I’m working on a project for my computer science class where I need to focus on the communication protocols between a drone and its controller. My professor asked me to find a drone that weighs under 250g and isn’t encrypted, or a tutorial to build my own drone with the software.
I’m new to drones and I’m not sure where to start. I’ve heard something about DJI and encryption, but I might have misunderstood. Could anyone suggest a drone or point me to a tutorial? And just to clear things up, I’m not a hacker – I promise.
Here’s a GitHub link for basic info on open-source firmware for flight controllers (Ardupilot).
Coms encryption is almost never an issue with consumer-grade drones under 250g.
DJI has a programmable UAV (Tello) that’s great for educational use, but it’s not for hacking communication protocols. You might want to talk with your professor about adjusting the project to match your skills.
@Reagan
Do you know where I can find a Tello? I heard they were discontinued, and I only found used or refurbished ones. I went with the Crazyflie 2.1 as a programmable drone, but the Tello would have been better for the price and performance.
You mentioned you’re ‘too stupid to be a hacker’ – don’t worry, I believe you! But I think you’re searching for the wrong thing. Instead of looking for a ‘non-encrypted drone,’ try searching for an ‘open-source drone’ or ‘programmable drone.’ That should be a better match for your project.
What exactly do you mean by ‘work on the communication protocol’? You can pretty much build a drone and make it fly without needing to do any serious protocol work these days.