Licensing Strategy
A guide for UK robotics founders on managing Software and Open Hardware licenses to ensure commercial viability and compliance.
Software Licenses
Robotics often relies on ROS (Robot Operating System) and various middleware. Understanding the shift from permissive to copyleft is vital for your proprietary stack.
Permissive (MIT, BSD, Apache 2.0)
Standard for most ROS packages. Allows you to use, modify, and keep your commercial adaptations private. Ideal for proprietary control loops.
Copyleft (GPL, LGPL)
Often found in Linux kernels or specific libraries. May require you to open-source your entire codebase if you link to them improperly. Handle with caution.
Open Hardware Licenses
If you are using reference designs or contributing back to the hardware community, you need to navigate the CERN and TAPR frameworks.
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01.
CERN OHL: The gold standard for European hardware. Covers the documentation, PCB layouts, and mechanical designs.
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02.
Creative Commons (CC): Useful for aesthetic enclosures or non-functional structural parts, but lacks specific protections for technical hardware logic.
The "Dual Licensing" Model
Many UK robotics firms utilise a "Core-Plus" model: keeping the core automation open-source to build community trust while licensing high-value "Skins" or "Skills" under a proprietary commercial license.
"Check your supply chain. One GPL-licensed driver in your vision system can force your entire proprietary navigation stack into the public domain."