Automated preflight evaluation of an unmanned aerial vehicle configuration

A method for automated preflight evaluation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configuration, the method comprising:

• receiving from a user, by a preflight controller associated with a device, a selection of a UAV configuration to perform a mission in accordance with one or more mission parameters;
• assessing, by the preflight controller and based on information related to the UAV configuration, an ability of the UAV configuration to perform the mission in accordance with the one or more mission parameters,
• wherein at least a portion of the information is retrieved using a blockchain,
• wherein the blockchain is configured with computer program instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to receive a request for information regarding the UAV and in response to the request retrieve from the blockchain, data associated with the requested information, and
• wherein a block of the blockchain is configured to verify integrity of blockchain data based on at least information of a previous block hash included in the block;
• identifying an alternative UAV configuration based on the assessment of the ability of the UAV configuration to perform the mission in accordance with the one or more mission parameters;
• and
• broadcasting, to a network associated with the UAV, the preflight controller, and the blockchain, a transaction message that includes the alternative UAV configuration,
• wherein a blockchain manager of the blockchain retrieves the transaction message from the network and stores information related to the transaction message in the blockchain,
• wherein data transmitted from the device is encrypted based on a private key associated with the device, and
• wherein a message received by the device is decrypted based on a public key associated with the device.

An apparatus for automated preflight evaluation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configuration, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to carry out operations including:
• retrieving, by a preflight controller associated with a device, information about a UAV configuration selected to perform a mission in accordance with one or more mission parameters,
• wherein at least a portion of the information is retrieved using a blockchain,
• wherein the blockchain is configured with computer program instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to receive a request for information regarding the UAV and in response to the request retrieve from the blockchain, data associated with the requested information, and
• wherein a block of the blockchain is configured to verify integrity of blockchain data based on at least information of a previous block hash included in the block;
• using, by the preflight controller, the retrieved information to assess an ability of the UAV configuration to perform the mission in accordance with the one or more mission parameters;
• identifying an alternative UAV configuration based on the assessment of the ability of the UAV configuration to perform the mission in accordance with the one or more mission parameters;
• and
• broadcasting, to a network associated with the UAV, the preflight controller, and the blockchain, a transaction message that includes the alternative UAV configuration,
• wherein a blockchain manager of the blockchain retrieves the transaction message from the network and stores information related to the transaction message in the blockchain,
• wherein data transmitted from the device is encrypted based on a private key associated with the device, and
• wherein a message received by the device is decrypted based on a public key associated with the device.

A computer program product for automated preflight evaluation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) configuration, the computer program product disposed upon a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to carry out operations of:

• retrieving, by a preflight controller associated with a device, information about a UAV configuration selected to perform a mission in accordance with one or more mission parameters,
• wherein the information includes the UAV configuration,
• wherein at least a portion of the information is retrieved using a blockchain,
• wherein the blockchain is configured with computer program instructions that when executed by a processor causes the processor to receive a request for information regarding the UAV and in response to the request retrieve from the blockchain, data associated with the requested information, and
• wherein a block of the blockchain is configured to verify integrity of blockchain data based on at least information of a previous block hash included in the block;
• using, by the preflight controller, the retrieved information to assess an ability of the UAV configuration to perform the mission in accordance with the one or more mission parameters;
• identifying an alternative UAV configuration based on the assessment of the ability of the UAV configuration to perform the mission in accordance with the one or more mission parameters;
• and
• broadcasting, to a network associated with the UAV, the preflight controller, and the blockchain, a transaction message that includes the alternative UAV configuration,
• wherein a blockchain manager of the blockchain retrieves the transaction message from the network and stores information related to the transaction message in the blockchain,
• wherein data transmitted from the device is encrypted based on a private key associated with the device, and
• wherein a message received by the device is decrypted based on a public key associated with the device.