Researchers from the University of Texas have managed to hack the GPS system of a flying drone and redirect it. The actions of the team however were encouraged by the US Department of Homeland Security. They were asked to attempt to hack the drone as a security check and spent just $1,000 on the equipment needed.
The fact that the team were successful in their mission will most certainly prompt questions about the security put in place to avoid such actions.
The scientists, who were led by Professor Todd Humphreys, used a “spoofer” to adjust the course of the GPS system on-board the drone. A spoofer works in a similar way to a jammer, but instead of completely distorting the signal from a radio device, a spoofer changes the signal in a way that makes it possible to alter the direction of the guidance system.
Humphreys told reporters at Fox News; “I’m worried about them crashing into buildings. We could get collisions in the air and there could be loss of life, so we want to prevent this and get out in front of the problem.” It is believed that a similar method was used in Iran recently, which led to the capturer of an American drone.
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