By Supreet Kaur
At a time when data security is essential to aviation safety, NASA is exploring bold new solutions.
Through a drone flight test at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, researchers tested a blockchain-based system to protect flight data. The system aims to protect air traffic management from disruptions and protect data transferred between aircraft and ground stations from interception or manipulation.
For flight operations and airspace to remain safe, users must be able to have confidence that data is reliable and transparent. Although current systems have been successful in protecting flight data systems, cyber threats continue to evolve, requiring new approaches. NASA researchers found that the blockchain-based system can transmit and store information securely and in real time.
Blockchain works like a decentralized database: it does not rely on a single computer or centralized system. Instead, it shares information across a vast network, recording and verifying every change made to a data set. The system ensures that data remains secure, accurate and trustworthy.
Previous cybersecurity research has focused on implementing a tiered security architecture, using multiple physical and digital security measures to control access to the system. For this test, the researchers took a different approach by using blockchain to address potential threats.
Using drones allowed the team to show that the blockchain framework could bring benefits in several priority areas of aviation development, including autonomous air traffic management, urban air mobility, and high-altitude aircraft.
This NASA research explored how blockchain can secure digital transactions between multiple systems and operators. The team used an open-source blockchain framework that allows trusted users to share and store critical data such as aircraft operator registration information, flight plans and telemetry in real time. This framework restricts access to this data to trusted parties and approved users only.
To further examine system resilience, the team introduced a set of cybersecurity tests designed to assess, improve and strengthen security during operations in airspace environments. During an August flight in Ames, the team demonstrated these capabilities using an Alta-X drone with a custom software and hardware package including a computer, radio, GPS system and battery.
The test simulated an environment with a drone flying in real conditions, with a separate ground control station as well as blockchain and security infrastructure. The blockchain framework and underlying cybersecurity protocols can be extended to support high-altitude operations at 60,000 feet and above as well as urban air mobility operations, paving the way for a more secure, scalable and reliable ecosystem.
NASA researchers will continue to review the data collected during the test and apply what they learned to their future work. The tests will ultimately benefit American aviation stakeholders looking for new tools to improve operations.
As part of its Air Traffic Management and Safety Project, NASA has conducted research to transform air traffic management systems to safely meet the growing demand for new aerial vehicles. The project is part of NASA’s Airspace Operations and Security Program, part of the agency’s Aeronautical Research Mission Directorate, which aims to enable safe and efficient air transportation operations that benefit the flying public and industry.
