Inspecting the Cybersecurity Dangers and Resilience of RTK Modules in Drone Navigation Techniques
by DRONELIFE Contributor T. Seth Ford (Drone615, Nashville, TN)
Understanding the GPS and Area Economic system Framework
In response to GPS.gov, the official web site for presidency data regarding the US’ World Positioning System (GPS), it’s comprised of three segments: the area section, the bottom section, and the consumer section. To additional develop on this conceptual design, in his ebook Terra Calling: Defending and securing the area financial system, Stefan Soesanto describes the complete area administration effort as a multi-domain, multi-sectoral, and multi-asset system throughout the better area financial system, grouped into 5 elements: 1) Area-based belongings, 2) Earth-based management stations, 3) Earth-based communication stations, terminals, and gadgets, 4) Area business, and 5) Area financial system provide chain.
As extra satellite-based elements are outsourced to worldwide producers and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) choices grow to be mainstream, offering better choices for satellite tv for pc operations, these advantages, nonetheless, include new and expanded challenges in stopping and dealing with cyber assaults and downtime attributable to unintentional environmental interactions.
RTK Modules and Their Function in sUAS Operations
One such part makes use of real-time kinematic (RTK) differential positioning, mixed with the complete World Navigation Satellite tv for pc System (GNSS), to reinforce the positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities of small Unmanned Aerial Techniques (sUAS) throughout autonomous flight mode. We’re going to focus, briefly, on the variations between RTK modules and internally constructed GPS receivers throughout small uncrewed plane system (sUAS) operations when using an RTK module as the first GPS receiver for autonomous mapping missions.
RTK modules allow the next diploma of worldwide (absolute) accuracy in comparison with the GPS receiver situated inside a typical enterprise-level business Air Car (AV) physique/body. That is particularly necessary for land growth mapping missions, the place international accuracy is simply as essential as relative accuracy.
Technical Benefits and Rising Vulnerabilities
RTK modules can observe multisystem satellite tv for pc L1 and L2 civilian bands over code and service part alerts, which gives increased accuracy and extra dependable PNT options with minimized impression from electromagnetic interference (EMI), as mentioned by GNSS pioneer Dr. Jan Van Sickle in his fifth version of GPS and GNSS for Land Surveyors (2023). Nonetheless, RTK operates on RTCM 10403.3, aka model 3.3, as an open format and never restricted to a particular receiver sort. This particular model was enhanced to permit communication with all GNSS constellations. This contains China’s BeiDou and Russia’s GLONASS methods.
Whereas RCTM 3.3 is a significant improve for business operations, it additionally presents potential will increase in cyber vulnerabilities over shared satellite tv for pc constellations. GNSS receivers are sometimes constructed into each the bottom factor (handheld controller) and the air factor (air car). Each can function on particular constellations, both by design or by consumer settings, however RTK modules sometimes can join with all 4 main constellations (GPS-US. Galileo-EU, GLONASS-Russia, and BeiDou-China) and are selectable with smaller, regional constellations. By default, the extra accessible connection factors, the better the chance of potential assaults.
Spoofing, Jamming, and the Want for Countermeasures
Within the case of accessing the RTK module to make use of the Air Car as a lethal projectile as an alternative of a mapping instrument, one might spoof an L-band channel and inject false knowledge into the PNT resolution, inflicting the sUAS to offer false location reviews. Though there are only a few rumored and unconfirmed reviews of legal hacking particularly by way of an RTK module, nonetheless distant or inconceivable, the general idea must be additional examined. Of notice, corporations like GPSPATRON produce gadgets and software program to measure, defend, and shield in opposition to jamming and spoofing assaults by way of counter-spoofing techniques.
Provide Chain Dangers and Regulatory Gaps
One other entrance of assaults can come from RTK {hardware} embedded throughout the manufacturing course of. In his 2019 article Cybersecurity Ideas for Area Techniques, Gregory Falco factors out that penetration assessments into an organization’s digital community typically study the manufacturing course of provide chain for embedded code or product defects supposed to destabilize or hurt the end-product or associated methods. Cybersecurity can legally be traced again to the efforts, or lack of efforts, as within the case of the Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) v. D-link for insufficient cyber safeguards in 2016. The Authentic Gear Producer (OEM) will be held liable for these faults, and may, inside motive, however laws and requirements are nearly non-existent or no less than have been up till the late Nineteen Nineties when the primary cyberattacks focused GNSS satellites. Since then, cybersecurity growth has been largely reactionary, slightly than proactive, in addressing points and stopping future occurrences.
Balancing Advantages and Cybersecurity Wants
Briefly, RTK modules make the most of extra frequencies than typical sUAS-built-in GPS receivers, providing enhanced reception functionality and effectivity. Nonetheless, these advantages might not adequately safeguard in opposition to cyber threats attributable to non-standardized interoperability protocols and restricted third-party OEM vetting procedures. Whereas the chance of GPS spoofing by way of RTK modules is minimal, these communication paths might be made safer with increased ranges of safety. Encryption, on the very least, safeguards knowledge from unauthorized entry and ensures the integrity and improved reception charges of the supposed knowledge packets for the supposed consumer
T. Seth Ford is a US Marine Corps fight veteran who flew assault helicopters and small drones in fight zones and assisted in small UAS testing and analysis. Seth holds levels, certificates, and licenses throughout a number of fields and disciplines and is at present searching for an MS in Uncrewed and Autonomous Techniques at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical College. He’s the founder and principal pilot of drone615.web in Nashville, TN.
