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UNICADO is the result of years of dedicated research and innovation in the field of aircraft preliminary design. Originating from a rich history of academic efforts in developing design environments, the software represents a significant evolution in how new aircraft configurations are conceived and how emerging technologies are evaluated in existing designs. While many universities globally have achieved high levels of proficiency with similar tools, their impact has often been constrained to academic circles.
The aerospace industry and large-scale research institutions have traditionally relied on tools and methodologies validated by a limited number of universities. This selective validation has created barriers to wider industry adoption, with universities often lacking the resources and scale to independently develop and qualify new design approaches to meet industry demands.
UNICADO bridges this gap by establishing a collaborative, university-based aircraft design environment that unites the expertise and resources of German universities. By consolidating disciplinary knowledge and fostering synergies, UNICADO shifts the focus of academic research and education from developing standalone tools to engaging in impactful design activities.
Developed in close collaboration with aerospace industry leaders and research institutions, UNICADO ensures its methodologies align with industry standards and are rigorously validated. This partnership enables universities to actively contribute to cutting-edge aircraft design research and positions them as competitive players alongside industry leaders.
At its core, UNICADO is more than a tool — it is a platform for collaboration, innovation, and excellence in aircraft design, driving academic and industry partnerships to new heights.
You want to get in touch with us to clarify your questions or share your feedback about UNICADO? Awesome! Feel free to write us a mail, and we'll respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.
UNICADO is distributed under the **GNU General Public License, Version 3 (GPLv3)**. This license ensures that the software remains free and open for use, distribution, and modification, fostering collaboration and innovation within the community. Below, we outline the key aspects of the GPLv3 license as it applies to UNICADO.
## Key Features of the GPLv3 License
1.**Freedom to Use:** UNICADO is free to use for any purpose, whether academic, commercial, or personal.
2.**Freedom to Modify:** You are free to access the source code of UNICADO and modify it to suit your specific needs.
3.**Freedom to Share:** Redistribution of the software, whether in its original form or modified, is permitted. If you redistribute UNICADO, you must also share the source code under the same GPLv3 license (:fontawesome-solid-arrow-right: so-called *copyleft license*).
4.**Freedom to Contribute:** Contributions and improvements to UNICADO are welcomed and encouraged, helping to strengthen the platform and expand its capabilities for the global community.
## Responsibilities Under the License
1.**Preservation of License:** Any redistributed version of UNICADO must remain under the GPLv3 license, ensuring that it stays free and open for future users. So, if you include UNICADO code in a larger program, the larger program must be under this license too.
2.**Transparency:** If you distribute a modified version of UNICADO, you are required to make the source code available to the recipients.
3.**Acknowledgment:** Retain the copyright notices and attributions in the codebase to give proper credit to the contributors.
## Why GPLv3?
The GPLv3 license aligns with UNICADO's mission to foster collaboration, transparency, and innovation in the field of aircraft preliminary design. It provides robust protections for users' freedoms while enabling an ecosystem of shared knowledge and advancements.
## Full License Text
To review the full terms and conditions of the GPLv3 license, please refer to the official documentation: [GNU General Public License, Version 3 (GPLv3)](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html)
## Get Involved
UNICADO thrives on contributions from its community. If you have questions about the license, wish to contribute, or need support with compliance, feel free to reach out via our [contact page](contact.md).
Thank you for being part of the UNICADO journey and contributing to open innovation in aerospace design! :airplane: :heart:
<ahref="https://www.ilr.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/jmql/?lidx=1"style="color: white;"> :fontawesome-solid-arrow-right: Chair and Institute of Aerospace Systems</a>
