Is It Legal to Sell Arduino Projects

Arduino is a prototyping platform using which we can solve real-world problems by combining IoT with it. Most of the time we may need to assemble hardware and convert it into a real-world machine. So, a question arises in many people’s minds whether it is legal to sell a product totally based on an Arduino microcontroller. Will now or in the future the Arduino community will sue me in court? Now we will answer the Arduino legal procedure of selling it as a project in this article.

What Are the Legal Terms to Sell Arduino as a Commercial Product

We can design an Arduino-based commercial project if it follows the following rules:

• If your circuit is based on the Arduino board, you must share the design files under a CC-BY-SA license, just like the original CAD files.
• If you create a circuit as a shield that attaches on top of an Arduino board, you own the entire circuit and are not required to release anything.
• The programs you write for Arduino are your own. If you modify the core files or libraries, you need to make those modifications available to everyone.
• You can name your product anything you want, except for using the name Arduino.
• It would be appreciated if you mentioned Powered by Arduino in your product documentation.
• There is no revenue sharing for derivative works unless you use the Arduino name (refer to Licensing for Products Based on Arduino).
• The code on an Arduino can be read in binary form after it has been programmed. You can copy and program it onto another board. However, there is a “fuse” that, when burned, makes the code unreadable but also makes it difficult to update the code on the board.

Intellectual Property Rights

If your project includes any patented or copyrighted material, you need to make sure that you have the necessary permissions to use it. This includes any code or libraries that you may have used in your project.

Open-Source Licensing

Arduino is an open-source platform, which means that the code and hardware designs are freely available for anyone to use. Arduino is open-source, but the Arduino platform doesn’t allow us to use it in whatever project. The project we design must meet the terms of the open-source license.

Commercial Use of Arduino Projects

If you’re planning on selling your Arduino project commercially, you need to make sure that you comply with any applicable laws and regulations. These regulations also include all necessary permits and licenses from the government.

For example, if you are going to sell an Arduino product related to health and services then it must meet all the certification required.

Conclusion

It is possible to sell Arduino projects legally if you comply with all applicable laws and regulations. This includes obtaining any necessary permissions and complying with open-source licensing terms. This article covers all the necessary terms and conditions required to design and sell Arduino projects commercially.