Analysis of Control Channel Cybersecurity of the Consumer-Grade UAV by the Example of DJI Tello

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents the assessment of cybersecurity of the non-industrial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV; using DJI Tello as an example) wireless control channel, implemented on the basis of Wi-Fi Wireless Local Area Network technology. As a result of the research, a model of an adversary conducting a cyberattack on the UAV communication channel was developed, and scenarios of an intruder’s actions (aimed at taking control of the UAV or disabling it) were considered. Relevant block diagrams of the actions of an adversary were also developed. Based on the results of the analysis, a security strategy is proposed. It provides the maximum possible protection (based on the technical characteristics of the drone) and comprises not only passive protection in the form of setting a tough password, but also active actions –deploying a system to monitor the injections of deauthentication/dissociation frames and/or the creation of duplicate wireless networks.