The DroneiD® brand is for sale
COMPRISING
- European & UK Trade Marks
- 109 Web Domains
- Copyright of logotypes/emblems + original design files
Bids can be submitted until midnight BST on 1st June 2026*
*Bidding is subject to the Terms & Conditions on this website
Overview
Terminology
- UAV: Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
- UTM: Unmanned Traffic Management
- DaaS: Drone-as-a-Service
Introduction
The UAV industry has reached a critical inflection point, where the transition from a novel technology to a regulated utility is governed by a singular, foundational requirement: identification.
The brand “DroneiD”, encompassing a strategic portfolio of European and UK Trade Marks and high-tier domains, sits at the nexus of this regulatory shift.
Landscape
As regulatory bodies – including the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) – enforce mandatory identification protocols, the top players in the UAV space have developed robust technologies to meet the requirements of the new regulatory framework.
However, these companies are often handicapped by inferior web domains, and use technical or descriptive names for their products and services, which do not have the same market resonance or search authority as “DroneiD”.
The industry currently lacks a category-defining brand name.
Market Value
The European Class 35 Trade Marks are particularly valuable in the current market, as the most lucrative segment of the UAV industry is shifting away from hardware towards Drone-as-a-Service and data-centric ecosystems, where identification data is brokered between operators, air traffic controllers and security agencies.
In addition to the Trade Marks, in an industry where search volume is now driven by mandatory compliance, owning the primary DroneiD European and UK domains, as well as the 60-strong global top-level domain list, creates a “defensive moat” and provides the portfolio owner with an enormous advantage in organic traffic and brand authority.
Summary
In emerging technology markets, terminology often dictates market share – the entity that defines the language of the sector typically captures the value of that sector.
As the skies become “digitally visible”, the entity that owns the most intuitive name for that visibility will become the central gatekeeper of the industry.
The Class 35 Trade Marks and associated web domains are the legal foundation for that gatekeeper role, making this a high-priority acquisition for any serious player in the UAV, UTM and DaaS sectors.
The sale of the DroneiD portfolio therefore represents a rare “Category King” brand opportunity in a multi-billion pound mandatory market.
Bidding is subject to the Terms & Conditions on this website.
Asset Group 1
1.1 EASA Member State Trade Marks
European Union
(27 EU Member States)
DroneiD
|
Trade Mark Type
|
Trade Mark Class
|
WIPO Registration Number
|
Renewal Date
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Word Mark
|
35
|
29/11/2031
|
Note: Word marks include protection against the use of similar words.
Iceland
DroneiD
|
Trade Mark Type
|
Trade Mark Classes
|
WIPO Registration Number
|
Renewal Date
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Word Mark
|
16 • 35
|
29/11/2031
|
Note: Word marks include protection against the use of similar words.
Norway
DroneiD
|
Trade Mark Type
|
Trade Mark Classes
|
WIPO Registration Number
|
Renewal Date
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Word Mark
|
9 • 16 • 35 • 42 • 45
|
29/11/2031
|
Note: Word marks include protection against the use of similar words.
1.2 EASA Member State Web Domains
All domains listed are European country code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs)
|
Country
|
Domain Name
|
Trade Mark Link
|
|---|---|---|
|
Austria
|
droneid.at
|
|
|
Belgium
|
droneid.be
|
|
|
Bulgaria
|
droneid.bg
|
|
|
Croatia
|
droneid.hr
|
|
|
Cyprus
|
droneid.cy
|
|
|
Czechia
|
droneid.cz
|
|
|
Denmark
|
droneid.dk
|
|
|
Estonia
|
droneid.ee
|
|
|
Finland
|
droneid.fi
|
|
|
France
|
droneid.fr
|
|
|
Greece
|
droneid.gr
|
|
|
Hungary
|
droneid.hu
|
|
|
Iceland
|
droneid.is
|
|
|
Ireland
|
droneid.ie
|
|
|
Italy
|
droneid.it
|
|
|
Latvia
|
droneid.lv
|
|
|
Liechtenstein
|
droneid.li
|
|
|
Lithuania
|
droneid.lt
|
|
|
Luxembourg
|
droneid.lu
|
|
|
Malta
|
droneid.mt
|
|
|
Netherlands
|
droneid.nl
|
|
|
Norway
|
droneid.no
|
|
|
Poland
|
droneid.pl
|
|
|
Portugal
|
droneid.pt
|
|
|
Romania
|
droneid.ro
|
|
|
Slovakia
|
droneid.sk
|
|
|
Slovenia
|
droneid.si
|
|
|
Spain
|
droneid.es
|
|
|
Sweden
|
droneid.se
|
|
|
Switzerland
|
droneid.ch
|
|
Notes on Asset Group 1
What is the most significant value of Asset Group 1?
The most significant value of Asset Group 1 is in the EU Word Mark, which protects the word “DroneiD” (or similar) in Class 35 in 27 EU Member States.
The exact wording from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) reads:
Class 35: “Administrative services; business assistance; management and administration services; administrative services relating to the users of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); administrative services relating to the registration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and their users.”
In addition to the EU Word Mark, the Word Marks registered independently in Iceland (Classes 16, 35) and Norway (Classes 9, 16, 35, 42, 45) further increase the overall value of the portfolio as additional EASA Member States.
The second significant value of Asset Group 2 is in the direct links between 28 of the 30 country code Top-Level Domains and the Word Marks.
In the case of a Word Mark being identical to a country code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD), both the value of the domain and the value of the Word Mark increase in relation to each other.
What is EASA and why is it relevant to DroneiD?
EASA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, is the EU’s central body for ensuring standards of civil aviation safety across Europe. EASA Member States include the 27 EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland (31 countries).
These 31 countries have adopted EASA’s cross-border protocol for the registration of drone users – drone users are only required to register in one EASA Member State (most commonly their country of residence) and may use the same registration details in other EASA Member States.
The DroneiD portfolio includes the Word Mark “DroneiD” in 29 of the 31 EASA Member States, which protects the word “DroneiD” (or similar) in Class 35. In addition, the DroneiD portfolio includes 30 country code Top-Level Domains for the associated EASA Member States (see full list above).
The European assets in the DroneiD portfolio were strategically developed to synchronise with EASA Member States, and represent a unique opportunity to capitalise on the full potential of the DroneiD brand across Europe.
Asset Group 2
2.1 UK Trade Marks
DroneiD
|
Trade Mark Type
|
Trade Mark Classes
|
Registration Number
|
Renewal Date
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Word Mark
|
9 • 16 • 35 • 42 • 45
|
14/05/2030
|
Note: Word marks include protection against the use of similar words.
|
Trade Mark Type
|
Trade Mark Classes
|
Registration Number
|
Renewal Date
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Series of 2 Figurative Marks (monochrome)
|
9 • 16 • 35 • 42 • 45
|
11/03/2030
|
|
Trade Mark Type
|
Trade Mark Class
|
Registration Number
|
Renewal Date
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Series of 2 Figurative Marks (colour)
|
35
|
03/03/2030
|
2.2 Logotypes & Emblems
Copyright and original design files
2.3 UK Web Domains
ccTLD: country code Top-Level Domain
geoTLD: geographic Top-Level Domain
SLD: Second-Level Domain
|
Domain Name
|
Domain Type
|
Trade Mark Link
|
|---|---|---|
|
droneid.uk
|
ccTLD
|
|
|
droneid.co.uk
|
ccTLD*
|
|
|
droneid.org.uk
|
SLD
|
|
|
droneid.cymru
|
geoTLD
|
|
|
droneid.wales
|
geoTLD
|
|
|
droneid.scot
|
geoTLD
|
|
|
drone-id.uk
|
ccTLD
|
|
|
drone-id.co.uk
|
ccTLD*
|
|
|
drone-id.org.uk
|
SLD
|
|
|
droneidcard.uk
|
ccTLD
|
|
|
droneidcard.org.uk
|
SLD
|
|
|
droneidcards.uk
|
ccTLD
|
|
|
droneidcards.co.uk
|
ccTLD*
|
|
|
thedroneid.uk
|
ccTLD
|
|
|
thedroneid.co.uk
|
ccTLD*
|
|
|
thedroneid.org.uk
|
SLD
|
|
|
thedroneidcard.uk
|
ccTLD
|
|
|
dronesid.uk
|
ccTLD
|
|
*Although .co.uk technically qualifies as a Second-Level Domain extension by today’s internet standards, it is still regarded as a Top-Level Domain extension in the UK, due to its longstanding use by UK businesses before the shorter .uk extension was made available in 2014.
Notes on Asset Group 2
What is the most significant value of Asset Group 2?
The most significant value of Asset Group 2 may be in the Word Mark, which may protect the word “DroneiD” (or similar) in Classes 9, 16, 35, 42, and 45.
The exact wording from the UK Intellectual Property Office reads:
Class 9: “Coded identification cards and labels; cards and labels with integrated radio frequency identification (RFID) (active and passive); encoded identification labels and cards; machine readable identification labels and cards; electronic and magnetic cards.”
Class 16: “Printed matter; adhesive printed labels; printed labels not of textiles; printed stationery.”
Class 35: “Administrative services; business assistance; management and administration services; administrative services relating to the users of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); administrative services relating to the registration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and their users.”
Class 42: “Authentication services; user authentication services.”
Class 45: “Identification verification services; providing authentication of personal identification information.”
Click here to view all 5 Trade Mark classes on the UK Intellectual Property Office website.
Note: Although the UK Trade Marks are now outside the 5 year “non-use” threshold, and therefore of lower value than the European Trade Marks, use of the brand by a competitor would be unpalatable due to the “defensive moat” created by the 18 UK web domains.
A prospective buyer may therefore feel that the most significant value of Asset Group 2 is in the UK domain portfolio, rather than the Trade Marks.
Asset Group 3
3.1 Global Top-Level Domains
Listed in alphabetical order
|
Domain Name
|
|---|
|
drone-id.biz
|
|
drone-id.com
|
|
drone-id.info
|
|
drone-id.org
|
|
droneid.academy
|
|
droneid.agency
|
|
droneid.ai
|
|
droneid.app
|
|
droneid.biz
|
|
droneid.blog
|
|
droneid.cloud
|
|
droneid.club
|
|
droneid.co
|
|
droneid.codes
|
|
droneid.company
|
|
droneid.digital
|
|
droneid.directory
|
|
droneid.global
|
|
droneid.group
|
|
droneid.info
|
|
droneid.io
|
|
droneid.link
|
|
droneid.live
|
|
droneid.ltd
|
|
droneid.me
|
|
droneid.media
|
|
droneid.mobi
|
|
droneid.net
|
|
droneid.network
|
|
droneid.online
|
|
droneid.org
|
|
droneid.pro
|
|
droneid.services
|
|
droneid.shop
|
|
droneid.site
|
|
droneid.social
|
|
droneid.software
|
|
droneid.solutions
|
|
droneid.store
|
|
droneid.systems
|
|
droneid.tech
|
|
droneid.technology
|
|
droneid.tv
|
|
droneid.video
|
|
droneid.website
|
|
droneid.world
|
|
droneid.xyz
|
|
droneidacademy.com
|
|
droneidcard.com
|
|
droneidcards.com
|
|
dronesid.com
|
|
dronesid.info
|
|
dronesid.net
|
|
dronesid.org
|
|
thedroneid.com
|
|
thedroneid.net
|
|
thedroneid.org
|
|
thedroneidcard.co
|
|
thedroneidcard.net
|
|
thedroneidcard.org
|
3.2 New Zealand ccTLD
|
Country
|
Domain Name
|
|---|---|
|
New Zealand
|
droneid.nz
|
Notes on Asset Group 3
What is the most significant value of Asset Group 3?
The most significant value of Asset Group 3 is in the substantial brand protection afforded by the critical mass of 60 Top-Level Domains, providing a “defensive moat” which renders the brand (and word) “DroneiD” inaccessible by potential competitors worldwide.
The other significant value of Asset Group 3 is in the wide range of Top-Level Domains that can be chosen as the key domain, depending on the business use case.
What about the droneid.com domain?
In early 2020 the Seller attempted to purchase the droneid.com domain.
The Seller engaged the services of domain broker, Com Laude, to approach the then owner, David Johnson of Virtualtopia Ltd in New Zealand, who had owned the domain for 8 years since registering it in July 2012.
Mr Johnson responded with an asking price of NZD 300,000 (approximately £150,000 GBP at average 2020 exchange rates). Com Laude replied to Mr Johnson with a counter offer, but negotiations ceased.
By the middle of 2020 Mr Johnson had sold the domain to US e-commerce company, Parts iD, Inc, USA. Parts iD, Inc is a group of eight brands: carid.com; boatid.com; powersportsid.com; motorcycleid.com; camperid.com; recreationid.com; truckid.com; toolsid.com. All their domains are e-commerce sites selling parts and accessories related to a particular sector.
In December 2023 Parts iD, Inc filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It was delisted from the NYSE and acquired by Fifth Star, Inc in 2024. Parts iD, Inc was rebranded to ID Auto, Inc in 2024. Fifth Star, Inc remains the current owner of ID Auto, Inc and the droneid.com domain.
It is unclear why the ID Auto group uses the term ‘id’ at the end of their domains, as none of their brands appear to offer any products or services related to identification. The assumption is that parts and accessories in a particular sector (automotive parts, for example) can be easily identified on their sites.
As of February 2026 droneid.com remains a single-page landing site with links that bounce to a 404 error page on the main recreationid.com website. Despite the header “The most complete drone shop”, the droneid.com website does not appear to be in use, other than as a holding/landing page.
ID Auto, Inc’s interests appear to be specifically related to the sale of new and used parts and accessories, primarily to the US market. They are not expected to offer any identification products or services, and particularly not for the European or UK markets.
This being the case, although securing the droneid.com domain within the DroneiD portfolio would have been the ideal outcome, the fact that the domain is owned by a US company operating outside the scope of the European and UK Trade Marks, and not in any way related to products or services relating to the identification space, is the next best outcome.
Further to the above, the name change from Parts iD, Inc to ID Auto, Inc may signify that Fifth Star, Inc is restructuring the company to focus on automotive parts, and may decide not to launch an active e-commerce site on the droneid.com domain. It is therefore possible that the droneid.com domain may be considered by the current owners as a potential liquidation asset.
Prospective buyers of the DroneiD portfolio may therefore wish to approach Fifth Star, Inc for more information on the above.
Additional Information
Is there a minimum starting bid?
No, there is no minimum starting bid.
However, prospective buyers are advised to bear in mind that the key players in the UAV, UTM and DaaS space are well-funded and have the capital to place defensive bids in a range commensurate with the benefits of acquiring and leveraging the DroneiD brand.
With the above in mind, frivolous bids (nominal bids at an inappropriate level for an auction of this type) may be cancelled at the Seller’s discretion.
Is there a guide price?
No, there is no guide price, as opinion on the value of an intellectual property portfolio can vary greatly from one prospective buyer to the next, due to the perceived value largely depending on how beneficial the Portfolio may be to each prospective buyer.
It is therefore up to each prospective buyer to value the DroneiD Portfolio based on their own specific use case.
Is there a reserve price?
Yes. The reserve price is confidential.
The auction effectively uses a “blind” or “sealed-bid” format up to the reserve price.
Once a bid has been validated which meets or exceeds the reserve price, the Auction Status panel (below) will show that the reserve price has been met, and the Current Highest Bid and Next Minimum Bid will be visible.
Is there a "Buy It Now" price?
No, there is no “Buy It Now” price. However, the Seller is open to genuine offers and reserves the right to end the auction early if a legitimate offer is made that the Seller considers acceptable.
Can any of the assets be split for purchase separately?
No. The DroneiD Portfolio is only available for sale in its entirety, comprising all related Trade Marks, web domains and copyright.
Is VAT payable on the sale?
If the Buyer is based in the UK, they will be obliged to pay 20% VAT on the agreed sale price.
If the Buyer is based outside the UK, they will be exempt from paying UK VAT.
Bids should be submitted for the net amount, exclusive of any applicable VAT.
Are there any additional costs involved?
Bid validation cost
After you submit a bid for the first time, the Seller will review the details you have provided, and if satisfied that your bid is genuine and made in good faith you will receive an email with an invoice attached for the sum of £250 (+ VAT if applicable), payable within 48 hours of the invoice email send time.
This nominal sum will be used to carry out due diligence checks and validate your bid. This process is only required for your first bid.
Legal costs
The Seller’s legal counsel has advised that the legal fees for drafting the IP Assignment Agreement will be approximately £1,500–£2,000 + VAT, the cost to be borne by the Buyer.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the legal arrangements, please see “Who is managing the legal arrangements?” below.
If the Buyer chooses to engage their own legal counsel at any point, all costs will be borne by the Buyer in their entirety. The Seller will not make any payment towards the cost of the Buyer’s legal fees.
Funds transfer costs
The Seller’s escrow provider has advised that the fees for onboarding both parties, carrying out KYC/AML checks, drafting the Escrow Agreement, and the receipt, holding and release of funds will be approximately £5,000–£7,000 + VAT, the cost to be borne by the Buyer.
Any bank charges and currency conversion charges (if applicable) will be borne by the Buyer.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the escrow arrangements, please see “Who is managing the escrow arrangements?” below.
Web domains transfer costs
The most cost-effective method of transferring web domains is for the Buyer to open accounts with the same domain registrars as used by the Seller, and for the Seller to “push-transfer” domains to the Buyer’s accounts. This method is most commonly free of charge.
Further to the above, any costs charged by the Buyer’s web domain registrars to transfer in web domains will be borne by the Buyer.
Trade Marks change of ownership costs
The cost to change the ownership of the UK Trade Marks on the UK Intellectual Property Office register is £60 (from 1st April 2026), the cost to be borne by the Buyer.
The cost to change the ownership of the international Trade Marks (EU, Iceland, Norway) is 177 Swiss francs (approximately £170 GBP), the cost to be borne by the Buyer.
Summary of additional costs
With the above costs in mind, please be advised that if at the Auction End Time you have submitted the highest validated bid over the reserve price, you will be required to pay “Advance Costs” of £10,000 (+ VAT if applicable) – the funds to be used for drafting of the IP Assignment Agreement, Escrow Agreement and other costs as stated above.
If the additional costs are lower than £10,000 (+ VAT if applicable) the difference will be deducted from your total payment.
How do I submit a bid?
Submitting a bid
Bids can be submitted using the Bidding Form below until midnight (00:00:00) British Summer Time (BST) on 1st June 2026, unless the auction is ended early or extended in accordance with the Terms & Conditions on this website.
All bids are to be submitted for the net amount, exclusive of any applicable VAT.
Immediately after submitting a bid using the Bidding Form, you will receive an automatic email to the email address you provided, to notify you that your bid was submitted successfully.
If you do not receive the bid submission email, please check your junk/spam folder and add bids@droneid.org and info@droneid.org to your address book.
If the Bidding Form does not work
If you experience any difficulties using the Bidding Form, please contact the Seller by email: info@droneid.org or by phone: +44 (0)20 7305 5577 during standard UK business hours.
“Last Minute Bids”
In the final 48 hours of the auction, in addition to using the Bidding Form you may submit a “Last Minute Bid” by email to: bids@droneid.org.
Please include the following details in your email:
- Full name
- Phone number
- Company name
- Full address
- A brief statement in support of your bid (only required if this is your first bid)
- Bid amount in £ GBP (excluding any applicable VAT)
After you submit a “Last Minute Bid” by email, the Seller will review the details you have provided and notify you by email that your “Last Minute Bid” was submitted successfully.
If you do not receive an email notification within 24 hours of submitting your “Last Minute Bid”, please check your junk/spam folder and add bids@droneid.org and info@droneid.org to your address book.
Bid validation
After you submit a bid for the first time, the Seller will review the details you have provided, and if satisfied that your bid is genuine, made in good faith, and not frivolous (i.e. within the range appropriate for an auction of this type), you will receive an email with an invoice attached for the sum of £250 (+ VAT if applicable), payable within 48 hours of the invoice email send time.
This nominal sum will be used to carry out due diligence checks and validate your bid. This process is only required for your first bid.
You will be notified by email once your Validation Payment has been received.
Please note, if your Validation Payment is not received within 48 hours of the invoice email send time, your bid will be cancelled.
Can I submit more than one bid?
Yes. There is no limit on the number of bids that can be submitted.
How is the "Next Minimum Bid" calculated?
The Next Minimum Bid will be active in the Auction Status panel after the reserve price has been met, and is 10% above the Current Highest Bid, calculated @ Current Highest Bid x 110%.
For example:
- Current Highest Bid: £500,000 / Next Minimum Bid: £550,000
- Current Highest Bid: £1,500,000 / Next Minimum Bid: £1,650,000
What happens after the auction ends?
After the auction has ended
- If you have submitted the highest validated bid over the reserve price the Seller will notify you by email that your bid has been accepted and you are the “Highest Bidder”.
- The Seller will send an invoice by email to the Highest Bidder for the Advance Costs of £10,000 GBP (+ VAT if applicable) payable within 48 hours of the invoice email send time – the funds to be used for drafting of the IP Assignment Agreement, Escrow Agreement and other costs as stated in “Are there any additional costs involved?” above.
If the Highest Bidder does not pay the Advance Costs invoice within 48 hours of the invoice email send time the Seller reserves the right to
- Cancel the invoice
- Cancel the sale to the Highest Bidder
- Sell the Portfolio to another bidder or start a new auction, this decision being at the Seller’s discretion.
Once the Seller has received cleared funds for the Advance Costs, the Highest Bidder will thereafter be referred to as the “Buyer”.
Escrow “Terms Of Business Letter” (TOBL)
Once the Seller has received cleared funds for the Advance Costs the Seller will instruct their escrow provider to send a Terms Of Business Letter (TOBL) to the Buyer by email.
Within 72 hours of the Seller’s escrow provider sending the TOBL email to the Buyer, the Buyer will be required to sign and return the TOBL to the Seller’s escrow provider.
If the Buyer does not sign and return the escrow Terms Of Business Letter to the Seller’s escrow provider within 72 hours the Seller reserves the right to:
- Cancel the sale to the Buyer and retain 100% of the Advance Costs payment
- Sell the Portfolio to another bidder or start a new auction, this decision being at the Seller’s discretion.
Identity and source-of-funds checks
Within 72 hours of the Seller’s escrow provider sending the TOBL email to the Buyer, the Buyer will be required to provide the following documents by email to the Seller’s legal counsel and escrow provider:
- If the Buyer is an individual: photo ID and one proof of address document.
- If the Buyer is a company: photo ID and one proof of address document for any person with 25% or more shares in the company.
Within 72 hours of the Seller’s escrow provider sending the TOBL email to the Buyer, the Buyer will be required to send supporting documents by email to the Seller’s escrow provider for a source-of-funds check.
If the Buyer does not send the required identity and source-of-funds documents by email to the Seller’s legal counsel and escrow provider within 72 hours the Seller reserves the right to:
- Cancel the sale to the Buyer and retain 100% of the Advance Costs payment
- Sell the Portfolio to another bidder or start a new auction, this decision being at the Seller’s discretion.
Drafting & signing of agreements
After the Buyer has signed and returned the Terms Of Business Letter, identity documents and source-of-funds supporting documents, the Seller will instruct their legal counsel to draft the IP Assignment Agreement and instruct their escrow provider to draft the Escrow Agreement. The drafting of these agreements is expected to take approximately 3–5 business days.
Once the Seller’s legal counsel has sent the IP Assignment Agreement to the Buyer by email, the Buyer will have 72 hours in which to sign and return the IP Assignment Agreement.
Once the Seller’s escrow provider has sent the Escrow Agreement to the Buyer by email, the Buyer will have 72 hours in which to sign and return the Escrow Agreement.
If the Buyer does not sign and return the agreement documents within 72 hours of the email send times the Seller reserves the right to:
- Cancel the agreements
- Cancel the sale to the Buyer and retain 100% of the Advance Costs payment
- Sell the Portfolio to another bidder or start a new auction, this decision being at the Seller’s discretion.
Legal completion
Once the Seller’s legal counsel has received the signed IP Assignment Agreement from the Buyer, the Seller will sign the IP Assignment Agreement and the Seller’s legal counsel will notify the Buyer by email that the legal transfer of the Portfolio is complete, referred to as the “Legal Completion” notice.
Transaction completion
The Buyer will be required to pay the agreed sale amount in full to the Seller’s escrow provider within 72 hours of the Legal Completion notice send time.
If the Buyer does not pay the agreed sale amount to the Seller’s escrow provider within 72 hours of the Legal Completion notice send time the Seller reserves the right to:
- Cancel the agreements
- Cancel the sale to the Buyer and retain 100% of the Advance Costs payment
- Sell the Portfolio to another bidder or start a new auction, this decision being at the Seller’s discretion.
After the Buyer has paid the agreed sale amount in full to the Seller’s escrow provider, the Seller will notify the Buyer by email that the funds have been received and the transaction is complete, referred to as the “Transaction Completion” notice.
Transfer of assets
After the Seller has notified the Buyer that the transaction is complete, the Seller will begin the process of transferring the assets to the Buyer (see below).
How does the transfer of assets work?
Transfer of Trade Marks
The transfer of assets will begin with the transfer of ownership of Trade Marks.
This is because in some instances, particularly in the case of some European countries, a country code web domain can only be owned by a party with a “real and substantive connection” to the country in question.
In the case of Ireland, for example, ownership of the EU Trade Mark constitutes a “real and substantive connection” to Ireland, and therefore the country code Top-Level Domain droneid.ie is permitted to be owned by the owner of the Trade Mark.
The process of transferring the European and UK Trade Marks to the Buyer is expected to take up to 5 business days after the Transaction Completion.
Transfer of web domains
Once the transfer of ownership of all Trade Marks is complete, the Seller will contact the Buyer to begin the process of transferring the web domains.
The Seller will work with the Buyer to ensure that all domains are transferred appropriately.
The process of transferring the web domains to the Buyer is expected to take up to 5 working days after the transfer of Trade Marks.
Transfer of logotypes and emblems
After the Transaction Completion notice has been sent, the Seller will send the logotype and emblem files (Adobe Illustrator files) by email to the Buyer within 48 hours.
Portfolio transfer completion
Once all assets have been transferred from the Seller to the Buyer, the Seller will send an email to the Buyer and to the Seller’s escrow provider to notify them that the transfer of assets is complete. This email is referred to as the “Portfolio Transfer Completion” notice.
After the Portfolio Transfer Completion notice has been sent, the Buyer has 48 hours in which to confirm or dispute the completion of the transfer of assets by email to the Seller and the Seller’s escrow provider.
After the Buyer confirms to the Seller’s escrow provider that the transfer of assets is complete, the Seller’s escrow provider will release the funds held in escrow to the Seller.
If the Buyer does not contact the Seller and the Seller’s escrow provider to confirm or dispute the completion of the transfer of assets within 48 hours of the Portfolio Transfer Completion notice being sent, the Seller’s escrow provider will release the funds held in escrow to the Seller.
Any dispute will be governed by the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction.
Will my details be kept private?
Yes. This a private sale. Only the Seller, the Seller’s legal counsel, and the Seller’s escrow provider will know the identity of the Buyer.
All details of bidders and any bids made will also be treated in the strictest of confidence.
Who is the Seller?
The current owner of the DroneiD Portfolio is the UK company Padget Media Ltd (company registration number 7995352) with its registered office at 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ, United Kingdom.
Padget Media Ltd is represented by its director, Mya Padget (the “Seller”).
You can contact the Seller directly by email: info@droneid.org or by phone: +44 (0)20 7305 5577 during standard UK business hours.
Who is managing the legal arrangements?
The legal arrangements of the sale, including drafting of the IP Assignment Agreement, are being managed by Rebecca Davis at The IP Asset Partnership Ltd, Prama House, 267 Banbury Road, Oxford OX2 7HT, United Kingdom.
If you have any questions or concerns for our legal counsel, please feel free to contact them directly via their website: www.ipasset.com.
Who is managing the escrow arrangements?
The escrow arrangements, including drafting of the Escrow Agreement between the Seller and Buyer, KYC/AML checks, and the receipt, holding and release of funds, are being managed by Riverside Escrow Limited, Brennan House, Farnborough Aerospace Centre Business Park, Farnborough GU14 6XR, United Kingdom.
If you have any questions or concerns for our escrow provider, please feel free to contact them directly via their website: www.riverside-escrow.com.
Important note: in 2021 the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) was made aware of a “clone” firm pretending to be Riverside Escrow Limited, using an almost identical web domain with an added ‘s’ at the end. Please double-check all communications you may have with our escrow provider to ensure that you are communicating with the correct firm.
What is the history of DroneiD?
In December 2019, Mya Padget, a UK-based commercial drone pilot and consultant on the drone industry, registered the company Drone ID Ltd (company number 12343676) and began developing the DroneiD brand.
Over the proceeding 4 years, Ms Padget registered a substantial portfolio of domain names, engaged a web development company to begin creating an online portal for drone users, and enlisted the services of intellectual property lawyers Belinda Isaac of Isaac & Co Solicitors (Oxford, UK), assisted by Patricia McGovern of DFMG Solicitors (Dublin, Ireland), to secure the UK and European Trade Marks respectively.
A combination of external factors prevented the continued development of the web portal, and Ms Padget placed the company into voluntary liquidation in April 2024, with the IP assets (including Trade Marks and web domains) purchased by Ms Padget’s media company, Padget Media Ltd, prior to the liquidation date.
Note 1: The UK company DroneID Ltd [without a space between ‘Drone’ and ‘ID’] (company number 10789812, dissolved in 2018) has no connection to Ms Padget or to the DroneiD brand.
Note 2: The UK company Drone ID Holdings Ltd (company number 14680179) was registered by Ms Padget in 2023 for additional business purposes related to the DroneiD brand, but the company was never in use and was dissolved in 2024.
Terms & Conditions
Terms and Conditions
Private Auction of the DroneiD Intellectual Property Portfolio
1. Definitions and Interpretation
1.1 Definitions
- “Advance Costs” means £10,000 (+ VAT if applicable) payable by the Highest Bidder as described in clause 10.
- “Auction” means the private auction conducted by the Seller for the sale of the Portfolio in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.
- “Auction End Time” means midnight (00:00:00) British Summer Time (BST) on 1st June 2026, unless the auction is ended early or extended by the Seller in accordance with clause 3.
- “Bid” means an offer to purchase the Portfolio submitted in accordance with these Terms.
- “Bidder” means any person or legal entity submitting a bid.
- “Buyer” means the Highest Bidder who has paid the Advance Costs and proceeded in accordance with clause 10.
- “Escrow Agreement” means the legally binding contract specifying the terms under which the Seller’s escrow provider will accept, hold and release funds on behalf of the Seller and Buyer.
- “Highest Bidder” means the bidder whose validated bid is highest and accepted by the Seller after the Auction End Time.
- “IP Assignment Agreement” means the legally binding contract that transfers ownership of the Portfolio from the Seller to the Buyer.
- “Last Minute Bid” means a bid sent by email to bids@droneid.org within the final 48 hours of the auction. For the avoidance of doubt “Last Minute Bid” does not mean a bid placed in the last minute before the Auction End Time.
- “Legal Completion” means the point at which the IP Assignment Agreement has been signed by both parties and the Seller notifies the Buyer accordingly.
- “Portfolio” means the DroneiD Intellectual Property Portfolio as described in clause 2.
- “Portfolio Transfer Completion” means confirmation that all assets in the Portfolio have been successfully transferred from the Seller to the Buyer.
- “Seller” means Padget Media Ltd, a company incorporated in the United Kingdom.
- “TOBL” means the Seller’s escrow provider’s Terms of Business Letter.
- “Transaction Completion” means confirmation that the full sale price has been received by the Seller’s escrow provider.
- “Validation Payment” means £250 (+ VAT if applicable), payable for initial bid validation.
- “VAT” means value added tax or any similar or replacement tax under UK law.
- “You” and “Your” mean the individual or legal entity using this website and/or submitting a bid for the Portfolio using the bidding form on this website or by email.
1.2 Interpretation
2. The Portfolio
- all registered Trade Marks associated with the DroneiD brand;
- all web domain names owned by the Seller that incorporate or relate to the DroneiD brand;
- all copyright subsisting in the DroneiD logotypes, emblems, and related graphic assets.
3. Auction Start Time, Format and Status
4. Confidential Reserve Price
5. Bid Submission and Confirmation
5.1 Standard Bids
- Email: info@droneid.org
- Phone: +44 (0)20 7305 5577 (during standard UK business hours)
5.2 “Last Minute Bids”
- Full name
- Phone number
- Company name
- Full address
- Brief supporting statement (first bid only)
- Bid amount in £ GBP (excluding VAT)
5.3 Prohibited Bids
6. Next Minimum Bid
7. VAT
8. Validation Payment
- The Seller will review your details.
- If satisfied that your bid is genuine, made in good faith, and not frivolous (i.e. within the appropriate range for an auction of this type), you will receive an invoice by email for £250 (+ VAT if applicable).
- Payment must be made within 48 hours of the invoice email send time.
9. Buyer’s Additional Costs
9.1 Legal Costs
9.2 Escrow Costs
9.3 Web Domain Transfer Costs
9.4 Trade Mark Change of Ownership Costs
9.4.1 The cost of £60 to change the ownership of the UK Trade Marks on the UK Intellectual Property Office register shall be borne by the Buyer.
9.4.2 The cost of 177 Swiss francs (approximately £170 GBP) to change the ownership of the international Trade Marks (EU, Iceland, Norway) shall be borne by the Buyer.
9.5 Summary of Additional Costs
10. After the Auction Has Ended
10.1 Highest Bidder Notification
10.1.1 The Seller will notify the Highest Bidder by email that they have submitted the highest bid.
10.1.2 The Seller will send The Highest Bidder an invoice by email for the Advance Costs of £10,000 (+ VAT if applicable).
10.1.3 The Highest Bidder shall pay the Advance Costs within 48 hours of the invoice email send time.
10.1.4 If the Highest Bidder does not pay the Advance Costs within 48 hours, the Seller may:
- Cancel the invoice
- Cancel the sale
- Sell the Portfolio to another bidder or start a new auction.
This decision is at the Seller’s discretion.
10.1.5 After cleared funds for the Advance Costs have been received by the Seller, the Highest Bidder becomes the Buyer.
10.2 Escrow Terms of Business Letter (TOBL)
10.2.1 The Seller’s escrow provider will send the Buyer a Terms of Business Letter by email.
10.2.2 Within 72 hours of the Seller’s escrow provider sending the TOBL email to the Buyer, the Buyer shall sign and return the TOBL to the Seller’s escrow provider by email.
10.2.3 If the Buyer does not sign and return the TOBL within 72 hours the Seller may:
- Cancel the sale
- Retain 100% of the Advance Costs payment
- Sell the Portfolio to another bidder or start a new auction.
This decision is at the Seller’s discretion.
10.3 Identity & Source-of-Funds Checks
10.3.1 Within 72 hours of the Seller’s escrow provider sending the TOBL email to the Buyer, the Buyer shall send to the Seller’s escrow provider:
- If the Buyer is an individual: photo ID + proof of address
- If the Buyer is a company: photo ID + proof of address for any person with 25% or more shares
- Supporting documents for source-of-funds checks.
10.3.2 If the Buyer does not send the required ID and supporting documents to the Seller’s escrow provider within 72 hours the Seller may:
- Cancel the sale
- Retain 100% of the Advance Costs payment
- Sell the Portfolio to another bidder or start a new auction.
This decision is at the Seller’s discretion.
10.4 Drafting & Signing Agreements
10.4.1 After the Buyer has provided their ID and supporting documents, the Seller’s legal counsel will draft the IP Assignment Agreement and the Seller’s escrow provider will draft the Escrow Agreement. Both agreements will be sent to the Buyer by email within approximately 3–5 business days
10.4.2 Once the Seller’s legal counsel has sent the IP Assignment Agreement to the Buyer by email, the Buyer will have 72 hours in which to sign and return the IP Assignment Agreement.
10.4.3 Once the Seller’s escrow provider has sent the Escrow Agreement to the Buyer by email, the Buyer will have 72 hours in which to sign and return the Escrow Agreement.
10.4.4 If the Buyer does not sign and return the agreement documents within 72 hours the Seller reserves the right to:
- Cancel the agreements
- Cancel the sale
- Retain 100% of the Advance Costs payment
- Sell the Portfolio to another bidder or start a new auction.
This decision is at the Seller’s discretion.
10.5 Legal Completion
Once the Seller’s legal counsel has received the signed IP Assignment Agreement from the Buyer, the Seller will sign the IP Assignment Agreement and the Seller’s legal counsel will send the Legal Completion notice to the Buyer by email to confirm that the legal transfer of the Portfolio is complete.
10.6 Transaction Completion
10.6.1 The Buyer shall pay the agreed sale amount in full to the Seller’s escrow provider within 72 hours of the Legal Completion notice email send time.
10.6.2 If the Buyer does not pay the agreed sale amount in full to the Seller’s escrow provider within 72 hours of the Legal Completion notice email send time the Seller may:
- Cancel the agreements
- Cancel the sale to the Buyer
- Retain 100% of the Advance Costs payment
- Sell the Portfolio to another bidder or start a new auction.
This decision is at the Seller’s discretion.
After the Buyer has paid the agreed sale amount (minus any Advance Costs deductions in accordance with clause 9.5.2) to the Seller’s escrow provider, the Seller will send the Transaction Completion notice to the Buyer by email to confirm that the funds have been received and the transaction is complete.
11. Transfer of assets
11.1 Trade Marks
After Transaction Completion the Seller will transfer ownership of the Trade Marks to the Buyer within 5 business days.
11.2 Web Domains
After the successful transfer of ownership of Trade Marks the Seller will transfer ownership of the web domains to the Buyer within 5 business days.
11.3 Logotypes and Emblems
After Transaction Completion the Seller will send Adobe Illustrator files of the logotypes and emblems to the Buyer by email within 48 hours.
11.4 Portfolio Transfer Completion
11.4.1 Once all assets have been successfully transferred from the Seller to the Buyer, the Seller will send a Portfolio Transfer Completion email to the Buyer and to the Seller’s escrow provider to notify them that the transfer of assets is complete.
11.4.2 After the Portfolio Transfer Completion notice has been sent, the Buyer has 48 hours in which to confirm or dispute the completion of the transfer of assets by email to the Seller and the Seller’s escrow provider.
11.4.3 After the Buyer confirms to the Seller’s escrow provider that the transfer of assets is complete, the Seller’s escrow provider will release the funds held in escrow to the Seller.
11.4.4 If the Buyer does not contact the Seller and the Seller’s escrow provider to confirm or dispute the completion of the transfer of assets within 48 hours of the Portfolio Transfer Completion notice being sent, the Seller’s escrow provider will release the funds held in escrow to the Seller.
11.4.5 Any dispute will be governed by the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction.
12. Errors and Omissions
13. Non-Binding Nature of Bids
- a formal IP Assignment Agreement is executed; and
- full payment is received.
14. Limitation of Liability
14.1 No Warranties
14.2 No Reliance
14.3 Exclusion of Loss
14.4 Liability Cap
14.5 Non-Excludable Liability
15. Auction Discretion and Platform Risk
16. Entire Agreement
17. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
1. Data Controller
2. Scope of This Policy
3. Personal Data We Collect
- Identity information: name, job title, company name (if applicable)
- Contact information: email address, telephone number, postal address
- Business information: business structure, jurisdiction, and other details relevant to bidding
- Bidding information: bid amounts, bid timing, and related communications
- Technical data: IP address, browser type, and basic website usage data (where applicable)
4. How We Collect Personal Data
- Complete and submit a bidding form on the auction website
- Communicate with us by email or other direct means in relation to the auction
5. Lawful Basis for Processing
- Performance of a contract or steps prior to entering into a contract (Article 6(1)(b)) – to administer the auction and assess bids
- Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)) – to manage a secure, confidential, and fair bidding process, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights
- Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c)) – where required for compliance with UK law (e.g. record-keeping)
6. Purpose of Processing
- To administer and manage the DroneiD Intellectual Property Portfolio auction
- To verify bidder identity and eligibility
- To communicate with bidders regarding the auction
- To evaluate bids and determine the successful bidder
- To maintain accurate records of the bidding process
- To comply with legal and regulatory obligations
7. Confidentiality of Bids and Data
- Bid amounts and bidder identities are not disclosed to other bidders
- Personal and business details submitted as part of the bidding process are treated as confidential
- Data is not sold, shared, or disclosed to third parties except as described in this policy or where legally required
8. Data Sharing
- Professional advisers (such as legal or financial advisers) bound by confidentiality obligations
- Regulatory or law enforcement authorities where legally required
9. International Data Transfers
10. Data Security
- Unauthorised access
- Loss, alteration, or disclosure
- Accidental or unlawful destruction
11. Data Retention
- The duration of the auction
- Any subsequent contractual, legal, or accounting requirements
12. Your Data Protection Rights
- Access your personal data
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
- Request erasure of your personal data (where applicable)
- Restrict or object to processing
- Request data portability
- Withdraw consent (where processing is based on consent)
13. Complaints
14. Changes to This Policy
Auction Status
Date/time last updated: Active after reserve price has been met
Reserve Price
NOT MET
Reserve price is confidential
Current Highest Bid
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Current highest bid visible after reserve price has been met
Next Minimum Bid
■■■■■■■
Next minimum bid active after reserve price has been met
Bidding Form
Bids can be submitted until midnight BST on 1st June 2026*
*Bidding is subject to the Terms & Conditions on this website