UAV Self-Termination via Cyclic Code Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) termination systems face challenges in ensuring safe and cost-efficient remote termination, particularly in preventing mid-air collisions and minimizing weight and size while maintaining reliability and security against malicious interventions.
Innovation Solution
A termination system that uses cyclic transmission of mutually dependent code and counter values between a control station and a UAV, allowing the UAV to validate received pairs and self-terminate if invalid, with a Vehicle Termination Device (VTD) ensuring termination even in case of control station malfunction, and a non-intelligent Termination Execution Device (TED) for engine shutdown.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the termination system uses cyclic transmission of counter value/CS code pairs with validation algorithms, then reliability of remote termination is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The UAV computer autonomously validates received counter value/CS code pairs by executing the termination algorithm and comparing generated UV code with received CS code. This self-validation mechanism ensures reliable termination without requiring constant external verification, improving reliability while keeping the control station relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback through cyclic transmission where the control station sends counter value/CS code pairs, the UAV validates them, and the cycle repeats. This continuous feedback loop ensures the termination system remains reliable and responsive while maintaining a manageable level of complexity through structured repetition.
2Reliability
If the UAV implements self-termination capability with validation algorithms, then safety against malicious takeover is improved, but weight and size of UAV components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The UAV computer independently executes the termination algorithm and performs code comparison to validate received commands. This self-service capability ensures safety against malicious takeover without requiring heavy external verification systems, minimizing the weight and size of onboard components while maintaining high security.
3Reliability
If the termination actuator prevents transmission of valid code/counter pairs, then security of termination command is improved, but loss of time in termination process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control station computer generates counter values and CS codes in advance through the termination algorithm before transmission is blocked. This preliminary generation ensures that when termination is commanded, the validation can occur immediately upon receipt, maintaining security while minimizing termination time.
4Reliability
If the system uses cyclic transmission of validation pairs, then resistance to hostile takeover is improved, but use of energy for communication increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic cyclic transmission of counter value/CS code pairs at optimized intervals. This periodic action maintains resistance to hostile takeover by ensuring continuous validation opportunities while managing energy consumption through controlled transmission frequency rather than continuous communication.
Data Source
AI summary
A termination system that transmits on a cyclic basis, from a control station to an unmanned vehicle, pairs of mutually dependent code and counter values whose dependency is determined by a termination algorithm. The vehicle has knowledge of the algorithm and can hence validate a received code/counter pair using the same algorithm. If the received code/counter pair is invalid, the vehicle can decide to self-terminate. The control station includes a termination actuator that allows the vehicle to be remotely terminated by invalidating, when actuated by an operator, the code/counter pairs that are transmitted to the vehicle.