violating GPL licensing

    in Tech News

    Posted

    I found out today this wasn't a first either... 

     

    http://openrcforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=6952

    "3D Robotics took OpenTX, modified it, kept the name (which is forbidden by the GPL) and didn't provide the source code anywhere (again forbidden). No donation of course, even if they raised 40M$ in funding."

     

    ​Given this is two weeks old... and IRIS+ was released last year... https://github.com/3drobotics/3drtx

    3DR Solo is NOT 'Open Source', 3DR Violating GPL licensing

    in Tech News

    Posted

    I encourage all of you to request a copy of the GPL source code as required by the 3drobotics "Open Source" licensing. You will find that unfortunately 3DR staff is unable to abide by their open source commitments. Solo is hardly "Open for Development". As a developer I am finding that I am unable to navigate the open source parts of Solo as 3drobotics will not make them fully available. 

     
    As a founding member of Drone Code Foundation I find this to be disgusting. http://3drobotics.com/3dr-announces-launch-dronecode-foundation/ “Dronecode will allow companies to participate in UAV development in a more formal way,” wrote 3DR CEO Chris Anderson.
     
    There has been a bit of hand waving to make it *appear* as if they are Open Source, but they have not actually been able to comply by the standards of open source software. http://3drobotics.com/open-source-policy/
     
    As it stands now, at the very least 3drobotics is violating GPL (likely a few other licenses as well). http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-violation.html The "SoloLink" computers are using Yocto linux and gstreamer components that have not been properly shared back to the community. 
    CJqO9UVUwAA6601.png
     
    Upon my initial request for the GPL Open Source I was told: "Unfortunately the SOLO is not open source, so we cant provide you with any information""
    CIL59xHVAAA_vwg.png
     
    Despite the initial response I was eventually subsequently told (via Facebook) that all parts of the system (including the root password) were indeed open and on github or the 3dr website. As a quick test to validate that was wrong, I tried once again to hunt for the root password in the place it is said to reside by 3dr staff: https://github.com/3drobotics/ardupilot-solo/
     
    "published in our open source page on our website"
    CJp6fC8UwAAtg64.png
     
    Oh really? I am not seeing it. Why should I have to email you for it!? 
    CKCcqNIUEAAka4l.png
     
    Until recently (after I complained) the email "open-source" address bounced because it was non existant... 
    CJp6fLuUMAAEcSC.png
     
    Dually noted is the fact that the 3DRBUS is not documented publicly *yet* (short of to a few folks on a private Facebook group) http://3drobotics.com/solo-open-development/  They say 3DRBUS is there "...so that kickstarter projects, academics and businesses can easily integrate their own hardware", yet no one knows how to connect to it? #SeemsLegit. Why was I *sold* on this feature of the platform when it was not even ready for public consumption in a *supported* fashion? The only source of info is on a "mods" site on Facebook that warns you may likely void your warranty by using the information contained within. 
     
    This image was shared with the Solo Caviar Club on Facebook. 
    CIrfTAKW8AASC_d.jpg
     
    GPL violations should be taken seriously. Some people do care, "Open Source" IS more than a sales pitch. 
     
    Several folks do this properly, there is no reason 3DR can't. 
     
    For example, you can go to Sony's web site and download all of the GPL-licensed code for their products. Way to go! http://oss.sony.net/Products/Linux/common/search.html
     
    Please hold 3drobotics accountable for properly open sourcing the components on this page:
     
    Anything listed as GPL you should be able to request a .tar.gz file be distributed to you via email, FTP, or physical cd, etc. You may be charged for distribution, but 3dr MUST provide the open source to you, or they are in violation of the GPL. 
     
    "Please contact us at [email protected]<script cf-hash='f9e31' type="text/javascript"> /* */</script> for any additional information on accessing source code for any open source components in any of our products."
    ^---- Try it some time... I dare ya. You won't get very far!
     
    Given that 3DR is using Yocto linux on the SoloLink, I suggest they read this: 
    "Binaries Considered Dangerous"
     
    3dr, your actions violate the GPL license agreement. Fix it! Fix it fast! 
     
    Remember the terms of the GPL: any time you redistribute binary code licensed with any version of the GPL, you also need to redistribute all of the sources which are affected by the GPL as well as the build scripts.
     
    "There are murmurs that the SoloLink will be open sourced but it's 100% confirmed nor is a timeline clear yet.” - http://diydrones.com/xn/detail/705844:Comment:2027186
    ^---- this is unacceptable from a GPL standpoint. 
     
    (the irony!) Consider using the Yocto project, as Beth Flanagan has been adding a number of features to Yocto to help with GPL compliance. https://lwn.net/Articles/598371/
     
    This would also make for some good reading for 3DR 
    A Practical Guide to GPL Compliance
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