UAV User-Plane Authentication via UTM Security Mediation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack efficient methods for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) authentication and authorization by third-party service providers over a user plane, which is crucial for secure communication and traffic management in evolving wireless communication networks.
Innovation Solution
UAVs and network devices exchange security information, such as tokens or keys, with third-party service providers to establish secure connections, utilizing UAV identifiers and subscription identifiers for authentication and authorization, facilitated by unmanned aerial system traffic management (UTM) over the user plane.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If UAVs establish direct connections with third-party service providers, then communication efficiency is improved, but security and authorization management become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The network device acts as an intermediary between the UAV and the third-party service provider. It receives authentication requests from the UAV, obtains security information from the service provider, and manages the authorization process, thereby simplifying the UAV's role while maintaining secure communication
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication and authorization process is segmented into distinct functional modules: UAV identification, security information retrieval, token generation, and connection establishment. This modular approach distributes complexity across multiple network entities rather than concentrating it in a single device
2Reliability
If security information is exchanged through multiple network entities, then authentication reliability is improved, but communication delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network device retrieves security information from the third-party service provider in advance, before the UAV needs to establish a connection. This preliminary action ensures that authentication data is ready when needed, reducing actual connection delay while maintaining reliable multi-entity verification
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the network device receives authentication results from the service provider and uses this information to confirm or reject connection requests. This feedback loop ensures reliable authentication while optimizing the timing of information exchange to minimize delays
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) authentication and authorization may be performed by a third-party service provider (e.g., an unmanned aerial system traffic management (UTM) over a user plane (UP)). An UAV may be configured to send an UAV ID to a network. The UAV may receive, from the network, security information that indicates an authorization of a connection to a third-party service provider. The UAV may establish, based on the security information, the connection to the third-party service provider for communications with the third-party service provider. The security information may include signature information of the third-party service provider, and one or more of a subscription identifier (ID) associated with the UAV, the UAV ID, or an ID of the third-party service provider.