Is it a Bird, is it a Plane, or is it Superman? No... it is a Drone Which has Become an ISO target

Is it a bird, is it a plane, or is it Superman? No… it is a drone which has become an ISO target

It has become quite common to see flying objects in the skies, which are not in science fiction movies anymore but our everyday life. The same objects have become quite common in the news headlines as well, being subject of proliferating airspace and causing football match incidents, but also providing great services, changing the way how society is working and living. So, what exactly these objects are? They are named “Drones” and referred also as “Unmanned Aircraft Systems”, devices that can fly autonomously with human control.

 Lately, we have found a great evolution of drones’ use; the time when they were used only for military purposes has passed. Nowadays people are using drones for various occasions, to take aerial photos, videos, sending different packages, goods and mails from different stores. There are also a number of industries which are using drones for monitoring and surveillance processes taking photos with high resolution camera and different 3D models. Drones are monitoring crops’ health, detecting pollution, pets, droughts, weeds, floods and other agricultural operations. Drones are generating maps and models of different parts of land, collecting data from hurricanes and tornadoes, identifying forest fires, etc. The use potential has become almost limitless.

As for the future, it is almost impossible to predict future services that drones will be able to perform. According to lately reports, development and research centers of these drones are increasing from 3 % to 7 % annually. The investment in these unmanned aerial vehicles is expected to total approximately $89 billion in the next ten years and more than 30000 drones are expected to fly in USA space by the year 2020.

However, a public debate pointing out drones’ technology and its safety is continually increasing. Along with the benefits and the growth, there are some challenges and concerns too about the safety and privacy of individuals exposed to these drones.

Drones are connected to electronic communication system which has integrated a control software, control links, support equipment payloads, flight termination systems, and launch/recovery equipment. This system entirely can be vulnerable to hackers’ attacks that can change their destination path for different purposes.

Furthermore, drones are directed by people, and they are prone to invade other peoples’ privacy, flying over different areas where they are seen as disruptive force.

Another concern is the possibility that drones can cause bodily injuries to humans and animals, and they can cause property damages to buildings and personal properties. They can crash power lines, obscure satellite maps for optimal landing, and much other interference.

As there are so many unknown possible services that drones can have in the future, there are also unknown risks issues. The biggest challenge facing all these situations is that there are different vendors manufacturing drones, who are producing different drones in size, shape, capabilities and cost. It has certainly become critical to ensure a number of standardized requirements as a reference for every manufacture incorporated here. Current regulations around the world are not consistent. This is why in some countries national regulators and some industries are influencing the development of international standard towards this issue. As a result, ISO has been researching for possible risks and developing insurance policy options in response to the new technology.

ISO 14508 and DO-178 can be used to address requirements for IT security including here audit, communications, cryptography, data protection, authentication, security management, and privacy. All these are identified to be incorporated in drones’ development process and use.

Another step toward this is the ISO/TC 20/SC 16, the committee that is working to ensure optimal infrastructure, satellite-based communication, navigation and surveillance, and required frequency bands resources allocation. According to Cortney Robinson, the Director of Civil Aviation Infrastructure at the Aerospace Industries Association in the USA and new Secretary of ISO/TC 20/SC 16, Aircraft and space vehicles – Unmanned aircraft systems, the most challenging issue in this process has become developing and implementing appropriate policies and infrastructure for this technology.

It is very important to consider all possible users and system risks before defining all standards requirements. A system risk that will balance business benefits with operational use, ensure globally harmonized airspace for drones, create good conditions for commercial opportunities, benefits to business and society, but also ensure reliable and secure services.

It is said that the age of drones has only begun, and they are flying for better world.

Rreze Halili is a Security, Continuity and Recovery (SCR) Product Manager at PECB. She is in charge of developing and maintaining training courses related to SCR. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact: training@pecb.com.

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