Unmanned aerial vehicle piloting authorization

• US 9,651,944 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2015
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Arwine, Troy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam
• Application Number:
  US14/664,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20160274578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 786 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) piloting authorization implementations are presented that authorize a pilot to operate a UAV in regulated airspace. In general, a UAV authorization system is employed which incorporates a control authorization unit into a UAV controller device and a control instruction authentication unit into a UAV. The control authorization unit obtains a signed digital certificate associated with a UAV pilot, checks that it is signed by a trusted signatory, and then determines that it is currently valid using cloud or server based validation service. If the digital certificate is currently valid, the pilot is allowed to initiate control instructions via the UAV controller device. The signed digital certificate is attached to any control instructions initiated by the pilot before transmission to the UAV. The control instruction authentication unit goes through a similar procedure to authenticate any received control instruction before allowing the UAV to execute the instruction.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) authorization system for authorizing a pilot to operate a UAV, the system comprising:

a UAV controller device; and

a control authorization unit comprising a processor, a communication interface and memory, and which is in communication, via the communication interface, with the UAV controller device that is in turn in communication with a UAV, said control authorization unit further comprising,

an authorizer operating on said processor for,

receiving an identification code from the UAV controller device that was entered into the UAV controller device by the pilot,

transmitting the identification code to a digital certificate storage unit,

receiving a signed digital certificate from the digital certificate storage unit whenever the identification code corresponds to the signed digital certificate,

determining if the digital certificate is signed by a trusted signatory whose signature is in stored in the control authorization unit memory, and

whenever it is determined the digital certificate is signed by a trusted signatory, deeming the pilot to be authenticated, and

whenever the pilot is authenticated, transmitting a validation request to a validation service to determine whether the digital certificate is valid, wherein said control authorization unit is in communication with the validation service via the communication interface,

receiving from the validation service, a validation indicator indicating whether the received digital certificate is currently valid, and

whenever the received validation indicator indicates that the received digital certificate is currently valid, authorizing the pilot to initiate control instructions via the UAV controller device and attaching the signed digital certificate to any control instructions initiated by the pilot.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising, whenever the received validation indicator indicates that the digital certificate is invalid, the authorizer not authorizing the pilot to initiate control instructions via the UAV controller device and not transmitting the control instruction to the UAV for flights within a regulated airspace.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the a digital certificate storage unit is a smart card, and the UAV controller device has a built-in smart card reader or is in communication with an external smart card reader.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification code received from the UAV controller device was entered into the UAV controller device by the pilot using controls resident on the controller device.

5. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) authorization system for authenticating and executing control instructions, the system comprising:

a UAV; and

a control instruction authentication unit comprising a processor, a communication interface and memory, which is resident in and in communication via the communication interface with the UAV that is in turn in communication with a UAV controller device, said control instruction authentication unit further comprising,

a validator operating on said processor for,

receiving a control instruction from the UAV controller device, said control instruction comprising a signed digital certificate,

determining if the digital certificate is digitally signed by a trusted signatory whose digital signature is in stored in the control instruction authentication unit memory, and

if it is determined the digital certificate is digitally signed by a trusted signatory, transmitting an validation request to a validation service to determine whether the digital certificate is valid, wherein said control instruction authentication unit is in communication with the validation service via the communication interface,

receiving from the validation service, a validation indicator indicating whether the received digital certificate is currently valid, and

whenever the received validation indicator indicates that the received digital certificate is currently valid, allowing the UAV to execute the received control instruction.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the validator receiving a control instruction from the UAV controller device, comprises receiving a control instruction from the UAV controller device that was entered into the UAV controller device by a UAV pilot, said control instruction comprising a signed digital certificate associated with the UAV pilot;

whenever the received validation indicator indicates that the received digital certificate is currently valid, the validator allowing the UAV to execute the received control instruction comprises the validator allowing the UAV to execute the control instruction received from the UAV controller device that was entered into the UAV controller device by the UAV pilot; and

the system further comprising, whenever the received validation indicator indicates that the digital certificate is invalid, the validator not allowing the UAV to execute the control instruction received from the UAV controller device that was entered into the UAV controller device by the UAV pilot for flights within a regulated airspace.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein:

the validator receiving a control instruction from the UAV controller device, comprises receiving a takeover command from an agency who has the authority to takeover control of the UAV from the pilot, said takeover command comprising control instructions and a signed digital certificate issued to the agency; and

whenever the received validation indicator indicates that the received digital certificate is currently valid, the validator allowing the UAV to execute the received control instruction comprises not implementing any further control instructions received from the UAV controller device that were entered into the UAV controller device by the pilot and implementing the control instructions received in the takeover command.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

the validator transmitting unimplemented control instructions, received from the UAV controller device that were entered into the UAV controller device by the pilot, to the validation service for auditing and logging.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

the validator,

receiving additional control instructions and a signed digital certificate issued to said agency,

determining if the digital certificate is digitally signed by a trusted signatory whose digital signature is in stored in the control instruction authentication unit memory, and

if it is determined the digital certificate is digitally signed by a trusted signatory, deeming the agency who transmitted the additional control instructions to be authenticated, and

whenever the agency is authenticated, transmitting an validation request to a validation service to determine whether the digital certificate is valid,

receiving from the validation service, a validation indicator indicating whether the received digital certificate is currently valid, and

whenever the received validation indicator indicates that the digital certificate received from the agency is currently valid, implementing the additional control instructions.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

the validator transmitting the takeover command and any additional control instructions received from the agency, to the validation service for auditing and logging.

11. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pilot validation system for validating that a pilot is authorized to operate a UAV, the system comprising:

one or more computing devices, wherein said computing devices are in communication with each other via a computer network whenever there are multiple computing devices; and

a computer program having program modules executable by the one or more computing devices, the one or more computing devices being directed by the program modules of the computer program to,

receive a validation request from a control authorization unit associated with a UAV controller device that is in communication with and which transmits control instructions to a UAV, said validation request comprising a digital certificate that has been issued to and identifies a pilot of the UAV,

determine whether the digital certificate included in the received validation request is currently valid, and

transmitting to the control authorization unit, a validation indicator indicating whether the received digital certificate is currently valid.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the program module for determining whether the digital certificate included in the received validation request is currently valid, comprises deeming the digital certificate to be invalid if it appears on a current list of revoked certificates.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer program further comprises program modules for:

receiving a validation request from a control instruction authentication unit which is resident in a UAV and which received a control instruction comprising a digital certificate that has been issued to and identifies a pilot of the UAV, said validation request including said digital certificate;

determining whether the digital certificate received from the control instruction authentication unit and included in the received validation request is currently valid; and

transmitting to the control instruction authentication unit, a validation indicator indicating whether the received digital certificate is currently valid.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the validation request received from the control instruction authentication unit resident in the UAV further comprises a pilot-initiated control instruction, and wherein the computer program further comprises a program module for saving the received pilot-initiated control instructions for auditing and logging of control instructions initiated by the UAV pilot.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the program module for determining whether the digital certificate received from the control instruction authentication unit and included in the received validation request is currently valid, comprises deeming the digital certificate to be invalid if it appears on a current list of revoked certificates.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer program further comprises program modules for:

receiving a validation request from the control instruction authentication unit which is resident in the UAV and which received a takeover command initiated by an agency who has the authority to takeover control of the UAV from the pilot, said validation request comprising a digital certificate that has been issued to and identifies the agency;

determining whether the digital certificate received from the control instruction authentication unit and included in the received validation request is currently valid; and

transmitting to the control instruction authentication unit, a validation indicator indicating whether the received digital certificate is currently valid.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer program further comprises program modules for:

receiving a validation request from the control instruction authentication unit which is resident in the UAV and which received additional control instructions initiated by the agency, said validation request comprising said digital certificate issued to the agency;

determining whether the digital certificate received from the control instruction authentication unit and included in the received validation request is currently valid; and

transmitting to the control instruction authentication unit, a validation indicator indicating whether the received digital certificate is currently valid.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the takeover command received from the control instruction authentication unit resident in the UAV further comprises control instructions, and wherein the computer program further comprises a program module for saving the received takeover command control instructions, or additional control instructions, or both for auditing and logging of control instructions initiated by the regulatory agency.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer program further comprises program modules for:

receiving a request to issue a digital certificate from a regulatory agency that regulates the operation of a UAV in a regulated airspace, said digital certificate at least providing the identify of a UAV pilot and indicating that the pilot is licensed to operate a UAV in the regulated airspace;

issuing the requested digital certificate, thereby acting as a registration authority or enrollment agent; and

providing the digital certificate to a trusted signatory for application of a digital signature.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer program further comprises program modules for:

receiving a digital certificate from a certificate issuing authority, along with a request to digitally sign the certificate, said digital certificate at least providing the identify of a UAV pilot and indicating that the pilot is licensed to operate a UAV in the regulated airspace;

digitally signing the digital certificate, thereby acting as a trusted signatory; and

providing the signed digital certificate to the UAV pilot.