Security key for unmanned aerial vehicle

A method comprising:

• during flight of an unmanned aerial vehicle, encrypting, using a symmetric key, media data captured using one or more sensors of the unmanned aerial vehicle to obtain encrypted media data;
• encrypting, using a public key stored by the unmanned aerial vehicle, the symmetric key to obtain an encrypted symmetric key, wherein the public key is paired to a private key stored by a key device that is disconnected from the unmanned aerial vehicle during flight;
• landing the unmanned aerial vehicle;
• connecting the key device to the unmanned aerial vehicle via a first serial port connector of the key device and a second serial port connector of the unmanned aerial vehicle;
• while the key device is connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle via the first serial port connector connected to the second serial port connector, decrypting, using the private key, the encrypted symmetric key to obtain the symmetric key;
• decrypting, using the symmetric key, a portion of the encrypted media data to obtain decrypted media data;
• and
• transmitting a portion of the decrypted media data.

An unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

• one or more sensors,
• a first serial port connector configured to connect with a second serial port connector of a key device configured to store a private key, and
• a processing apparatus, wherein the processing apparatus is configured to:
• store a public key, wherein the public key is paired to the private key;
• encrypt, using a symmetric key, media data captured using the one or more sensors to obtain encrypted media data;
• encrypt, using the public key, the symmetric key to obtain an encrypted symmetric key;
• delete the symmetric key;
• while the key device is connected to the unmanned aerial vehicle via the first serial port connector connected to the second serial port connector, decrypt, using the private key, the encrypted symmetric key to obtain the symmetric key;
• decrypt, using the symmetric key, a portion of the encrypted media data to obtain decrypted media data;
• and
• transmit a portion of the decrypted media data.