License and Legal Information

Software License

Open Geodata API is licensed under the MIT License:

MIT License

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2025 Mirjan Ali Sha

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.

Third-Party API Services Disclaimer

Danger

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This software (“open-geodata-api”) is a wrapper library that provides access to third-party geospatial data APIs. The author(s) and contributors of this software are NOT responsible for:

1. The availability, accuracy, or reliability of third-party API services

2. Any changes to third-party API terms of service or licensing

3. Any costs, fees, or charges imposed by third-party API providers

4. Any data licensing restrictions imposed by third-party providers

5. Any service interruptions, data losses, or damages resulting from third-party services

Warning

USE AT YOUR OWN RISK: Users of this software acknowledge that they use third-party APIs at their own risk and are solely responsible for compliance with all applicable terms of service, data licensing agreements, and usage policies of the underlying API providers.

Third-Party API Licensing

This software integrates with the following third-party services. Users MUST review and comply with their respective terms of service and licensing:

Microsoft Planetary Computer

Aspect	Details
Provider	Microsoft Corporation
API License	Subject to Microsoft APIs Terms of Use
Data Licensing	Varies by dataset (often CC-BY-4.0, but check individual datasets)
Authentication	Required (free tier available)
Terms of Service	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/legal/microsoft-apis/terms-of-use
Important Note	Some datasets may have specific attribution or usage requirements

Note

Planetary Computer provides access to a vast catalog of geospatial data, but each dataset may have its own specific licensing terms. Always check individual dataset metadata for licensing requirements.

Element84 EarthSearch (AWS Open Data)

Aspect	Details
Provider	Element84 / Amazon Web Services
API License	Open access (no API key required)
Data Licensing	Varies by dataset (typically public domain or CC licenses)
Authentication	Not required for public datasets
Terms of Service	https://aws.amazon.com/opendata/terms/
Important Note	While API access is free, data usage may be subject to individual dataset licensing terms

User Responsibilities

By using this software, you acknowledge and agree that:

Legal Compliance Requirements

1. API Terms Compliance: You are responsible for reviewing and complying with all third-party API terms of service and data licensing agreements

2. Liability Disclaimer: You will not hold the authors or contributors of this software liable for any violations of third-party terms or licensing requirements

3. Service Changes: You understand that third-party API availability, performance, and terms may change without notice

4. Cost Responsibility: You are responsible for any costs or fees associated with third-party API usage

5. Data Attribution: You will properly attribute data sources as required by individual dataset licenses

6. No Warranty: You understand that this software is provided “as-is” without any guarantees of functionality, availability, or fitness for any particular purpose

Data Licensing Complexity Warning

Danger

⚠️ CRITICAL NOTICE: Geospatial data licensing can be complex and varies significantly between datasets, even within the same API service.

Common Licensing Scenarios

You may encounter various licensing scenarios:

License Type	Description & Requirements
Public Domain	No restrictions on use
Creative Commons (CC-BY)	Requires attribution to original source
Creative Commons (CC-BY-SA)	Requires attribution + share-alike licensing
Commercial Restrictions	Research/non-commercial use only
Government Restrictions	Institutional use limitations
Temporal Restrictions	Embargo periods before public access
Geographic Restrictions	Country-specific licensing terms

Warning

ALWAYS CHECK INDIVIDUAL DATASET LICENSING before using data in your projects. The APIs may provide licensing information in dataset metadata, but it is YOUR responsibility to verify and comply with these requirements.

Failure to comply with data licensing terms may result in legal consequences that are entirely your responsibility.

Commercial Use Considerations

If you plan to use this software or accessed data for commercial purposes:

Commercial Use Checklist

1. Verify API Compliance: Ensure your intended use complies with all third-party API terms

2. Check Dataset Licenses: Review individual dataset licenses for commercial use restrictions

3. Commercial Agreements: Consider whether you need commercial API agreements with providers

4. Attribution Requirements: Ensure proper data attribution and licensing compliance in your products

5. Legal Consultation: Consult with legal counsel if uncertain about licensing requirements

Recommended Best Practices

Data Access Best Practices

# Example: Check dataset licensing before use
def check_dataset_license(collection_info):
    """Always verify dataset licensing before use."""
    license_info = collection_info.get('license')
    if license_info:
        print(f"Dataset license: {license_info}")
        print("Please review licensing terms before using this data")
    else:
        print("⚠️ License information not available - verify before use")

General Best Practices

1. Review Terms Regularly: Always review API terms of service before using any third-party service

2. Check Dataset Metadata: Verify individual dataset metadata for specific licensing requirements

3. Error Handling: Implement proper error handling for API availability issues

4. Respect Caching: Cache data appropriately while respecting API terms and data licensing

5. Proper Attribution: Provide proper attribution for all data sources in your applications

6. Monitor Usage: Track API usage to avoid exceeding rate limits or quotas

7. Secure Credentials: Keep your API credentials secure and never commit them to version control

8. Stay Updated: Regularly review third-party terms for updates or changes

Support and Liability Limitation

Important

This software is provided as an open-source tool to facilitate access to geospatial APIs. The authors provide no warranty, support, or guarantees.

For Support Issues

Issue Type	Where to Get Help
Third-party API Access	Contact the respective API provider directly
Data Licensing Questions	Consult the dataset provider or legal counsel
Software Bugs	Submit issues to the project repository
Feature Requests	Submit requests to the project repository
General Usage Questions	Check the FAQ section or create a discussion

Liability Disclaimer

Danger

The authors expressly disclaim all liability for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from the use of this software or third-party services accessed through it.

Attribution Requirements

Software Attribution

When using this software in your projects, please consider citing:

Open Geodata API - Unified Python Client for Satellite Data Access
Author: Mirjan Ali Sha
GitHub: https://github.com/Mirjan-Ali-Sha/open-geodata-api
License: MIT

Data Attribution

Always provide proper attribution for the satellite data you use. Examples:

# For Sentinel-2 data via Planetary Computer:
"Sentinel-2 imagery courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey and European Space Agency,
accessed via Microsoft Planetary Computer"

# For Landsat data via EarthSearch:
"Landsat imagery courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey,
accessed via Element84 EarthSearch"

Legal Document Information

Document Info	Details
Last Updated	2025-06-22
License Version	1.0
Document Type	Software License + Third-Party Service Disclaimers
Governing Law	Subject to applicable jurisdictions and third-party terms

Note

This license document is provided for informational purposes. Users should consult with legal counsel for specific questions about licensing compliance and liability in their particular use cases.