Concerns about data security within uncrewed flight operations tied to public safety and critical infrastructure highlight the need for greater access to secure, capable, and affordable drones 

Data security for uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) remains a primary concern by public safety and critical infrastructure professionals, according to an August 2023 survey of 733 drone professionals (“Survey”) performed by Teledyne FLIR, LLC. (see Survey Methodology) Data security not only represents one of the top considerations when purchasing a drone platform, but a strong majority (67 percent) of the survey respondents worry that unknown entities could access the data they capture and manage from drones. These are some of the key findings from the Survey.  

More specifically, 69 percent of survey respondents said they are somewhat to extremely concerned “that data captured by your drone program might be accessible to foreign governments or other entities that might be considered hostile to your organization/work.”

“I believe that the Survey shows how those in the domestic drone industry take data privacy concerns very seriously and that they are looking for drone solutions that can give them peace of mind that their respective data won’t be accessed by unknown persons or organizations, especially by countries of concern,” said Mike Walters, vice president, Teledyne FLIR. “The Survey results also highlight the key challenges faced by commercial, industrial, and governmental UAS operators trying to balance UAS capabilities, budget, and data security.”  

In addition to the fact that 86 percent of those surveyed said that data security was important when considering the purchase of a UAS platform, the other top factors considered somewhat to very important included:  

• 97 percent – Quality of the sensor payload(s)  
• 90 percent – Ease of use   
• 85 percent – Price   

Meanwhile, nearly 95 percent of survey respondents indicated that their organizations have or operate UAS platforms not domestically sourced or originate from potential countries of concern. This illustrates that performance and budget often drive purchase decisions. More than three-quarters of respondents also want a Wi-Fi connection, and they feel real-time third-party application connectivity is somewhat important to very important.   

The Survey highlights the concerns and practical tradeoffs faced by drone pilots and their respective organizations today. Lower-cost, high-performance, connected drones from possible “countries of concern” currently dominate the commercial, industrial, and public safety industries. However, state and federal regulations are starting to build in requirements that drones originate from domestic companies or countries that are not of concern and have strong measures against unauthorized access to data. This reality highlights the need for cost-effective, high-performance, yet secure UAS platforms. 

“To ensure drone industry professionals can work with the best drone technology that is also cost-effective and data secure, government regulators need to look at funding domestic drone development and procurement,” said Walters. “By making available more grants and incentives to public safety- and critical infrastructure-related organizations, local, state, and federal governments can help these critical organizations transition to data-secure drones originating from companies based in the United States and authorized countries.” 

To learn more about the Teledyne FLIR drone program, including its SIRAS UAS platform for public safety and critical infrastructure professionals, visit www.flir.com/browse/industrial/aerial-kits.