A team from Florida International University (FIU) has figured out a way to make drones more resilient to cyber threats.
The solution, called SHIELD, is designed to spot and take down cyber threats on drones in real time. While traditional systems stop at detection, the new tech enables unmanned platforms to finish their missions even during an active hack.
The mechanism monitors a drone’s entire control system, identifying which hardware parts are targeted. It also flags unusual behavior, such as sudden power surges, that could signal an intrusion.
Machine learning algorithms help the system learn the patterns of cyber attacks before employing customized defensive countermeasures.
In lab simulations, SHIELD identified threats in just 0.21 seconds and restored normal operations in 0.36 seconds, fast enough to keep drones flying through live cyber assaults.
“Without adequate recovery protocols, a drone often cannot fulfill its mission if successfully attacked,” said lead researcher Mohammad Ashiqur Rahman.
Beyond Defense
While SHIELD was designed with defense applications in mind, FIU researchers noted that it could also strengthen commercial drone operations in delivery, infrastructure, and emergency response.
The team plans to expand its testing scope to see how the solution adapts to real-world situations.
“Reliable and secure drones are a prerequisite for unlocking subsequent developments in various sectors,” stated Rahman, adding that detection alone is not enough and that drones need layered defense mechanisms.
SHIELD made its debut at the recent IEEE International Conference on Dependable Systems and Networks event held in Naples, Italy.
