We proudly support academic research and the advancement of imaging science by providing a full-featured version of Dragonfly 3D World free-of-charge* under our FreeD license.
FreeD Licenses are granted free-of-charge to qualified researchers, academics, and non-commercial developers for non-profit research or development purposes. Non-commercial licenses are valid for a one-year period and can be renewed annually at no charge.
FreeD Licensing FAQs
What is the FreeD licensing?
Dragonfly is proud to fuel scientific research by granting free-of-charge licenses to academic users using Dragonfly 3D World for knowledge generation, advancing science and publishing in open literature. Free D licenses are valid for a one-year period and can be renewed annually at no charge*. Please note that Government Institutions do not qualify for our free licensing policy.
By using the FreeD license, you agree to abide by the terms outlined in the Dragonfly FreeD Agreement. When presenting any content, visualizations, or materials created using our software, you are required to visibly display our brand and attribution in a clear and prominent location. Failure to comply with this guideline may result in the revocation of your license. Refer to How to Cite Dragonfly for information about citing Dragonfly in your publication.
Examples of use include:
- Research conducted within an educational institution, without any intent on seeking any commercial advantage or financial gain. Activities within an educational institution that are funded by commercial sponsors or public / private sponsorships require a commercial license.
- Use of our software within an academic setting for course study, research, training, and instructional purposes. This includes universities in which tuition fees are charged.
- Preparation of material for any publication such as academic papers, conferences, and books are considered to be non-commercial activities. You should note that the publication of results obtained with Dragonfly's products should include an appropriate citation. See how to cite Dragonfly for more information.
- Activities that indirectly generate revenue — such as clips posted on YouTube or Vimeo — are considered to be non-commercial activities. However, the creation of content that a viewer must pay to access is not.
- Developers can use our software for non-revenue generating personal activities, for experimentation, or for self-training purposes. These activities can include developing new plug-ins and functionality, facilitating teamwork in non-profit academic development labs or in non-commercial group projects. Use of Dragonfly's products for any commercial undertaking, such as selling apps, requires a commercial license.
Examples of commercial use include:
- Use of our software within a commercial enterprise, whether for research purposes, product development, manufacturing, or inspection, if those activities are directly related to regular work activities or to generate revenue, profit, or any other advantage.
- Use for private research projects or projects subject to government regulation requires a commercial license.
- Use of Dragonfly's products to generate or develop educational materials or resources which will be sold in exchange for a fee.
- Use by non-profit organizations to support activities that are intended toward securing a commercial advantage or the generation of revenue, monetary compensation, or other advantage requires a commercial license.
- Use of Dragonfly's products (or any related materials or resources) within a non-academic textbook, journal, or other publication, whether the material is distributed for a fee or not, falls under commercial use.
*Some territorial restrictions apply: Comet Technologies Canada Inc. does not offer free FreeD licenses in countries in which Comet Technologies Canada Inc. products are distributed by local agencies. These countries include Japan, South Korea, Mainland China, and Taiwan. Find a local distributor of Comet Technologies Canada Inc products in your area.
How to request a FreeD license?
Follow the steps below to request a FreeD license:
- Download and install a trial version of Dragonfly 3D World (Get Dragonfly).
- On the menu bar within Dragonfly 3D World choose
Help > Request Non-Commercial License
You are redirected to the Dragonfly User Survey webpage - Enter your credentials, attach a photo of the ID issued by your institution or organization, and then complete the survey.
- By completing the Dragonfly User Survey you submit the request.
- Our team will review the information provided in the submitted survey. If approved, your requested license key will be sent to the submitted email.
How to Cite Dragonfly?
When using Dragonfly 3D World in your research, you should cite it as a reference or text citation in your publication.
Citations should contain the name of the software product used, the version number of the software, as well as an indication of ownership. Please note that software citation is an evolving area and some publishers may issue their own guidelines.
Example reference:
Dragonfly 2024.1 [Computer software]. Comet Technologies Canada Inc., Montreal, Canada; software available at https://dragonfly.comet.tech/
Example text reference:
The [data analysis, images] for this paper was generated using Dragonfly software, Version 2024.1 for [Windows]. Comet Technologies Canada Inc., Montreal, Canada; software available at https://dragonfly.comet.tech/.
You may also provide additional details, if applicable. This information could include specific modules, sub-routines, scripts, parameters, or workflows used.
When presenting any content, visualizations, or materials created using our software, you are required to visibly display our brand and attribution in a clear and prominent location.
How do I get support?
No direct support is included with the FreeD License. However, all users are welcome to sign up to Dragonfly Social. Our online platform designed to connect the user community - here is where you can share tips, ask questions, and troubleshoot together.
If you need additional help, you can upgrade to the paid Dragonfly Maintenance and Support Plan at any time. It would give you 2 hours of email/phone support and product upgrades.
Dragonfly FreeD Agreement
Full Agreement
The terms of this License form a binding agreement between individual users or organizations ("Licensee", "you" or "your") and Comet Technologies Canada Inc. ("Company", "Licensor", "we", "our" or "us") regarding your non-commercial use of Dragonfly ("Software", "Program", or "Application"). Dragonfly is a visualization and analysis application designed for researchers and engineers in the fields of materials and life sciences, geoscience, manufacturing, and industrial inspection that includes its source code, installers, services, language files, and associated documentation.
This Agreement covers your permitted download, installation, and use of the Company's licensed materials and the Dragonfly software. BY "INSTALLING" THE SOFTWARE YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOU HAVE READ ALL OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT, UNDERSTAND THEM, AND AGREE TO BE LEGALLY BOUND BY THEM. If you do not agree with the terms of this Agreement, you may not install the Software or use the Company's licensed materials.
SCOPE
- This Agreement describes the licensing of the Software provided to you on a non-commercial basis.
- If you plan to use Dragonfly on a commercial basis, you must separately purchase a commercial-use license.
GENERAL
A non-exclusive, non-transferable, license is granted to you free-of-charge for a period of one (1) year to install and use one (1) copy of the Software for academic and non-profit research purposes. You may not network the Software or otherwise install it or use it on more than one computer at a time. Use of the Software under this license is restricted to non-commercial purposes only.
PERMITTED USE
You agree to use the Software, and any modifications, improvements, or derivatives of the Software that you may create (collectively, "Improvements") solely for internal, non-commercial purposes and shall not distribute or transfer the Software or Improvements to any person or third parties, without prior written permission from the Company. The term "non-commercial", as used in this License, means academic or other scholarly research which; (a) is not undertaken for profit; or (b) is not intended to produce works, services, or data for commercial use; or (c) is neither conducted, nor funded, by a person or an entity engaged in the commercial use, application or exploitation of works similar to the Software.
RESTRICTIONS
You are specifically prohibited from:
- Transferring, assigning, sublicensing, or renting the Software or using it in any type of outsourcing environment where the functionality of the Software is provided to a third party.
- Causing or permitting the reverse engineering, decompiling, disassembly, or translation of the Software to create a functional equivalent.
- The Software is licensed to you as a single product. Its component parts may not be separated for use on more than one computer.
- Evaluating or using, or facilitating the evaluation of use, of the Software for the purpose of competing with the Company.
PROPRIETARY RIGHTS
The Software is licensed, not sold. Your license confers no title or ownership of the Software.
The Software, workflow processes, user interface, designs, know-how, and other technologies provided by the Company as part of the Software are the proprietary property of the Company and its licensors, and all right, title, and interest in and to such items, including all associated intellectual property rights, remain only with the Company and its licensors. The Software is protected by applicable copyright and other intellectual property laws. You may not remove any product identification, copyright, trademark, or other notice from the Software.
You agree that any Improvements made by the Licensee shall be subject to the same terms and conditions as the Software. You agree not to assert a claim of infringement in Licensee copyrights in Improvements in the event the Company prepares substantially similar modifications or derivative works.
If you receive a request to furnish all or any portion of the Software to a third party, the Licensee will not fulfill such a request, but will refer the third party to the Company so that the third party's use of the Software will be subject to the terms and conditions of this License.
ATTRIBUTION COMPLIANCE
You agree that any publication of results obtained with the Software shall be acknowledged by an appropriate citation. All visualizations created using Dragonfly 3D World under the FreeD License must include a visible attribution stating “Visualized with Dragonfly” This attribution must be prominently displayed on or near the visualization in a legible and unaltered format. Failure to include this attribution may result in a violation of the license terms and could lead to the revocation of the license. Exceptions or modifications to this requirement may only be granted with prior written consent from Comet Technologies Canada Inc.
Refer to How to Cite Dragonfly from FAQs for information about citing Dragonfly in your publication.
NO MAINTENANCE OR SUPPORT
The Software and all related materials and resources are licensed to you without any offer or promise to; (a) provide maintenance or support for the Software; (b) notify you of bug fixes, patches, or upgrades to the Software (if any). If in its sole discretion, the Company makes a bug fix, patch, or upgrade available to you and does not separately enter into a written license agreement with you relating to such a bug fix, patch, or upgrade, then it shall be deemed incorporated into the Software and subject to this agreement.
Please note that a maintenance plan, which provides support services and other advantages, can be purchased for non-commercial licenses. Learn more about our Maintenance Plans.
DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES
THE SOFTWARE IS SUPPLIED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. ORS AND ITS LICENSORS; (a) DISCLAIM ANY WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT; (b) DO NOT ASSUME ANY LEGAL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR USEFULNESS OF THE SOFTWARE; (c) DO NOT REPRESENT THAT USE OF THE SOFTWARE WOULD NOT INFRINGE PRIVATELY OWNED RIGHTS; (d) DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE SOFTWARE WILL FUNCTION UNINTERRUPTED, THAT IT IS ERROR-FREE OR THAT ANY ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED.
LIMITATION OF LIABILIITY
IN NO EVENT WILL THE COMPANY OR ITS LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OF ANY KIND OR NATURE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS OR LOSS OF DATA, FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER, WHETHER SUCH LIABILITY IS ASSERTED ON THE BASIS OF CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR STRICT LIABILITY), OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF ORS HAS BEEN WARNED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH LOSS OR DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COMPANY'S LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES ARISING FROM OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT EXCEED THE AMOUNT PAID BY YOU FOR THE SOFTWARE.
TERMINATION
Either party may terminate this agreement immediately upon material breach of the other party. Upon termination of this agreement, you must discontinue all use of the Software, de-install, and destroy the original and all copies, full or partial, of the Software, including any modifications or derivative works and documentation. Upon request from the Company, users will provide written certification of such compliance.
ENFORCEABILITY
If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable under any applicable statute or rule of law, it is to that extent deemed omitted from the License. Such an omission will not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of the License, which will remain in full force and effect.
This agreement may only be amended, altered, or modified by an instrument in writing, specifying such amendment, alteration, or modification, executed by both parties.
AUDIT
Licensees shall keep all necessary records for the purpose of determining compliance with their obligations under this agreement. The Company or its representatives shall have the right to audit, by prior appointment, relevant records and accounts that may contain information regarding the Licensee's exercise of their rights and the performance of their obligations under this Agreement. Any information so revealed to the Company shall be kept in confidence and used solely for the purpose of verifying compliance with this Agreement. The rights and obligations of this section shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement.
DELIVERY OF THE SOFTWARE
The Software will be delivered to the Licensee by means of an Internet download. Installation of the Software is the responsibility of the Licensee.
*Comet Technologies Canada Inc. reserves the right to revoke all non-commercial licensing privileges.
The FreeD License is designed to support non-commercial education, research, and innovation in academic, non-profit, and public-serving contexts. It is free for use by universities, non-profit research institutions, museums, and healthcare providers. Use by governmental organizations or for commercial purposes requires a paid licensing agreement.
Comet Technologies Canada Inc. does not offer free-of-charge licenses in countries in which Comet Technologies Canada Inc. products are distributed by local agencies. These countries include Japan, South Korea, Mainland China, and Taiwan.
Header image: Retina cell segmented with deep learning. Data courtesy of Christopher Bleck, NIH.