Cybersecurity and privacy concerns related to personal and commercial use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems

The use of small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) by civilian operators is increasing at an unprecedented rate. However, the increased use of small UAS for commercial and recreational purposes has heightened citizens' concerns related to security and privacy. Current FAA regulation and mandate in reference to civilian small UAS is limited to the security of operations with manned aircraft in national airspace. Cybersecurity and society's privacy considerations as this technology continues to evolve are not being addressed, and as is often the case, legislation is lagging behind technological advances. The purpose of this study was to examine security, privacy, and regulatory concerns related to civilian operation and use of small UAS in the United States. This capstone project presented the current civil liberties concerns, as well as cybersecurity vulnerabilities of small UAS designs. The literature review process identified the lack of a federal mandate addressing small UAS incidents, the efforts of individual states to regulate civilian UAS use within their borders, and the manufacturers' failure to include more cybersecurity and safety features in their designs. More comprehensive FAA policy for small UAS through a registration process focused on security and operator's accountability of possible incidents involving population, and cybersecurity based software inclusion in small UAS designs is recommended. These recommendations will facilitate policymakers' decisions for future legislation as malicious users find more creative ways to exploit the technology.