Terms of Service

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) form a legally binding contract between you and DroConnect, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“DroConnect,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). They govern your access to and use of the DroConnect mobile application, the website at droconnect.com, and all related services (collectively, the “Service”).

By creating an account, accessing, or using the Service, you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

01What DroConnect is

DroConnect operates a two-sided marketplace that connects clients (“Clients”) with U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified commercial drone pilots (“Pilots”). Clients post jobs (“Missions”), Pilots claim Missions they're qualified for, complete the work, and upload deliverables (“Deliverables”). Clients review and approve.

DroConnect is not a drone services company. We do not operate drones, employ Pilots, or supervise the performance of any Mission. Pilots are independent contractors, not employees of DroConnect. We provide the platform that connects the parties, holds funds in escrow, and enforces marketplace rules.

02Eligibility

To use the Service, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract.
• Reside in the United States.
• Not be a person with whom U.S. persons are prohibited from doing business under applicable laws (including OFAC-sanctioned persons).

Pilots additionally must:

• Hold a current FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.
• Successfully complete identity verification via Stripe Identity.
• Maintain a Stripe Connect Express account to receive payouts.
• Own, operate, and maintain drone equipment that has been reviewed and approved by DroConnect.

03Accounts

• You are responsible for keeping your credentials secure and for all activity under your account.
• You must provide accurate, current, and complete information when creating an account.
• One person, one account. Sharing accounts, creating duplicate accounts, or impersonating another person is prohibited.
• If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us at security@droconnect.com immediately.

We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, are inactive for extended periods, or are associated with fraud or abuse.

04How Missions work

4.1 Posting a Mission (Clients)

Clients post Missions with a minimum price of $150 USD. When you post a Mission, Stripe authorizes your card for the full amount, but the funds are held in escrow. Not charged— until the Mission completes or is cancelled.

After posting, a Client may edit the Mission price upward only. Prices may not be reduced after posting.

4.2 Claiming a Mission (Pilots)

Missions are available to eligible Pilots within their service radius on a first-come, first-served basis. A Pilot who claims a Mission is assigned to it and may not be replaced except through the cancellation flow.

4.3 Performance and Deliverables

The Pilot performs the work at the scheduled time and uploads Deliverables through the app within 48 hours of flying the Mission. The Client then has a review window to:

• Approve— the Mission completes, Stripe captures the full amount, and the Pilot receives their net earnings.
• Request one revision— the Pilot has an opportunity to re-upload. Only one revision is permitted per Mission.
• Open a dispute— see Section 4.7.

4.4 Auto-approval

If the Client does not respond to a Deliverable upload within 72 hours (or 24 hours after a revision resubmission), the Mission auto-approves and the Pilot is paid.

4.5 Cancellations

4.6 No-shows

If the Pilot arrives on site and the Client cannot be reached within 30 minutes, the Pilot may report a no-show. A $50 show-up fee is transferred to the Pilot, and the remainder is refunded to the Client.

4.7 Disputes

A Client may open a dispute within 3 days after Deliverables are approved. Disputes are reviewed by DroConnect on the basis of the Mission details, Deliverables, and communications between the parties. DroConnect's dispute decisions are final. Opening frivolous or abusive disputes may result in account action.

05Pilot conduct

5.1 FAA compliance

Pilots must operate drones in accordance with FAA Part 107 and all applicable federal, state, and local laws, plus any site-specific rules. Pilots are solely responsible for airspace authorization, waivers, and compliance. DroConnect does not supervise flight operations.

5.2 Safety

Pilots must not fly over people or moving vehicles without proper FAA waivers, in restricted airspace without authorization, or in weather conditions unsafe for the aircraft being operated. Pilots must refuse Missions that cannot be performed safely and legally and cancel under Section 4.5 if necessary.

5.3 Strikes and suspensions

Pilots who accrue three (3) strikes within any rolling 30-day period are suspended from claiming new Missions for 7 days. Strikes are issued for:

• Cancelling a Mission after claiming it
• Failing to arrive at the scheduled time (Pilot no-show)
• Delivering work that materially fails to meet the Mission specification
• Other violations of these Terms

After repeated suspensions, or for safety violations, fraud, harassment, or serious breach, DroConnect may permanently remove the Pilot.

5.4 Equipment

Pilots must submit accurate information about their drones and cameras. All equipment must be reviewed and approved by DroConnect before the Pilot may claim any Mission requiring that equipment. Pilots must use only approved equipment for Missions.

06Client conduct

Clients must:

• Provide accurate addresses, site access details, and Mission scope.
• Not direct Pilots to fly in conditions that violate FAA regulations or site rules.
• Be reachable at the scheduled Mission time or respond within 30 minutes of scheduled arrival.
• Not use the Service for illegal surveillance, harassment, or any unlawful purpose.
• Pay all fees associated with a Mission as described in Section 7.

A Client who repeatedly abuses the platform (multiple frivolous disputes, chronic no-shows, posting unsafe Missions) may be suspended or permanently removed.

07Fees and payments

7.1 Fee breakdown

The Client's advertised price includes all DroConnect fees. From the total Mission price:

• 15% — DroConnect platform fee
• 3% — payment processing

The Pilot receives approximately 82% as net earnings. Pilots always see their net amount in the app, not the gross. Pilots carry their own liability insurance (see Section 7a); the platform fee does not include insurance.

7.2 Fee changes

DroConnect may change its fees with at least 30 days' advance notice. Fee changes do not affect Missions already in progress.

7.3 Payment processing

• Client payments are processed by Stripe, Inc. Use of the Service requires you to agree to the Stripe Services Agreement.
• Pilot payouts are processed by Stripe Connect Express. Pilots must accept the Stripe Connected Account Agreement to receive payouts.
• Pilot payouts are issued weekly to the bank account on file.
• All amounts are in U.S. dollars.

7.4 Taxes

Pilots are independent contractors and are solely responsible for their own tax obligations. Stripe Connect may issue IRS Form 1099-K to Pilots who exceed the applicable U.S. federal or state reporting thresholds. DroConnect does not withhold taxes from Pilot earnings.

07aInsurance — Pilot responsibility

Pilots are required to carry their own liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 in coverage in connection with every Mission flown through DroConnect. The Pilot is the named insured on the policy.

• At claim time, the Pilot acknowledges the insurance requirement and agrees to upload a valid Certificate of Insurance (COI) before taking off on the day of the Mission.
• Coverage must be active for the full duration of the Mission, underwritten by a U.S.-admitted carrier, and meet or exceed the $1,000,000 minimum.
• Hourly, monthly, and annual drone-liability plans are widely available; the Pilot is free to choose any qualifying insurer. Per- flight (hourly) policies are acceptable as long as the COI shows coverage on the day of the flight.

DroConnect does not provide insurance.The platform fee in Section 7.1 covers operations and software only. DroConnect is not an insurer, broker, or named insured on any Pilot's policy. Any incident involving property damage, bodily injury, or other loss is the responsibility of the Pilot and their carrier under the terms of their own policy.

Pilots who fly without a valid COI on file, or whose coverage lapses during a Mission, may be removed from the platform and are not eligible to claim future Missions until the requirement is restored. Clients may verify coverage status with DroConnect at claims@droconnect.com.

08Content and intellectual property

8.1 Your content

You retain ownership of the content you upload to the Service (“User Content”), including Deliverables, profile photos, Mission descriptions, and messages.

8.2 License you grant to DroConnect

You grant DroConnect a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sub-licensable license to host, store, reproduce, display, and transmit your User Content solely to operate, improve, and market the Service. This license ends when you delete the content, except (a) to the extent it has already been shared with the other party on a Mission, and (b) for backup copies retained for legal or operational purposes.

8.3 License the Pilot grants to the Client (Deliverables)

When a Client approves (or auto-approves) a Mission, the Pilot grants the Client a worldwide, non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free, sub-licensable license to use, reproduce, display, distribute, and create derivative works from the Deliverables for the Client's intended purpose as described in the Mission. Exclusive rights, work-for-hire assignments, or extended commercial licensing must be negotiated separately between the parties and are not enforced by DroConnect.

8.4 DroConnect IP

All DroConnect trademarks, logos, designs, code, and content (other than User Content) are owned by DroConnect, Inc. or its licensors. You may not copy, modify, reverse-engineer, or create derivative works from the Service except as expressly permitted.

8.5 Feedback

If you send us feedback or suggestions, we may use them without restriction or compensation to you.

09Prohibited conduct

You agree not to:

• Harass, threaten, intimidate, or abuse another user, or send messages that are hateful, sexually explicit, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable.
• Impersonate another person, misrepresent your affiliation, or create accounts using false identities or stolen credentials.
• Circumvent DroConnect by arranging to complete a Mission off-platform after it was posted on the Service.
• Reverse-engineer, scrape, crawl, or systematically extract data from the Service.
• Attempt to access accounts, systems, or data without authorization.
• Upload content that infringes intellectual property rights, is defamatory, obscene, harassing, or unlawful.
• Use the Service to conduct mass drone surveillance of individuals or private property without authorization.
• Interfere with the Service's operation (rate-limit abuse, denial-of-service, malware, forged requests).
• Use automated tools to interact with the Service except as expressly permitted by our public API (if any).
• Engage in discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

10Third-party services

The Service integrates with third parties (Stripe, Google Maps, Apple, and others listed in our Privacy Policy). Your use of those integrations may be subject to their separate terms. DroConnect is not responsible for third-party services.

11Disclaimers

DroConnect does not warrant that:

• The Service will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free.
• Pilots will be available in your area or will deliver work that meets your expectations.
• Clients will approve Deliverables on any timeline.
• Any specific outcome (quality of imagery, flight duration, weather conditions) will be achieved.

Pilots are independent contractors. DroConnect does not warrant their conduct, qualifications, or performance beyond the verification checks described in Section 2.

12Limitation of liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW:

• DroConnect's aggregate liability to you for any claim arising out of or related to these Terms or the Service is limited to the greater of (a) the fees DroConnect earned from you in the 12 months preceding the claim, or (b) one hundred U.S. dollars ($100).
• DroConnect is not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, including lost profits, lost data, personal injury, or property damage, even if DroConnect was advised of the possibility of such damages.
• DroConnect is not liable for acts or omissions of Pilots, Clients, third-party service providers, or force-majeure events.

Some jurisdictions do not allow certain exclusions; in those cases, our liability is limited to the minimum extent permitted by law.

13Binding arbitration and class-action waiver

13.1 Agreement to arbitrate

You and DroConnect agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Service, your account, or any transaction on DroConnect (each, a “Dispute”) will be resolved by binding individual arbitration rather than in court, except that (a) either party may bring a claim in small-claims court if it qualifies, and (b) either party may seek injunctive relief in court for intellectual-property infringement or unauthorized access to the Service.

13.2 Arbitration rules

Arbitration will be administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules (or, if you are using the Service commercially, its Commercial Arbitration Rules). The rules are available at adr.org. If AAA is unable to administer, the parties will agree on a substitute provider or a court will appoint one.

13.3 Venue and procedure

Arbitration will take place in Wilmington, Delaware, or remotely at your request. A single arbitrator will decide the Dispute. The arbitrator's award will be binding, final, and enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction. Each party will bear its own attorneys' fees and costs, except as otherwise required by law or awarded by the arbitrator.

13.4 Class-action and jury waiver

13.5 30-day right to opt out

You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending a written notice to legal@droconnect.com within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. Your notice must include your full name, account email, the date you accepted these Terms, and a clear statement that you are opting out of arbitration. If you opt out, Disputes will be resolved in state or federal courts located in New Castle County, Delaware (see Section 14).

13.6 Survival

This Section 13 survives termination of your account and these Terms.

14Governing law and venue

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. For any Dispute not subject to arbitration, you and DroConnect submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in New Castle County, Delaware, and waive any objection to jurisdiction or venue in those courts.

The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply.

15Termination

15.1 By you

You may terminate your account at any time by using the “Delete account” flow in-app. Deletion is effective within 30 days, subject to the retention exceptions in our Privacy Policy.

15.2 By DroConnect

We may suspend or terminate your account and access to the Service immediately, with or without notice, for (a) violation of these Terms, (b) fraud, abuse, or safety concerns, (c) extended inactivity, or (d) legal requirement.

15.3 Effect of termination

Upon termination:

• In-progress Missions will be resolved in accordance with Section 4.
• Your access to the Service ends.
• Sections that by their nature should survive termination (including Sections 7, 7a, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 16) survive.

16Indemnification

You will defend, indemnify, and hold harmless DroConnect, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claim, demand, loss, liability, damage, cost, or expense (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to (a) your use or misuse of the Service, (b) your violation of these Terms, (c) your violation of any law or third-party right, (d) your User Content, or (e) for Pilots: personal injury, property damage, FAA violations, or privacy violations arising from your performance of a Mission.

17Changes to these Terms

We may modify these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email (to the address on file) and with an in-app notice at least 30 daysbefore the changes take effect. Continued use of the Service after the effective date of a revision means you accept the revised Terms. If you do not agree to a revision, stop using the Service and delete your account before the revision's effective date.

18Miscellaneous

• Entire agreement. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and DroConnect regarding the Service and supersede any prior agreements.
• Severability. If any provision is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force. If the class-action waiver in Section 13.4 is held unenforceable as to a particular claim, that claim will be severed and pursued in court; the remainder will still be arbitrated.
• Assignment. You may not assign these Terms without our written consent. We may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or operation of law.
• No waiver. Our failure to enforce a right or provision is not a waiver of that right or provision.
• Force majeure. Neither party is liable for delay or failure caused by events beyond reasonable control (natural disaster, war, pandemic, power or internet outage, governmental action, or labor dispute).
• Notices. We may give you notice by email to the address on file or by in-app notification. You may give us notice at legal@droconnect.com.
• Export. You must not use the Service in violation of U.S. export laws or sanctions.
• Relationship of the parties. Nothing in these Terms creates any partnership, joint venture, agency, franchise, employment, or fiduciary relationship between you and DroConnect.
• Headings. Section headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

19Contact