Source: http://discuss.ardupilot.org/t/ardupilot-and-dronecode/11295
For the attention of the users, supporters, fans and corporate users of ArduPilot:
The ArduPilot project is going through a transition. We will no longer be associated with DroneCode and instead will be focused directly on the needs of our users, contributors and partners.
We had high hopes for DroneCode as a collaborative project. DroneCode was born out of the ArduPilot project and we led the technical collaboration since its inception nearly two years ago. As part of that collaboration we welcomed and nurtured close ties with the PX4 project and worked closely with a number of corporate partners.
Unfortunately DroneCode has a built-in flaw. The structure and bylaws of DroneCode are built around exceptional power for the Platinum members, giving them extraordinary control over the future of DroneCode. This is a fundamental flaw in a project meant to promote free and open source software as it means that the business interests of a very small number of members can override the interests of the rest of the members and the community.
Just how great a flaw that is has been shown by the actions of the Platinum members over the last two months. Due to their overwhelming desire to be able to make a proprietary autopilot stack the Platinum members staged what can only be called a coup. They removed all top level open source projects from DroneCode, leaving only their own nominees in the Technical Steering Committee. They passed a resolution requiring that all projects hand over control of all trademarks, accounts and domains to their control.
The PX4 project leadership decided to accept this, and will be handing over control of the PX4 project in order to remain in DroneCode. The ArduPilot project won’t be doing this, as we firmly believe that community directed development is the best way to create a long-term sustainable free software autopilot stack. That means we are not willing to hand control of our domains, trademarks and development accounts to DroneCode, and by extension to the Platinum members. We believe that giving the Platinum members that degree of control over the future of ArduPilot would be irresponsible. ArduPilot is a community project, and its future direction must be set by the community.
We did not want this outcome, and neither did the Silver members (represented by all 3 elected Dronecode board members). We wanted to continue to collaborate, but the actions of the Platinum members and the choice made by the PX4 project means that DroneCode is no longer a place where community directed collaboration is welcome.
There is one aspect of DroneCode which we will miss. It offered a forum where we could work with the many companies that use ArduPilot to help their businesses make the most of ArduPilot.
To allow us to continue to have that relationship and improve upon the flawed DroneCode model we have made the decision to accept partners to the ArduPilot project. These partners will have their logo displayed on our new homepage (unveiled today; visit us at www.ardupilot.org33) and we will work closely with them to build a strong relationship for the benefit of both their businesses and the ArduPilot project.
We will have a monthly meeting between the ArduPilot development team and partners where we will discuss the future direction of ArduPilot and work together on issues that are important to our partners.
More information on becoming an ArduPilot partner is available here:
http://ardupilot.org/partners17We also welcome individual contributions, with donations welcome from all users. The most important contributions, however, are those made by the hundreds of people in our vibrant community who have contributed code, documentation, code reviews and support for our users.
The ArduPilot development team would like to thank all our users, contributors and partners for their support, and we look forward to continuing the development of the autopilot that this community loves.
The ArduPilot Dev Team
ArduPilot.org
Comments
Correct, probably not premeditated, greed tends to creep up. My views have been tarnished from having been in an environment filled with egotistical megalomaniacs for 25yrs before escaping to a much friendlier industry. I tend to become very passionate when I see people being exploited. I'm off to Ardupilot to show my support.
Hi Darrrel and Marc,
You are most probably right, the ArduPilot developer core consists of pretty much genius class people whose fortes are invention, adaptation and implementation.
The limitations and restrictions of the so called "Real World" as spun by Chris, really won't stop them or even retard them very much.
For them this is just a thoroughly unpleasant bump in the road.
In reality they are a serious force to be reckoned with.
Fortunately, their vision is clear and intact and very well aligned with our own.
I will be very interested to see how they proceed.
Best regards,
Gary
I'm confident that Arudpilot will be better off without DroneCode. I see this as a very positive move for the project.
@Gordon I wish I could get that worked up. I seriously doubt there was any kind of pre-mediated (years long) plan to do this, even if some of us who have been around the block know that in the end it might go this way. I cannot know, but I do not think 3DR is exactly sitting pretty right now. I would say it is fairly serious effort to survive and when backs are against the wall, people do whatever they have to do. If Intel and Qualcomm (or even one of them) see value in Dronecode it will be around for a while. In relation to the resources these companies have it is pretty small beer.
The question is, what entitles you to a Platinum Membership? Financial contribution I assume. 3DR and Intel hardly belong in the same sentence. I am not being mean here, it is just true. 3DR have very little cash coming in, almost no product line, dwindling reserves, and fairly diminished human capital. That is not insider information but just obvious deduction. You do not have to look for Machiavellian plots here.
3DR may have been able to pull off the swapping of PX4 out for Ardupilot for many who just want great free firmware, but honestly no-one knows who these PX4 devs really are or what they are doing. They are not really interacting with ordinary folks or really working on flight stack improvements that I can see. I looked at Mark Charlebois public activity on github, and I assume he is the pick of the bunch (after Lorenz) and it is basically "clean up your code" comments. And very few commits for months. Just look at the first page of Andrew Tridgell github activity and really you see a different order of contribution. He has an hourly interval between activity and his commit overview page looks like Scotty's Engineering Station on Starship Enterprise with its green lights (when the Klingon's are not attacking) and every single one seems to be of a significance that I can understand and relate to the flight stack. I am moved to significantly up my month Ardupilot contribution after looking at this and I would urge others reading here to do the same. In between this he is still reading people's logs and troubleshooting.
I want to be clear, I am not in any way impugning any PX4 dev. I only mentioned Mark as Chris Anderson mentioned him as an example and I assume he chose the best one. He I am sure has plenty of things to do other than PX4 and he probably is a stellar character and a first-rate developer. I just know where i am throwing my hat in the ahem, 'forking' episode.
@ Andy Little -- I forgot who I was speaking to. Like your work. You def. do not need any tips from me!
@Ernst. What was expected, when a guy quits a high-end job
Couldn't agree more, I knew something was up back when it happened. There was just so much effort being put into getting everyone else to contribute, it reminded me of the basic principals of CEO's, surround yourself with people smarter than yourself and exploit them.
Must have been a terrible shock when everyone didn't just fall into line.
Even though I know it won't happen, I really hope Dronecode falls on its arse. Just look at all the fat-cats that prospered from causing the GFC, instead of being sacked, fined and going to jail for what was really just mass fraud.
Cleanflight is great, but I have spent quite a long time with ArduPilot and know the code quite well and it is nice to know that features are there if you want them The other great attraction is that ArduPilot is written in C++ rather than C.
I think that Ardupilot has ambitions to be more than simple and DIY. Look at iNav branch of Cleanflight. That is a is pretty active and flies planes and quads.
One of my favourite motto's is the unofficial Haskell motto. "Avoid success at all costs!" Seems apt here!
Unfortunately and maybe unconsciously, Dronecode embeds the philosphy that the richer you are, the more you matter. That is quite a way from the philosophy which appealed to me when I first looked at ArduPilot some years ago. More recently, Ardupilot did seem to be lurching towards the "high end" and away from what I originally liked about it.
Personally I want an Autopilot that works at "the human scale",DIY, simple, cheap and fun. I hope that is the direction that Ardupilot takes from now on. That is where I am heading anyway :)
@Olivier. You make a good point. What on earth did 'Forking Dronecode' actually mean. I scratched my head when I read that.
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