Drone control registration

Abstract

A drone includes technology for tracking controllers. A controller registration module (CRM) in the drone enables the drone to receive a first controller identifier from a first remote device. In response to receiving the first controller identifier, the CRM registers the first remote device as the current controller for the drone. Registering comprises adding the first controller identifier to a drone control registration record (DCRR) in the drone. Also, the DCRR is added to a block chain in remote storage. The CRM then receives a second controller identifier from a second remote device. In response, the CRM registers the second remote device as the current controller. Registering comprises creating an updated DCRR that identifies the second controller as the current controller. The updated DCRR is then added to the block chain. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drone comprising:
 circuitry to establish and maintain a trusted execution environment (TEE) within the drone, wherein the circuitry to establish the TEE comprises protected storage; and   controller registration circuitry to:
 receive controller identifiers from a first remote device and a second remote device while executing in the TEE; 
 create and update a drone control registration record (DCRR) in the drone while executing in the TEE; and 
 save the updated DCRR in the protected storage while executing in the TEE. 
   
     
     
         2 . The drone of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first controller identifier comprises a first flight control key; and   the second controller identifier comprises a second flight control key.   
     
     
         3 . The drone of  claim 1 , wherein the controller registration circuitry is further to:
 receive autonomous flight instructions for the drone from the first remote device;   save at least some of the autonomous flight instructions in the DCRR before facilitating the DCRR to be added to a block chain at a remote storage;   after receiving autonomous flight instructions at the drone from the first remote device, travel outside of a coverage area of the first remote device;   follow the autonomous flight instructions while traveling outside of the coverage area of the first remote device;   after following the autonomous flight instructions while traveling outside of the coverage area of the first remote device, enter a coverage area of the second remote device; and   receive the second controller identifier from the second remote device after entering the coverage area of the second remote device.   
     
     
         4 . The drone of  claim 1 , wherein, when the second remove device comprises a cellular base station (CBS), the controller registration circuitry is further to:
 receive flight instructions from the CBS directing the drone to a recharging base station associated with the CBS;   follow the flight instructions from the CBS directing the drone to the recharging base station; and   use the recharging base station to recharge the drone.   
     
     
         5 . The drone of  claim 1 , wherein the controller registration circuitry is further to:
 receive the first controller identifier from a cellular base station (CBS);   receive the second controller identifier from a satellite; and   send telemetry data from the drone to the satellite after registering the satellite as the current controller for the drone, wherein the circuitry is embedded in or couple to one or more processors including one or more application processors or one or more graphics processors.   
     
     
         6 . A method comprising:
 maintaining and establishing a trusted execution environment (TEE) within the drone, wherein the TEE comprises protected storage;   receiving controller identifiers from a first remote device and a second remote device while executing in the TEE;   creating and updating a drone control registration record (DCRR) in the drone while executing in the TEE; and   saving the updated DCRR in the protected storage while executing in the TEE.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first controller identifier comprises a first flight control key; and   the second controller identifier comprises a second flight control key.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving autonomous flight instructions for the drone from the first remote device;   saving at least some of the autonomous flight instructions in the DCRR before facilitating the DCRR to be added to a block chain at a remote storage;   after receiving autonomous flight instructions at the drone from the first remote device, traveling outside of a coverage area of the first remote device;   following the autonomous flight instructions while traveling outside of the coverage area of the first remote device;   after following the autonomous flight instructions while traveling outside of the coverage area of the first remote device, entering a coverage area of the second remote device; and   receiving the second controller identifier from the second remote device after entering the coverage area of the second remote device.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein, when the second remove device comprises a cellular base station (CBS), the method further comprising:
 receiving flight instructions from the CBS directing the drone to a recharging base station associated with the CBS;   following the flight instructions from the CBS directing the drone to the recharging base station; and   using the recharging base station to recharge the drone.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving the first controller identifier from a cellular base station (CBS);   receiving the second controller identifier from a satellite; and   sending telemetry data from the drone to the satellite after registering the satellite as the current controller for the drone, wherein the method is performed by circuitry that is embedded in or couple to one or more processors including one or more application processors or one or more graphics processors.   
     
     
         11 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed, cause a computing device including a drone to perform operations comprising:
 maintaining and establishing a trusted execution environment (TEE) within the drone, wherein the TEE comprises protected storage;   receiving controller identifiers from a first remote device and a second remote device while executing in the TEE;   creating and updating a drone control registration record (DCRR) in the drone while executing in the TEE; and   saving the updated DCRR in the protected storage while executing in the TEE.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first controller identifier comprises a first flight control key; and   the second controller identifier comprises a second flight control key.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving autonomous flight instructions for the drone from the first remote device;   saving at least some of the autonomous flight instructions in the DCRR before facilitating the DCRR to be added to a block chain at a remote storage;   after receiving autonomous flight instructions at the drone from the first remote device, traveling outside of a coverage area of the first remote device;   following the autonomous flight instructions while traveling outside of the coverage area of the first remote device;   after following the autonomous flight instructions while traveling outside of the coverage area of the first remote device, entering a coverage area of the second remote device; and   receiving the second controller identifier from the second remote device after entering the coverage area of the second remote device.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein, when the second remove device comprises a cellular base station (CBS), wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving flight instructions from the CBS directing the drone to a recharging base station associated with the CBS;   following the flight instructions from the CBS directing the drone to the recharging base station; and   using the recharging base station to recharge the drone.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving the first controller identifier from a cellular base station (CBS);   receiving the second controller identifier from a satellite; and   sending telemetry data from the drone to the satellite after registering the satellite as the current controller for the drone, wherein the method is performed by circuitry that is embedded in or couple to one or more processors including one or more application processors or one or more graphics processors.   
     
     
         16 . An autonomous vehicle system comprising:
 a drone comprising:   circuitry to establish and maintain a trusted execution environment (TEE) within the drone, wherein the circuitry to establish the TEE comprises protected storage; and   controller registration circuitry to:
 receive controller identifiers from a first remote device and a second remote device while executing in the TEE; 
 create and update a drone control registration record (DCRR) in the drone while executing in the TEE; and 
 save the updated DCRR in the protected storage while executing in the TEE. 
   
     
     
         17 . The autonomous vehicle system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first controller identifier comprises a first flight control key; and   the second controller identifier comprises a second flight control key.   
     
     
         18 . The autonomous vehicle system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller registration circuitry is further to:
 receive autonomous flight instructions for the drone from the first remote device;   save at least some of the autonomous flight instructions in the DCRR before facilitating the DCRR to be added to a block chain at a remote storage;   after receiving autonomous flight instructions at the drone from the first remote device, travel outside of a coverage area of the first remote device;   follow the autonomous flight instructions while traveling outside of the coverage area of the first remote device;   after following the autonomous flight instructions while traveling outside of the coverage area of the first remote device, enter a coverage area of the second remote device; and   receive the second controller identifier from the second remote device after entering the coverage area of the second remote device.   
     
     
         19 . The autonomous vehicle system of  claim 16 , wherein, when the second remove device comprises a cellular base station (CBS), the controller registration circuitry is further to:
 receive flight instructions from the CBS directing the drone to a recharging base station associated with the CBS;   follow the flight instructions from the CBS directing the drone to the recharging base station; and   use the recharging base station to recharge the drone.   
     
     
         20 . The autonomous vehicle system of  claim 16 , wherein the controller registration circuitry is further to:
 receive the first controller identifier from a cellular base station (CBS);   receive the second controller identifier from a satellite; and   send telemetry data from the drone to the satellite after registering the satellite as the current controller for the drone, wherein the circuitry is embedded in or couple to one or more processors including one or more application processors or one or more graphics processors.