SaTC: EDU: Collaborative: Bolstering UAV Cybersecurity Education through Curriculum Development with Hands-on Laboratory Framework

In this project, we are developing UAV cybersecurity laboratory platform (UAV-CLP). UAV-CLP is developed mainly using software simulation, which provides a low-cost but effective UAV simulation environment with the support for different UAV models, UAV communication and network models, satellite models, and sensors. In addition, UAV-CLP also supports hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation, which is the closest to the actual flight without actually flying. The HIL module not only supports the hardware security component in the proposed UAV-CLP but also benefits the evaluation of UAV system’s robustness under other types of cybersecurity attack (e.g., software, network, control). On the top of UAV software/hardware simulation environment, a series of hands-on cybersecurity exercise modules will be developed to cover UAV cybersecurity issues from different angles.

The development of UAV-CLP utilize PX4-Autopilot as the basic UAV simulation framework, which is further developed by our project team to support UAV cybersecurity exercises by modifying the existing components, adding new components, and removing unnecessary components.

The current development environment of UAV-CLP is Ubuntu Linux 18.04 and MacOS 11.1. UAV-CLP will provide an all-in-one virtual machine image for easy-deployment as well as complete instruction for manual installation.

Lab 1: GPS Spoofing Attacks on UAVs

GPS Spoofing is the intentional transmission of fake GNSS signals to divert UAVs from their true position. This lab module supports the simulation of different types of GPS spoofing attacks and provides visualization of consequences of these attacks on UAVs. As an example shown below, the GPS spoofing attack diverts UAV from its original flight trajectory (left figure, brown line) to a new flight trajectory (right figure, red line)

Lab 2: GPS Jamming Attacks on UAVs

GPS Jamming is the presence of a competing signal that prevents the UAV from receiving decoding the true satellite signal. This lab module supports GPS jamming attacks under different pattens. As an example shown below, we simulate a GPS jamming attack during the flying of a UAV. The left figure is the planed flight trajectory and right figure is the position when the attack is launched (the GPS signal lost as shown in the yellow box).

After losing the GPS signal, the UAV starts landing at an unexpected location. As shown below, the altitude of the UAV reduces from 70.9ft to 1.2ft.

More lab modules are under development...