There are many restrictions attached to drone use, but a number of organizations do not have to obey these rules. Drones can perform a variety of functions: they might serve as a type of camera, a racing toy, or a video camera. They may include Bluetooth or built-in GPS technology. But with this popularity comes more than just privacy concerns. It presents another hacking opportunity, and it’s a lot easier than you might think.

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Despite continuous concern for drone security over the past several years, consumer demand led to the early release of commercial drones. These drones are incredibly vulnerable to security threats. Despite this, sales are projected to increase exponentially over the next several years. But commercial drones aren’t the only drones at risk. Companies like Amazon want to eventually use drones to deliver merchandise.

Police forces are using drones to combat crime, utilizing them for tasks such as tracking suspects and exploring dangerous crime scenes. Even though these drones are much more expensive, they are still vulnerable to hackers. Drone security is a major concern that will only grow in the coming years.

How Drones Can Be Hacked
Not that long ago, several graduate students from John Hopkins University proved just how easy it is to hack a commercial drone. They did so by taking control of a drone from a laptop. They showed that they could cause a drone to crash by sending it too many commands, or too much data, at once. They were even able to convince the drone that it was giving itself certain commands. Ultimately, they showed that once a hacker has control of a drone, they could use it for their own agenda, destroy it, or even steal it. For a device that costs more than $500, this isn’t information that should be ignored. Hopefully in the coming years, drone security will drastically improve.

How to Protect Your Devices
The ability to hack drones reminds us that we need to protect our devices against malicious threats. Nearly one million new malware threats are created per day. Download PSafe Total for your Android device and PSafe Total Windows for your PC to protect your devices against malicious attacks 24/7.

The Drone

The Parrot AR. Drone and AR.Drone 2.0 mostly fly themselves. Using sensors that help the drone stabilize itself and take off and land more easily, the drone helps anyone fly it without too much frustration. If you lose Wi-Fi connectivity, the drone locks its position.

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Additionally, the propellers cut out if you accidentally crash the drone. You won’t hurt the drone unless you do something really crazy to it: it’s made from foam and plastic. The drones also let you record video that’s sent to your phone using your Wi-Fi connection after the drone lands. You can then upload the videos your drone has taken to YouTube or share pictures using Picasa.

The App

The app is compatible with both the Parrot and the AR.Drone 2.0. Paired with your drone of choice, the app gives you all the tools you need to fly. You control the drone’s direction by tilting your phone in certain directions, and when you release control, the drone stabilizes. The app also comes with an Absolute Control piloting mode for beginners that can be adjusted as you become more and more familiar with flying your drone.

Getting Started

Here’s how to get started with your new drone and its app.

1. Charge the battery and install it into your drone.
2. Put on the drone’s outdoor or indoor frame.
3. Download the Ar.FreeFlight app onto your phone.
4. Connect your phone to the AR.Drone Wi-Fi network.
5. Launch the app.
6. The app will connect to the drone and the camera will start transmitting images.
7. Your drone is ready for take-off!