Privacy Policy

1. Who we are and what this policy covers

This Privacy Policy explains how Petiole LTD collects, uses, stores, and protects information when you use Petiole websites, mobile applications, software products, and related support or commercial services.

Petiole builds computer vision tools for plant analysis, phenotyping, agrifood quality control, and field research. Because our products may be used with research images, field measurements, crop observations, and exported datasets, we treat that information as professional research data — not as advertising inventory.

This policy should be read together with our Terms of Use and Cookie Policy. Product-specific notices inside an app or service may add more detail for a particular feature.

2. Information we collect

The information we process depends on which Petiole products and features you use. In practice, it may include the following categories.

3. Plant imagery and measurement data

Petiole is designed around a simple principle: your imagery and research outputs remain yours. We do not claim ownership of your plant photos, measurement exports, or agronomic datasets.

• Local-first processing. Core computer vision measurements are designed to run on your device. Your device performs the measurement work wherever the app supports local processing.
• No automatic photo ingestion. Photos remain in your device gallery, project storage, or chosen file location unless you choose a feature that transfers files, such as synchronisation, backup, support review, or a cloud-connected workflow.
• Export ownership. CSV, PDF, image, and report exports are generated for your use and saved to the location you choose.
• No dataset selling. We do not sell plant imagery, agronomic measurements, or exported research datasets to brokers, advertisers, insurers, or third-party data marketplaces.
• No advertising profiling from crop data. We do not use your plant imagery or field measurements to target advertising.

When you deliberately submit files to us — for example for support, troubleshooting, quality review, or a cloud feature — we use those files only for the purpose connected with that request or feature, unless we clearly ask for and receive separate permission for another use.

4. Location data

Some Petiole workflows are more useful when measurements include geographic context. For example, a researcher may need to connect plant traits with a field plot, greenhouse bench, trial block, or quality-control site.

• Controlled by permission. Location is used only when you grant the relevant device permission or enable a location-based feature.
• Measurement context only. Location data is used to geotag plant records, support field mapping, and improve project organisation.
• No background movement tracking. Petiole does not use location access to follow your movements when you are not using a relevant measurement workflow.
• Editable workflows. Where the product allows it, you can choose not to include location in exports or remove location context before sharing a dataset.

5. Android and device permissions

Petiole asks for permissions only where they support a product feature. Your device operating system controls whether you grant, deny, or later revoke these permissions.

6. Analytics, crash reports, and stability telemetry

Petiole products need to run reliably across a wide range of Android devices, operating system versions, cameras, and field conditions. To maintain that reliability, we may use technical telemetry services such as Google Firebase, including crash reporting and performance diagnostics.

This telemetry is intended to help us understand whether the software is stable and fast enough for professional use. It may include technical details such as app version, device model, operating system version, crash stack traces, performance events, and image-processing latency. We do not use this telemetry to sell advertising or build advertising profiles.

7. Cookies and similar technologies

Our website may use cookies or similar technologies to operate the site, remember privacy choices, keep forms secure, understand basic site performance, and protect against abuse. Where required by law, we ask for consent before setting non-essential cookies.

You can read more in our Cookie Policy. You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect site functionality.

8. Why we use information and our legal bases

Where UK or EU data protection law applies, we rely on one or more lawful bases depending on the context.

9. When we share information

We share information only where it is necessary to operate Petiole, provide a requested feature, comply with law, protect our services, or complete a transaction you choose.

• Service providers. We may use trusted providers for hosting, diagnostics, analytics, payment, email, customer support, security, and infrastructure.
• Google Firebase. We may use Firebase services to support crash reporting, performance monitoring, app diagnostics, and service reliability.
• Business customers or project teams. If your account is provided by an organisation, some project or account information may be visible to authorised administrators for that organisation.
• Legal and safety reasons. We may disclose information if required by law, to enforce our terms, to protect users, or to respond to lawful requests.
• Business changes. If Petiole is involved in a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or asset sale, information may be transferred as part of that process, subject to appropriate safeguards.

We do not sell your agricultural datasets, plant imagery, or measurement exports to advertisers, brokers, insurers, or data marketplaces.

10. How long we keep information

We keep information only for as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected, unless a longer period is required for legal, accounting, security, dispute-resolution, or legitimate operational reasons.

• Local images and exports. Images, measurements, and exports stored on your device remain there until you delete them or remove the app data, subject to your device backups and settings.
• Support messages. Support requests and related correspondence may be kept while needed to resolve the issue, maintain service records, and improve support quality.
• Diagnostics. Crash and stability records are retained according to our provider settings and operational need, then deleted or de-identified when no longer required.
• Commercial records. Order, subscription, invoice, and account records may be retained for tax, accounting, and contractual purposes.

11. International transfers

Petiole and its service providers may process information in countries other than your own. Where data protection law requires safeguards for international transfers, we use appropriate measures such as contractual protections, provider transfer mechanisms, and other safeguards recognised by applicable law.

12. Security

We use organisational and technical measures designed to protect information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, provider security controls, secure development practices, and limiting access to people who need it for their role.

No system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You can help protect your data by keeping your device, operating system, app version, and account credentials secure.

13. Your choices

• Device permissions: You can grant, deny, or revoke camera, storage, location, and notification permissions in your device settings.
• Local files: You can delete local photos, project files, exports, and app data from your device or chosen storage location.
• Location: You can choose not to use location-enabled workflows or remove location context from exports where the product supports it.
• Cookies: You can manage cookies through the website controls, where available, and through your browser settings.
• Support files: You can decide whether to send us sample images, logs, or datasets when requesting help.

14. Your privacy rights

Depending on where you live and how you use Petiole, you may have rights to request access to your personal data, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, objection to certain processing, and withdrawal of consent where processing is based on consent.

To exercise a privacy right, contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request. If you are in the United Kingdom, you may also contact the Information Commissioner’s Office. If you are in the EEA or another region, you may have the right to contact your local data protection authority.

15. Children

Petiole products are designed for professional, research, education, and agrifood use. They are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children without appropriate permission. If you believe a child has provided personal data to Petiole, please contact us.

16. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our products, legal obligations, service providers, or privacy practices. When we make a meaningful change, we will update the date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, provide additional notice inside the product or through another suitable channel.