Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for identifying location of light sources from airborne aircraft. Light sources are ground based and may be low power lasers and other like devices. An aircraft equipped with a detecting module, such as a camera of a ground maneuver camera system, may defect light source output and associate this output with the relative position of the aircraft to the light source. This information may be analyzed together with aircraft location information (at the time of light source detection) to generate a light source location estimate. In some embodiments, other information, such as transmission from other aircraft and/or ground based nodes can be used. The estimate may be transmitted to a ground based node, such as a law enforcement unit. The data from multiple aircraft and/or ground based nodes may be aggregated to more precisely identify the light source location.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing software components and information. An apparatus comprises a computer system, a library application running on the computer system, a distribution application running on the computer system, and a crate tool in the computer system. The library application is configured to store a number of software components and information for ground vehicles in the computer system and generate tasks to manage software components and the information in the ground vehicles. The distribution application is configured to send a selected software component in the number of software components to a ground vehicle and receive the information from the ground vehicle. The crate tool is configured to manage crates containing the software components and the information and validate signatures associated with the software components and the information in the crates.

Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for terrestrial data transmission between aircrafts and external networks connected to gates at airports. This type of data transmission is performed through an electrical power cable that includes multiple conductors interconnecting electrical components of an aircraft and a gate. Each conductor may be used to establish a separate broadband over power line (BPL) communication channel using its own frequency range that does not overlap with frequency ranges of other channels. As such, no radio frequency (RF) shielding is needed in the cable and any standard multi-conductor cable may be used. A channel management unit is used to control allocation of data domains among different communication channels depending on characteristics of the data domains, characteristics of the channels, and other factors. For example, one channel may be designated for secure data transfer of specific data domains, such as aircraft control data.

Abstract: An avionics system allows aircraft to introduce bogus “ADS-B Out” messages that are recognized as false only by authorized users. The system enables aircrafts flying at low altitudes to prevent misuse of their ADS-B Out information by maliciously operated cyber and physical attack tools. Aspects of the illustrative embodiment include the system architecture, including an Airborne ATC Processor and Ground ATM System Processor; a process employed by aircraft for generating authorized bogus ADS-B Out messages; a process employed by aircraft for transmitting authorized bogus ADS-B Out messages; and a process employed by air traffic control and other aircraft for decoding the authorized bogus ADS-B Out messages.

Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for identifying location of light sources from airborne aircraft. Light sources are ground based and may be low power lasers and other like devices. An aircraft equipped with a detecting module, such as a camera of a ground maneuver camera system, may defect light source output and associate this output with the relative position of the aircraft to the light source. This information may be analyzed together with aircraft location information (at the time of light source detection) to generate a light source location estimate. In some embodiments, other information, such as transmission from other aircraft and/or ground based nodes can be used. The estimate may be transmitted to a ground based node, such as a law enforcement unit. The data from multiple aircraft and/or ground based nodes may be aggregated to more precisely identify the light source location.

Abstract: Methods and systems for use in exchanging information between aircraft at an airport are provided. The system includes a power system capable of providing power to each of the plurality of vehicles via an electric cable, at least one off-board broadband over power lines (BPL) module coupled to the power system. The at least one off-board BPL module is capable of communicating via the electric cable with an onboard BPL module on each of the plurality of vehicles. The system also includes a network coupled to each of the at least one off-board BPL modules for communicatively coupling each of the at least one off-board BPL modules such that the plurality of vehicles can exchange information via the network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring airborne objects are described herein. An air traffic management (ATM) system is provided that includes a memory device for storing data and a processor coupled to the memory device. The processor is programmed to receive object data associated with each of a plurality of airborne objects transmitted by at least one remote sensor device and generate an air traffic map to display a present location and a flight path for each airborne object based on the received object data. The object data includes situational awareness information for each airborne object and real-time position information for the at least one remote sensor device.

Abstract: A method of predicting an achievable level of privacy of a flight path can include receiving an indication of a flight route of an aircraft, receiving an indication of one or more privacy enhancement techniques, estimating an air traffic density for one or more airspaces along or near the flight route where the estimating is based on information obtained from one or more aviation information databases, and estimating an achievable level of privacy of the flight path based, at least in part, on the air traffic density for one or more airspaces and the one or more privacy enhancement techniques. The method can further include using the estimated achievable level of privacy of the flight path as a privacy layer in one or more flight planning and optimization problems.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for use in evaluating at least one threat to a complex system includes identifying one or more physical components of the complex system and modeling the one or more physical components with interactive software multi-agents. The multi-agents are programmed to monitor and control at least one function of the modeled physical components. One or more threats to a target of the complex system are identified. Each threat is defined as a cyber threat or physical threat and the target is defined as a cyber component or physical component. The method includes simulating an attack on the complex system by the identified threat and assessing an impact of the attack on the complex system.

Abstract: A method and system for encrypting communications between two aircraft on the ground at an airport. Each aircraft is coupled to a ground network via a broadband over power line communications (BPL) network, which may be provided via the respective ground power connectors for each aircraft. A mutually authenticated communications channel is established between each aircraft via the ground network. A shared pairwise key is established at each aircraft. The shared pairwise key may be separately established based upon channel state characteristics such as channel attenuation, bandwidth or delay. In the alternative, the shared pairwise key may be shared from one aircraft to the other or may be generated from public keys based upon a predetermined protocol such as Diffie Hellman. Data encrypted using the shared pairwise key may then be transmitted from one aircraft to the other aircraft. The encrypted data may be transmitted via the PBL network or a separate wireless network.

Abstract: A method of predicting an achievable level of privacy of a flight path can include receiving an indication of a flight route of an aircraft, receiving an indication of one or more privacy enhancement techniques, estimating an air traffic density for one or more airspaces along or near the flight route where the estimating is based on information obtained from one or more aviation information databases, and estimating an achievable level of privacy of the flight path based, at least in part, on the air traffic density for one or more airspaces and the one or more privacy enhancement techniques. The method can further include using the estimated achievable level of privacy of the flight path as a privacy layer in one or more flight planning and optimization problems.

Abstract: An aircraft includes a first electrical connector configured to couple with a first power cable, a first data communication network and a first modem coupled to first electrical connector and first data communication network and is configured to transmit data received at first electrical connector through first power cable to first data communication network and to transmit data from first data communication network to first power cable through first electrical connector. The aircraft additionally includes a second electrical connector configured to couple with a second power cable, a second data communication network and a second modem coupled to second electrical connector and to second data communication network and is configured to transmit data received at second electrical connector through second power cable to second data communication network and to transmit data from second data communication network to second power cable through second electrical connector.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing wireless devices on an aircraft. A map for a number of wireless devices on the aircraft is generated. The number of wireless devices is identified in a profile. A risk for the number of wireless devices on the aircraft is identified during operation of the aircraft using state information for the aircraft and the profile. Access to a wireless network on the aircraft by the number of wireless devices is managed based on the risk identified for the number of wireless devices.

Abstract: A method for group travel and group communications, wherein the group travel parameters and group communications are combined for verifying and validating ADS-B data on aircraft. The full connectivity within a navigating group of aircraft allows all the group members to communicate spatial/temporal observations and collaborate in group protocols, e.g., majority voting protocol, which can determine if a received ADS-B message is corrupted or from a false target aircraft. Well-established distributed protocols based on group communications and majority voting exist for (1) detecting compromised members, i.e., false target aircraft, and (2) verifying message integrity, i.e., ADS-B data, given a minority fraction of members are compromised/colluding. Such protocols can be based on IP multicast communications over the IP networking data links available on the aircraft. Also disclosed is a method for verification and validation of position indicator message data on aircraft.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for authenticating a signal received at a wireless node. The signal is received at the wireless node. The wireless node is one of a plurality of wireless nodes in a communications network. A set of parameters is identified for the signal. A distance between the wireless node and a source of the signal is identified using a location of the wireless node and the set of parameters for the signal. A determination as to whether the source of the signal is an authorized source is made using the distance identified.

Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for terrestrial data transmission between aircrafts and external networks connected to gates at airports. This type of data transmission is performed through an electrical power cable that includes multiple conductors interconnecting electrical components of an aircraft and a gate. Each conductor may be used to establish a separate broadband over power line (BPL) communication channel using its own frequency range that does not overlap with frequency ranges of other channels. As such, no radio frequency (RF) shielding is needed in the cable and any standard multi-conductor cable may be used. A channel management unit is used to control allocation of data domains among different communication channels depending on characteristics of the data domains, characteristics of the channels, and other factors. For example, one channel may be designated for secure data transfer of specific data domains, such as aircraft control data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing wireless devices on an aircraft. A map for a number of wireless devices on the aircraft is generated. The number of wireless devices is identified in a profile. A risk for the number of wireless devices on the aircraft is identified during operation of the aircraft using state information for the aircraft and the profile. Access to a wireless network on the aircraft by the number of wireless devices is managed based on the risk identified for the number of wireless devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing wireless devices on an aircraft. A map for a number of wireless devices on the aircraft is generated. The number of wireless devices is identified in a profile. A risk for the number of wireless devices on the aircraft is identified during operation of the aircraft using state information for the aircraft and the profile. Access to a wireless network on the aircraft by the number of wireless devices is managed based on the risk identified for the number of wireless devices.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for managing network security at an airport. A threat level for the airport is identified. A number of policies for a network data processing system is identified at the airport based on the threat level identified for the airport in response to identifying the threat level for the airport. Enforcement of the number of policies is initiated in the network data processing system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for simulating effects of threats to aircraft communications. A simulation of an aircraft environment is run with the aircraft communications in an aircraft communications network in the aircraft environment. A number of conditions is introduced. The number of conditions comprises a threat configured to affect the aircraft communications in the aircraft communications network in an undesired manner. A change in traffic flow of aircraft in an airspace in the aircraft environment is identified in response to the number of conditions.