New system helps drones recover fast from stealth cyber hijacks

Researchers at Florida International University have developed SHIELD, a novel real-time defense system that enables drones to detect and recover from cyberattacks while still in flight. Unlike traditional defenses that primarily monitor navigation sensors vulnerable to manipulation (such as GPS spoofing), SHIELD continuously scans a drone’s entire control system—including hardware components like battery levels and processor activity—to identify unusual behavior indicative of an attack. Using machine learning models, SHIELD can recognize different attack patterns, detect cyber intrusions within 0.21 seconds, and initiate recovery procedures within 0.36 seconds, allowing the drone to complete its mission rather than terminating it as a fail-safe. This advancement addresses the growing security risks associated with the expanding use of drones across industries such as delivery, agriculture, infrastructure inspection, and disaster response. As regulatory bodies like the Federal Aviation Administration prepare to increase drone operations, SHIELD’s comprehensive approach provides a crucial safety layer by ensuring drones remain reliable and secure even under stealth cyber hijacks. The research team lik