[p2p-research] Drone hacking

[Kevin Carson]

  Sent to you by Kevin Carson via Google Reader: Drone hacking via MAKE
Magazine by Phillip Torrone on 12/17/09



Drone hacking? Really? With off the shelf software?
Militants in Iraq have used $26 off-the-shelf software to intercept
live video feeds from U.S. Predator drones, potentially providing them
with information they need to evade or monitor U.S. military
operations. Senior defense and intelligence officials said
Iranian-backed insurgents intercepted the video feeds by taking
advantage of an unprotected communications link in some of the remotely
flown planes' systems. Shiite fighters in Iraq used software programs
such as SkyGrabber -- available for as little as $25.95 on the Internet
-- to regularly capture drone video feeds, according to a person
familiar with reports on the matter. SkyGrabber is software that's
usually used to download movies from satellites. It appears you can
just hook it up to a satellite dish for for its "connection" and you're
off. Instead of downloading the latest Vampire movie, you could get
video feeds from the drones. Wild.

In the MakerShed

ArduPilot is a full-featured autopilot based on the Arduino open-source
hardware platform. It uses infrared (thermopile) sensors for
stabilization and GPS for navigation. Requires a GPS module and an
infrared XY sensor (not included). The autopilot handles both
stabilization and navigation, eliminating the need for a separate
stabilization system. It also supports a "fly-by-wire" mode that can
stabilize an aircraft when flying manually under RC control, making it
easier and safer to fly.


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