The Boeing Company

Gregory A Kimberly

Brian Jay Tillotson

John Dalton Williams

Jae H Kim

A secondary communication system for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is provided. The secondary communication system comprises at least one motor on the UAV and a motor controller in each motor that generates a signal from noise generated by the motor. A connector is configured to connect a towed sensor assembly to the UAV. A sensor acts as a receiver for the UAV, wherein the sensor receives a signal from a transmission source other than the UAV. The sensor is towed on the connector at a distance from the UAV sufficient to prevent or minimize interference of the received signal by the noise generated by the motor.

Towed sensor to aid low swap backup communications

A method initializes a spatial web of trust for a sensor platform array by positioning multiple sensor groups within a restricted workspace, such that adjacent sensor platform pairs are formed from corresponding platforms of the groups within a close-field range. Sensor-specific identification keys are exchanged between respective adjacent sensor platforms, with the groups progressively repositioned to form unique adjacent sensor platform pairs within the close-field range. The method includes progressively exchanging the keys until each platform has exchanged a respective key with every other platform in the array, thereby initializing the spatial web of trust. A system for initializing the spatial web of trust for a UAV swarm includes the UAV swarm in communication with a base station over an encrypted communications link. Each UAV includes a CPU, a sensor suite, and memory on which is recorded instructions for the method.

Spatial web of trust key initialization method for sensor platform array using directed close-field communication

Pre-flight and episodic aircraft inspections to ensure operational safety and effectiveness are made faster, less costly and more effective by utilizing mobile model and data-driven sensor platforms inspecting known-state target vehicles. For autonomous aircraft, an inspection unmanned aerial vehicle (I-UAV) containing sensors inspects a utility unmanned aerial vehicle (U-UAV). Failure and system models of the U-UAV and the flight history of the U-UAV carried in the sensor data captured by the U-UAV's aircraft health management system are combined to guide the I-UAV to appropriately attend to the systems of the U-UAV and to drive the U-UAV systems into target states that will reveal otherwise hidden or latent failures.

Data- and model-driven inspection of autonomous aircraft using an unmanned aerial vehicle

A system and method of identifying a security policy for a software part. Security information for the software part is signed with a security information digital signature to form signed security information. The security information identifies a security policy for the software part. The signed security information is associated with the software part.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Gregory A Kimberly