A project report on detecting and tracking Wi-Fi-based UAVs using passive Wi-Fi scanning from an Android device.
Abstract
As UAVs become more prevalent, there's a growing need, from a privacy, security, and safety standpoint, to detect and track them. Most consumer UAVs use Wi-Fi for their communication link, which makes passive Wi-Fi scanning a viable detection method. Android phones are an attractive platform for this: small, cheap, and all-in-one, but limited by OS-level Wi-Fi permission and throttling restrictions that most detection approaches don't account for.
What this explores
This project investigates those Android OS limitations directly, and shows that the restrictions can be modified and removed, which an app-based scanner can then take advantage of.
Real-world result
With the modified Android OS, a Nexus 5X device detected a DJI Tello UAV from over 150 meters away, with minimal impact on battery performance.
Takeaway
Modifying the Android OS to remove restrictions that otherwise hinder detection performance produces a more accurate, reliable, and cost-effective way to detect Wi-Fi-based UAVs than relying on stock OS behavior.
Mohammad Hameed, University of Calgary. CPSC 601.93 Project Final Report.