REU Site: Cybersecurity Research of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

This award supports a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), Daytona Beach, Florida. Each summer, ten motivated undergraduates from universities across the United States participate in a rigorous 10-week Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) cybersecurity research program. The program combines faculty-mentored research with professional development activities designed to prepare students for careers in cybersecurity and/or graduate school. The project's novelties include vulnerability assessment and the development and testing of new cyber-resilient algorithms to safeguard UAVs. More broadly, the Site advances UAV security research while equipping students with essential research skills through structured faculty mentorships. The training is designed to prepare students with skills and tools to thrive in graduate school and future careers in the cybersecurity field. The REU Site focuses on enhancing UAV security through faculty-guided research projects. Participants investigate cyber-resilient UAV operation and simulations; secure navigation including Global Positioning System (GPS) spoofing detection and mitigation; and AI-based anomaly and intrusion detection. The research process includes systematic literature reviews, hypothesis development, testbed creation for data collection, data processing, technical seminars, and workshops in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity. Throughout the program, students gain valuable experience presenting their findings, with mid-term results showcased at the Daytona Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS) and final outcomes at the ERAU Summer Symposium. The key objectives of this Site are: (1) Increase the number of high-quality cybersecurity professionals, (2) Broaden STEM participation by enhancing recruitment efforts for veterans, individuals with diverse socioeconomical backgrounds and under-resources institutions, (3) Inspire and empower undergraduates to confidently pursue graduate degrees, and (4) Provide undergraduates with professional skills for their future careers. By leveraging Embry-Riddle’s state-of-the-art facilities, research labs, and faculty expertise, the program cultivates interest in cybersecurity and develops the research skills of undergraduate students, contributing to cybersecurity education, training, and workforce development. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.