NASA tested a blockchain solution to facilitate the safe-keeping of a drone flight test details. The U.S. federal space agency said it turned to blockchain hoping to keep data transmitted between the aircraft and the ground stations from being manipulated and intercepted.
The test was conducted under NASA’s Airspace Operations and Safety Program. The Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate monitored the test with the aim of enabling safe, efficient aviation transportation operations that benefit the flying public and industry.
As part of its blockchain R&D, the NASA team used this blockchain framework to store details like aircraft operator registration number telemetry, and flight plans. The network was designed to keep this data out of third-party access.
“Using drones allowed the team to show that the blockchain framework could yield benefits across several priority areas in aviation development, including autonomous air traffic management, urban air mobility, and high-altitude aircraft,” the official statement from NASA said.
The open-source system was tested was multiple cybersecurity threats targeting the computer, radio, GPS system, and battery. systems.
“The underlying blockchain framework and cybersecurity protocols can be extended to support high-altitude operations at 60,000 feet and higher and Urban Air Mobility operations, paving the way for a more secure, scalable, and trusted ecosystem,” NASA said, outlining its feedback.
Data stored on blockchain is divided into multiple small packets and spread across the system. This makes it very difficult for threat actors to facilitate cybersecurity attacks and breach information. In addition, data stored on blockchain can neither be changed nor be removed — so it brings transparency and permanency to the storage system.