US-12623789-B1 - System, apparatus and method for an unmanned aerial vehicle with memory secured against tampering and access

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods are provided for securing firmware and mission data in memory of an unmanned aerial vehicle. The unmanned aerial vehicle may include a central body and at least one electric motor. The central body may include a flight controller with a processor, a firmware memory configured to receive and store firmware, and circuit board with a fixed portion and a removable portion with a programming interface connector providing access through a signal connection to a firmware memory operatively connected to the flight controller. The central body may further include a volatile mission memory configured to receive mission data and automatically be erased upon power interruption.

Inventors

• ALexis Henry Clark
• Michael Joseph Bell

Assignees

• BLUEHALO, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20220225

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising: a. a central body comprising: i. a flight controller including at least one processor; ii. a firmware memory operatively connected to the flight controller and configured to receive and store firmware including processor executable instructions for directing movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and iii. a circuit board comprising: 1. A fixed portion comprising: a. a flight controller connector operatively connected to the flight controller; and b. a signal connection operatively connected to the firmware memory; and 2. A physically removable portion comprising at least one programming interface connector operatively connected to the signal connection, wherein, when the physically removable portion is attached to the fixed portion, the physically removable portion is configured to receive by the at least one programming interface connector the firmware, and provide the firmware to the firmware memory of the flight controller via the signal connection and the flight controller connector of the fixed portion, and wherein when the physically removable portion is physically removed from the fixed portion the operative connection between the at least one programming interface connector and the signal connection is eliminated and the at least one programming interface connector does not provide the firmware to the firmware memory, and the physically removable portion is not capable of being physically reattached; and b. at least one electric motor operatively connected to the central body and connected to at least one propeller such that the at least one propeller is rotatable by the at least one electric motor, wherein the at least one electric motor is controlled by control signals received from the flight controller according to the firmware.
2. 2 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one programming interface connector extends out of an exterior of the circuit board.
3. 3 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one programming interface connector is the only connector of the unmanned aerial vehicle configured to receive the firmware and to provide the firmware to the firmware memory.
4. 4 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one programming interface connector comprises at least one pull-up resistor.
5. 5 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the at least one pull-up resistor embodies a match with the flight controller that is a prerequisite to completing a transmit receive circuit allowing the firmware to be received and provided to the firmware memory of the flight controller.
6. 6 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one programming interface connector includes a plurality of programming interface connectors.
7. 7 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one programming interface connector comprises a plurality of pull-up resistors.
8. 8 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the at least one programming interface connector comprises at least one capacitor.
9. 9 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein removal of the physically removable portion from the fixed portion prevents firmware from being provided to the firmware memory.
10. 10 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the central body further comprises a volatile mission memory operatively connected to the flight controller and configured to receive and store mission data including processor executable instructions for providing the control signals to the at least one electric motor based on the firmware to direct movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to a mission, and wherein the volatile mission memory is configured to be automatically erased upon interruption of power to the volatile mission memory for a period of time.
11. 11 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the volatile mission memory is operatively connected to a removable memory card inserted into a data port of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the mission data is received by the volatile mission memory from the removable memory card.
12. 12 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the removable memory card is a removable microSD card.
13. 13 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the circuit board further comprises a radio interface operably connected to at least one radio transceiver and the volatile mission memory is operably connected to the radio interface and configured to receive the mission data through the at least one radio transceiver.
14. 14 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the volatile mission memory comprises random access memory.
15. 15 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising data clearing circuitry operatively connected to the random access memory and configured to clear data in the volatile mission memory upon the interruption of electric power to the random access memory for the period of time.
16. 16 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the data clearing circuitry comprises at least one capacitor.
17. 17 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the data clearing circuitry comprises at least one resistor.
18. 18 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the data clearing circuitry comprises at least one capacitor and at least one resistor.
19. 19 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the firmware memory is configured to retain the firmware upon the interruption of power to the firmware memory.
20. 20 . The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the mission data is stored solely within the volatile mission memory.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention generally relates to a system and apparatus and method for secure firmware and mission data in memory of an unmanned aerial vehicle. BACKGROUND In certain environments, unmanned aerial vehicles are used to perform surveillance and other related tasks. One problem facing those conditions is that unauthorized parties, for example upon interception, can modify or access firmware and mission data stored in memory of such unmanned aerial vehicles. The problem is further enhanced by the fact that such unmanned aerial vehicles may need to be controlled autonomously, tending to result in a loss of physical security or a possibility of being lost, while carrying sensitive and important information. It would therefore be beneficial to provide an unmanned, autonomously operated, aerial vehicle that is able to carry high-value data in memory but that is resistant to, or protected from, data tampering or intrusion. SUMMARY In view of the above, it is the object of the present disclosure to provide a system and apparatus to overcome the technological challenges faced in conventional autonomously and remotely operated unmanned aerial vehicles carrying. In embodiments, an unmanned aerial vehicle may include: a. a central body including: i. a flight controller including at least one processor; ii. a firmware memory operatively connected to the flight controller and configured to receive and store firmware including processor executable instructions for directing movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and iii. a circuit board including: 1. a fixed portion including: a. a flight controller connector operatively connected to the flight controller; and b. a signal connection operatively connected to the firmware memory; and 2. a removable portion including at least one programming interface connector operatively connected to the signal connection, wherein, when the removable portion is attached to the fixed portion, the at least one programming interface connector is configured to receive by the at least one programming interface connector the firmware, and provide the firmware to the firmware memory of the flight controller via the signal connection and the flight controller connector, and wherein when the removable portion is removed from the fixed portion the operative connection between the at least one programming connector and the signal connection is eliminated and the at least one programming interface connector does not provide the firmware to the firmware memory; and b. at least one electric motor operatively connected to the central body and connected to at least one propeller such that the at least one propeller is rotatable by the at least one electric motor, wherein the at least one electric motor is controlled by control signals received from the flight controller according to the firmware. In embodiments, the at least one programming interface connector extends out of an exterior of the circuit board. In embodiments, the at least one programming interface connector is the only connector of the unmanned aerial vehicle configured to receive the firmware and to provide the firmware to the firmware memory. In embodiments, the at least one programming interface connector includes at least one pull-up resistor. In embodiments, the at least one pull-up resistor embodies a match with the flight controller that is prerequisite to completing a transmit receive circuit allowing the firmware to be received and provided to the firmware memory of the flight controller. In embodiments, the at least one programming interface connector includes a plurality of programming interface connectors. In embodiments, the at least one programming interface connector includes a plurality of pull-up resistors. In embodiments, the at least one programming interface connector includes at least one capacitor. In embodiments, removal of the removable portion from the fixed portion prevents firmware from being provided to the firmware memory. In embodiments, the central body further includes a volatile mission memory operatively connected to the flight controller and configured to receive and store mission data including processor executable instructions for providing control signals to the at least one electric motor based on the firmware to direct movement of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to a mission, and wherein the volatile mission memory is configured to be automatically erased upon interruption of power to the volatile mission memory for a period of time. In embodiments, the volatile mission memory is operatively connected to a removable memory card inserted into a data port of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the mission data is received by the volatile mission memory from the removable memory card. In embodiments, the removable memory card is a removable microSD card. In embodiments, the circuit board further includes a radio interface operably connected to at least one radio transce