ADR-0004: Standardization routeLink to the section ADR-0004: Standardization route#

Status: Accepted 2026-10-14 — sponsor confirmed the default ("keep all") Date: 2026-10-14 Profiles affected: none (governance)

ContextLink to the section Context#

UNIVIP could be pursued as an independent open standard, proposed as a profile within ONVIF, or built first as a commercial interoperability platform and standardized later.

Options consideredLink to the section Options considered#

1. Independent industry standard. Full control of pace and content; must build legitimacy (governance, IPR policy, conformance) from scratch; can later be contributed to a body.
2. Official ONVIF standardization. Direct access to the surveillance ecosystem; requires membership, consensus and time; outcome not under the project's control; cannot be declared unilaterally.
3. Commercial interoperability platform first. Fastest revenue and real-world feedback; risks being seen as one vendor's product rather than a standard; harder to attract competitors later.

DecisionLink to the section Decision#

Option 1 first, with ONVIF engagement from the start (Route A with an open door to Route B). Publish UNIVIP openly with transparent governance, build the demonstrator, and open dialogue with ONVIF, the Dronecode Foundation and MISB in parallel. Whether to contribute UNIVIP to ONVIF as a profile proposal is a later Steering Group decision informed by implementation experience and ONVIF's response.

A commercial reference implementation or product by any participant is welcome and expected; the specification itself stays independent of any one product.

ConsequencesLink to the section Consequences#

• GOVERNANCE.md defines the interim process and the path to a Steering Group and IPR policy.
• Naming stays clearly distinct from ONVIF until and unless ONVIF adopts it.
• Specification structure (profiles, conformance tests, event topic structure, PTZ mappings) is kept deliberately ONVIF-compatible to lower the cost of a future contribution.

Open questionsLink to the section Open questions#

• Legal home for the project (foundation, existing consortium, or new association). Deferred to Phase 1.