Dragonfly 3D World 2027: Understanding Academic and Full Licenses
October 28, 2026 | Alexandra Sakellariou
Learn how Dragonfly 3D World 2027 Academic and Full Licenses compare, explore new features, and find out how to access the right license for your needs.
Academic research has always been an important part of Dragonfly's story. From groundbreaking discoveries in life sciences to advances in materials research, scientists around the world have used Dragonfly 3D World to explore complex imaging data and answer challenging questions for more than a decade.
With the release of 3D World 2027, we're continuing that commitment while introducing new capabilities and licensing options to better serve the evolving needs of our users.
Our Academic License program, formerly known as FreeD, remains available free of charge* to eligible researchers, educators, and students. At the same time, we've introduced additional capabilities exclusive to the Full License, designed to support the precision and efficiency required in industrial applications.
Here's what you need to know about both licensing options, what's new in 2027, and how to get started.
Academic License: Supporting Research and Discovery
Our Academic License program continues to provide eligible users with free access to 3D World for non-commercial research and educational purposes.
Whether you're investigating biological structures, characterizing materials, or developing new image analysis techniques, the Academic License provides powerful tools to help you analyze complex datasets.
And with 3D World 2027, Academic License users can take advantage of exciting new capabilities, including:
- Grid-Based SAM and Cellpose-SAM: Accelerate instance segmentation with AI-assisted tools for identifying and separating individual objects within complex datasets.
- Fast Split and Smart Erode: Separate touching or overlapping objects more efficiently, reducing the time spent on manual segmentation.
- Rotational Views: Explore round and curved structures from different angles for more intuitive visualization.
- Expanded annotation and measurement tools: Visualize and communicate measurements with new capabilities, including Caliper and Scalar Arrow annotations.
These additions give academic users more ways to develop workflows and advance their research.
The Academic License provides researchers and educators with access to advanced image processing and analysis tools, supporting scientific discovery across a wide range of disciplines.
Who’s Eligible for an Academic License?
The Academic License is intended for individuals affiliated with eligible academic and research institutions, including degree-granting universities and colleges and qualifying teaching hospitals.
Licenses are available for non-commercial activities such as academic coursework, education, and publishable scientific research.
Each Academic License is valid for one year and can be renewed annually at no charge. Eligible individuals can hold up to two licenses.
It's important to note that research conducted within an academic institution isn't automatically considered non-commercial. Projects involving commercial sponsorship, industry collaborations, or activities intended to generate revenue may require a commercial license.
For complete eligibility requirements, visit our Academic License page.
How to Request or Renew Your Academic License
Getting started with an Academic License is straightforward:
- Download and install a free trial of Dragonfly 3D World.
- Open the software and navigate to Help > Request Academic License.
- Complete the Dragonfly User Survey with your academic affiliation and intended use.
- Submit your request for review. If approved, your license key will be sent to your email.
Existing Academic License users are also eligible to upgrade to 3D World 2027 at no cost.
If you're currently using version 2025.1, select Check for Updates directly within the software. Users with older versions can contact our team to request a download link.
Full License: Advanced Capabilities for Industrial Applications
As Dragonfly continues to evolve, so do the requirements of the industries using it. Manufacturers, quality assurance teams, and industrial R&D professionals often work with demanding inspection and analysis workflows where measurement precision, repeatability, and standardized documentation are essential.
With 3D World 2027, we've introduced additional capabilities to address these requirements, available exclusively through the Full License.
Comparison of traditional multi-ROI (left) and Subvoxel Multi-Mesh (right), demonstrating improved precision when measuring individual features.
Greater Precision with Subvoxel Multi-Mesh
The new Subvoxel Multi-Mesh capabilities enable users to identify and measure individual components within complex structures at subvoxel resolution.
This provides new opportunities for detailed quantitative analysis, particularly when working with complex assemblies, porous materials, and other structures where accurate component characterization is important.
Quantitative Surface Roughness Analysis
Surface Roughness Analysis allows users to evaluate surface texture directly from CT-derived meshes using ISO-based metrics.
For industrial applications, this offers an additional way to characterize manufactured components and investigate surface properties as part of quality assurance and development workflows.
More Flexible Reporting and Documentation
The new Report Builder brings analysis and reporting together within Dragonfly 3D World, making it easier to document and communicate results.
While PDF and HTML reporting capabilities are available more broadly, Full License users can access additional options, including Microsoft Word export, customizable report headers, and embedded 3D surface meshes.
The Full License also comes with support for additional proprietary file formats, expanding options for working with specialized imaging data.
For sharing results, Dragonfly Session Viewer offers Full License users a way to share interactive 3D data with colleagues, customers, and collaborators.
Recipients can download the free, standalone application to open and explore shared session and object files without needing their own 3D World license. Session Viewer is view-only, and files created using an Academic License are not supported.
These features help teams create more flexible, consistent documentation for internal reviews, customer communication, quality assurance processes, and more.
3D World 2027's Report Builder brings 3D visualizations and analysis results together in a customizable report, with additional export options available to Full License users.
Academic vs. Full License: What's the Difference?
Both licensing options provide access to Dragonfly's advanced image processing and analysis environment. The main differences concern intended use and feature availability as well as licensing flexibility.
Feature | Academic License | Full License |
Cost | Free for eligible users | Paid |
Intended use | Qualifying non-commercial academic research and education | Commercial, industrial, and research applications |
License duration | One year, renewable | Annual or perpetual options |
AI-assisted segmentation | Included | Included |
New visualization and measurement tools | Included | Included |
Subvoxel Multi-Mesh | Not included | Included |
Surface Roughness Analysis | Not included | Included |
Advanced Report Builder options | Not included | Included |
Technical support | Available separately via a support plan | According to license and Support Plan |
With 3D World 2027, capabilities exclusive to the Full License remain visible in the Academic version but appear grayed out and cannot be accessed.
Academic users interested in the complete feature set can contact our team to explore Full License options. Commercial licensing is also available to academic institutions, including discounted options for qualifying organizations.
More Than Software: Supporting the Dragonfly Community
Our commitment to academic research extends beyond providing access to 3D World. We also want to help researchers build their skills and share the discoveries they're making possible with the software.
Learn With Webinars and Tutorials
Our YouTube channel offers webinars, software tutorials, and What's New videos covering Dragonfly features and workflows.
Whether you're just getting started or exploring the latest capabilities in 3D World 2027, these resources can help you develop your skills and discover new approaches to image analysis.
Connect Through Dragonfly Social
Research often leads to new questions, and sharing knowledge can help everyone move forward.
Dragonfly Social is our dedicated community platform where users can ask questions, exchange ideas, share insights, and connect with others working with Dragonfly. It's a place to learn from fellow users, contribute your own expertise, and be part of the conversations shaping our community.
Share Your Discoveries Through Publication Spotlights
One of the most rewarding parts of supporting academic research is seeing what our users accomplish.
Through our Publication Spotlight series, we celebrate researchers who have used Dragonfly in their published work, highlighting the scientific questions they've explored, the methods they've developed, and the discoveries they've made.
From materials science to biological imaging, these stories demonstrate the remarkable diversity of research taking place across the Dragonfly community.
Have you published research using Dragonfly 3D World? We'd love to hear about it and explore the opportunity to feature your work. Reach out on our contact page.
Continuing to Advance Together
The academic community has played an important role in Dragonfly's growth, bringing new perspectives, challenging imaging questions, and innovative applications that continue to inspire our work.
As 3D World evolves to meet the needs of both academic and industrial users, that relationship remains important to us. Our Academic License program continues to make advanced image analysis accessible to eligible researchers around the world, while the Full License provides additional capabilities for specialized industrial workflows.
We're excited to see that you'll discover with 3D World 2027, and we look forward to continuing to learn, innovate, and advance imaging science together.
*Free Academic Licenses are subject to geographic restrictions based on regional distribution agreements. Please refer to our Academic License Country Restrictions page for details on availability in your country.
Can't wait to try Dragonfly 3D World?
The new release is here and there are a host of exciting features, analyses and options to explore. Why not try it out today with a free 30-day free trial?