A ‘Heads Up’ on Drone Safety
We all know that what goes up must come down. In the case of drones falling out of the sky, hopefully your head isn’t in the collision path. Drones are becoming increasingly popular for commercial and recreational purposes. According to a recent FAA report, this has sparked an “increase in accidents resulting in blunt impact or laceration injuries to bystanders.” The report, released late last month, generated a fair share of news coverage. It examines the dangers of drone collisions with people on the ground, the risk of injury and ways to reduce those risks. The good news, and probably most newsworthy conclusion, is that if a small drone were to hypothetically fall from the sky and collide with your head, you probably won’t die. One of the tests conducted during the study included dropping a drone on the head of a crash test dummy. The drone used in the test represented a typical drone — a Phantom 3, which weighs about 2.7 pounds. Test results determined that a drone causes significantly less damage than a wood block or steel debris. Findings also showed that the “drag,” caused by air resistance slowed the drone down much more than the wood and steel. A USA Today article reported that while there was only a 0.01 to 0.03 percent chance of a serious head injury, but there was an 11-13 percent chance of a serious neck injury. While the risk of serious injury might be lower than expected, both drone manufacturers and operators of remotely piloted aircrafts can continue to actively take responsibility for the risks by operating from a preventative and safety-focused perspective. A combination of proper training, education and reliable, secure command and control links (C2) can lead each side to a safer drone environment. Knowing the Rules Groups have formed with commercial drone safety in mind. Know Before You Fly is an organization dedicated to educating drone operators on the FAA guidelines for operation. They also offer resources on how to safely and responsibly operate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The FAA report also names Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), and the FAA as groups dedicated to educating hobbyist and commercial UAS users on the important requirements for piloting UAS. New drone operators who leverage the assortment of educational tools available can help champion the pursuit of responsible drone operations. Building Drones with Reliability and Safety in Mind In addition to training and education from the operator perspective, when the right command-and-control (C2) solution is in place, drone operations can become much more safe and reliable. Secure wireless data communication solutions that leverage data encryption capabilities, adhering to FIPS and AES standards, are already heavily relied on for mission-critical government and defense applications. Additionally, certain types of wireless solutions, like Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum Technologies (FHSS) are secure in their nature. For example, frequency-hopping techniques can leverage coordinated, rapid changes in radio frequencies that literally “hop” in the radio spectrum, thus evading detection and the potential of interference Some wireless products also can deliver multiple user-defined cryptography keys (as many as 32 user-defined keys in some cases), providing more robust link security by allowing the automatic and frequent changing of cryptographic keys. In addition to secure data, these solutions also offer distance. There are FHSS radio solutions that can transmit more than 60 miles Line-of-Sight (LOS). When the communication links are robust and prevent interference, they are much less likely to be jammed or disrupted, ultimately preventing drone performance issues (i.e., falling from the sky). This is a very important consideration because of the growing number of unmanned vehicles operating in industrial and commercial sectors today. With a secure and reliable wireless C2 link, these technical issues are substantially reduced. Drones have opened the door for many hobbyist and commercial opportunities, but that also means there are more inexperienced operators. If an operator educates themselves on the FAA guidelines and safety procedures when operating a drone, and the manufacturers build in a secure and reliable C2 link that works over long distances, then both are taking the steps to decrease drone-related injuries. Although the FAA report shows the risk of serious injury and death is low, manufacturers and operators still need to keep safety a top priority.
2017 IIoT Prediction Series, Part 1: Where the Fog Meets the Edge
As 2017 kicks into full gear and a particularly interesting 2016 fades into the rearview mirror, we took a look around the IIoT landscape to see what this year might potentially have in store. We will be unveiling five IIoT-related predictions throughout this week and into next, so stay tuned and let us know what you think! It’s become increasingly difficult to ignore the importance of cybersecurity. From the role it played in the 2016 presidential election to the recent revelation that in 2013, more than one billion Yahoo accounts were breached, cybersecurity is no longer a problem unique to Sci-Fi thrillers. Of course, the two examples mention here are simply the most egregious of recent memory, but they pale in comparison to the threat of a cyberattack on actual infrastructure. Cybersecurity for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) began as a minor headache and quickly grew into a full-blown migraine. Data is the perhaps the most important “currency” in the world today, and companies both public and private are scrambling to figure out the best way to protect that data will still ensuring real-time transport and analytics. With that in mind, our first prediction for the new year centers on the deployment of new methods for data transport and protection: 2017 will see the emergence of True Fog Computing and Programmable/Intelligent Edge Devices with the strongest security measures to-date. According to analysts, organizations have become more comfortable hosting critical infrastructure and application in the Cloud. In efforts to further optimize processes and shorten response times, organizations will explore ways to host applications at the device/sensor level (i.e., the Edge or Fog Computing). A decentralized network architecture that brings computing power closer to where data is generated and acted upon, Fog Computing enables analysis, control and automation closer to the “Things” in the Industrial Internet of Things. Because Fog Computing reduces the amount of data being sent to the Cloud, cybersecurity will be enhanced by reducing the threat and attack surfaces of IIoT networks. In industries where even milliseconds are vital, certain processes will move away from the Cloud and closer to the Edge. The basis of this shift in intelligence deployment is simple: the Cloud, while fairly secure, is still prone to security breaches, so rather than host all of the data and the analytics tools, move those processes closer to the edge to the sensors and devices with security already built in. Now, while the concept is simple, the execution is more difficult. This shift requires a robust, high-speed network capable of real-time data transmission and, perhaps even more importantly, programmable devices at the edge. Rather than thinking about big data from the perspective of drinking from a fire hose, a programmable device at the edge allows the user to develop proprietary applications that filters out unnecessary data. Subsequently, the smaller data packets enable two things to happen: faster transmission to the analytics engines, and the ability to send that data via mesh networking technology, which has proven to provide greater security. Simple, right? As it stands, the greatest problem facing this shift in intelligence to the edge is that there are, at the moment, very few companies creating programmable devices for the edge. It’s a different way of approaching data transmission and security, and so far, the industry has been slow to catch on: rather than trying to build a wall in front of a massive door (the Cloud), eliminate the door and create a series of constantly moving mouse holes (the Edge). Which sounds easier to protect?
Seismic Shift in IIoT Monitoring
There’s been a seismic shift in monitoring earthquakes via the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) with advanced Machine-to-Machine (M2M) technology have reshaped the industrial communication industry. Every device or machine along the network, even at the outermost edge, now has the opportunity to be fully-connected for automated collection and delivery of information. As Sensor-2-Server (S2S) communication technology evolves to keep up with the demand for this connectivity paradigm, new efficiencies are created and Big Data is available to drive actionable intelligence. Seismic Shift Data that Saves Lives The sheer quantity of available data, combined with the speed of automation can support mission critical applications that are designed to save lives. Research centers can leverage IoT networks to relay critical data in real-time from areas where earthquakes are a common threat to people living nearby. While natural events like earthquakes and volcanos are not avoidable or fully predictable, an IoT network can potentially help reduce the level of devastation through close, reliable seismic monitoring via highly sensitive and advanced sensor technology. S2S communications monitor and send data from remote areas where Earth changes are first detected, to the monitoring authorities who are closely tracking seismic activity. S2S solutions leveraged for early detection of these events can enable authorities to warn citizens in advance to take appropriate precautionary measures. When robust, rapid, real-time monitoring is combined with effective emergency communications, human casualties can be significantly decreased. Seismic Shift and the Ever Changing Landscape IoT has been adopted at such a rapid pace that the demand for modern, sophisticated communication technology is driving constant changes in remote, industrial communication networks that will further advance applications like seismic monitoring. These changes have clearly disrupted the traditional Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) market. While SCADA systems are not obsolete, industries like environmental monitoring will continue to leverage new technologies designed to help seismologists make more informed decisions than with just SCADA alone. Now, network operators can evolve and adapt their monitoring programs over time through the IoT with edge devices that allow third-party software applications to be deployed network-wide. This has not only opened new doors for software developers, but it opens up the opportunity for advancements in environmental monitoring to further improve natural event monitoring. Fast and accurate data transport from the sensor networks in seismic monitoring therefore requires robust and reliable technology that doesn’t fail in remote and sometimes harsh environments. RF technology, for example, is advancing to help field crews make intelligent decisions and closely monitor the elements that can help delivery early warning for natural events. Find us at JavaOne this Week
Top Industrial IoT News Roundup
There is a lot happening in the industrial IoT (IIoT) space lately, as evidenced by all the recent news announcements, analyst insights and business transactions occurring on the daily. Some say there is a foggy forecast for the industrial internet of things, mainly because the success of cloud computing must extend beyond data centers, but real world use cases should continue to pave the way. In some respects, perhaps it’s just the fact that the ROI from the IIoT is still in its infancy, but many are clamoring that a more standardized infrastructure is needed to help solve the unique complexities that IIoT presents. In this week’s IIoT news roundup, you’ll find a little bit of everything – from oil and gas and manufacturing to fog computing, drones and sensors. Dive in and see if you have any other articles that you think are worth adding! And don’t miss the bonus update at the end of the news roundup. Deloitte: End-to-End Automation Real Value of IIoT Technology By @KarenBoman | Published on @Rigzone “Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies such as machine learning and drones are now available, but the real value lies in linking these technologies together to allow for end-to-end automation, a Deloitte executive told attendees at the Internet of Things Oil and Gas Conference 2016 Wednesday in Houston.” Is Now the Time to Apply Fog Computing to the Internet of Things? By Dr. Vladimir Krylov @Artezio | Published on @IoTEvolution “With fog computing, latency is minimized if one uses fog nodes for data analysis without sending it to the cloud. All event aggregation in this case has to be performed in the distributed architecture deployed in the network where devices (sensors) and fog nodes are located. Thus, fog architecture moves the capacity question from the cloud to the network implementation.” Manufacturing firms investing in IIoT data analytics – even if other areas are slowing down By @James_T_Bourne | Published on @IoTTechNews “The research, the findings of which appear in the report ‘Data’s Big Impact on Manufacturing’, found that of the more than 200 North American manufacturing executives polled, 70% said investing in data analytics would lead to fewer equipment breakdowns, while less unscheduled downtime (68%), unscheduled maintenance (64%), and fewer supply chain management issues (60%) were also cited.” Go Ahead, Fly a Tiny Drone. The Man Doesn’t Have to Know By @luxagraf | Published on @WIRED “THE WILD WEST days of drone flight came to end earlier this year when the FAA began requiring that pilots register their aircraft with the agency. If you want to use your Unmanned Aircraft System (as the FAA calls them) for anything remotely commercial, you’ll need to go a step further and pass a test.” Could Optical Fibre Sensors Save Lives? By @loctier | Published on @euronews “This edition of Futuris looks at how optical fibre sensors could help monitor the stability of roads, buildings, bridges and other constructions – and save lives.” Discovering Value in the Age of IIoT By @lasher64 | Published on @automationworld “The solutions of tomorrow will be much more integrated between implementation tiers on the plant floor to the enterprise and beyond. Therefore, it is imperative that these solutions give strong consideration to network architectures and cybersecurity. As we continue to move forward, you will hear more about operational technology (OT).” IoT is not about radios; it’s all about data By Alan Carlton | Published on @NetworkWorld “The initial challenge for the Internet of Things (IoT) was how to provide physical connectivity of small and often remote devices to the Internet. This issue has basically been solved with the plethora of wireless connectivity solutions. The real challenge for IoT is data organization, sharing and search on an unprecedented scale.” BONUS NEWS This week, FreeWave announced a contest at a chance to win FreeWave’s award-winning WavePro WP201 shorthaul and Wi-Fi solution. Contest entrants must provide a high-level account of the application of the WavePro, along with a description of the need for the platform. Winners will be announced at the close of the entry period. To enter the contest, please visit: http://go.freewave.com/wavepro-network-giveaway. Submissions are due by September 30!
Top News: IoT Rules at Mobile World Congress (MWC)
After a week of everything mobile, at least in Barcelona at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), it is only fitting this week’s top news recap focuses on the other three letter acronym so hotly discussed from the show – IoT. Whether you have been living under a rock or just hadn’t embraced the fascination with the latest handheld smart technologies and cellular networking, this week’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) presented by GSMA, brought together around 800 mobile operators from more than 250 companies from around the globe to discuss the latest products, software and innovations that will push the IoT space even further into maturity. Some of the key themes to come out of this year’s MWC were the fifth generation wireless systems or 5G, the impact this next-gen tech and mobile will have on the Internet of Things (IoT) and the booming IoT businesses laying the foundations of the connected world. Now as you nestle up to your favorite mobile device or smart tablet, relax and dive into this week’s IoT news roundup from MWC! MWC: 5G Key to unlocking IoT … Just Not Yet (IndustryWeek) As the MWC surged forward with excitement for 5G to finally unlock IoT, experts warn the connective battle isn’t over, as the world dives into incorporating 5G throughout. Agence France-Presse with Industry Week reports that, “5G is the term on everyone’s lips at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and a global race to develop it is under way.” IoT Race Heats up at MWC 2016 (RCR Wireless) The race heats up for IoT, as 2G networks scramble to find a new way to connect with the announcement of 5G at MWC 2016. “Mobile World Congress is all about the newest wireless technologies, but this year the end of an old technology is driving conversations around the Internet of Things.” This Week’s 5G Buzz Indicates IoT is Finally Kick-Starting (VentureBeat) The hot topic on everyone’s mind this week had to be 5G and the need for more IoT connectivity. Leon Hounshell, with Greenwave Systems reminds us that, “Regardless of the hype, CES and MWC do not reveal an IoT revolution, but they certainly show us a determined evolution, where devices will unceasingly become more connected, open, and smart.” Mobile World Congress: Internet of Things Business is Humming (USA TODAY) This week may have shown us a lot of shiny new IoT products for consumers, but the truth is IoT for business will really dominate deal-making. USA TODAY believes that, “It’s not hard to see why. Gartner forecasts that the market for IoT services will top $101 billion this year, nearly 30% more than the $78 billion that businesses spent last year. By 2020, spending for services like network deployment, operations management and data analytics is forecasted to balloon to $257 billion.” Mobile World Congress: Why Every Brand Should Become a Tech Brand (Campaign Live) Connectivity is everything, and moving forward in this technological age the MWC believes all companies should become a tech brand in order to incorporate IoT. Natalie Bell with Campaign Live states that, “We are now in an era of connecting everyone and everything. So, while Mark Zuckerberg is urging us to focus on the former and ensure wider basic connectivity across the entire globe, there’s a huge tech focus on the latter — the Internet of Things, which will be greater enabled by the increasing capacity in 5G. It’s this vast array of connected objects that have caught my attention this year.”
DistribuTECH 2016 Day 1 Recap: People, Places and Things
Each year, we attend a wide variety of trade shows for many different vertical industries. These shows present several opportunities: we get to go talk about ourselves a little bit, we get to see what other companies and thought leaders are doing, and we get to talk with some very interesting folks who have varying perspectives on the industry, the trends and the technologies that drive growth. This year, at DistribuTECH 2016 in Orlando, Fla., we wanted to jot down some brief, daily thoughts on some of the things that we saw both around our booth and at the show in general. Record number of attendees! We were pretty excited to hear that there were a record number of attendees at this year’s show. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the utilities and energy industries. Lots of changes, some really great and innovative new technology, and a bevy of thoughtful people makes for a good trade show! Wearables?! Where are we, CES? No! Wearables are not just for the consumer-driven recreational technology market. Wearable technology has the chance to change the way our boots on the ground and in the field work. The adage about working ‘smarter, not harder’ certainly applies to some of the companies developing wearable technology for the industrial sector. Great speakers abound! With a huge portion of the journalism industry in shambles, publications like PowerGrid International (one of several from PennWell) really stand out for its consistently solid and informative material. It’s always great to see the ‘Ink-Stained Wretches’ get their due, and Teresa Hansen, editor in chief of PowerGrid International and Electric Light & Power, gave an excellent keynote on the first day. Hey, look at us! It’s always a little uncomfortable talking about yourself, but we are incredibly excited about the future at FreeWave, and many of the people we talked with who came through our booth – attendees, media, analysts, customers, etc. – were excited as well, namely about our new WavePro WP201 wireless shorthaul Wi-Fi solution. There are some features that we’re especially proud of, including the high-speed Voice, Video, Data and Sensor Data (VVDS) transmission capabilities, the self-healing one-mile industrial Wi-Fi hotspot and the ability to achieve maximum throughput. We’re excited for day 2 – keep an eye out for us!
Guest Post: IHS Predicts IIoT Cybersecurity Will Increasingly Be Implemented in Hardware
By Sam Lucero, Sr. Principal Analyst, M2M & IoT at IHS Technology IIoT & Cybersecurity As IIoT systems create ever more critical dependencies in plant, energy infrastructure, and transportation environments, developers and deploying organizations will turn to hardware-enabled cybersecurity to stave off proliferating cyberattacks. Although the use of secure processors in smartcard applications, such as bank cards, mobile phone SIM cards, and digital ID documents is common, IIoT developers have barely begun to adopt a hardware-enabled approach. Instead, “root of trust” technologies, such as secure key storage, cryptography, and secure boot, are handled in software on the main application processor of the device. IHS estimates that in 2015 only 9.8% of all secure processors shipped were intended for IoT applications (that is, all of IoT, not just IIoT). The challenge with this software-based approach is that security functions on the application processor share common memory resources with other functions and are therefore exposed and vulnerable to malicious attack. Hardware isolation reduces (but cannot completely eliminate) this exposure and therefore dramatically increases the security of the device. This increased security is fundamentally why bankcards, mobile phones, and now ePassports, have shifted to the use of hardware-based security. Looking Ahead A lingering question regarding the use of secure processors in IIoT applications is whether implementation will be in the form of a second coprocessor chip placed alongside the host application processor, or whether cybersecurity hardware intellectual property will be integrated directly into an application processor. (Integration of cybersecurity circuitry still achieves hardware isolation in contrast to software, although some physical security measures may become impractical.) Chip companies such as Atmel, NXP, and Renesas Electronics have adopted this integrated approach for at least some of their respective portfolios targeting the IoT. It remains to be see whether an integrated approach will be successful. While integration helps to reduce overall device bill-of-materials, it can increase cost and complexity for cybersecurity certification, relative to a “two-chip” solution. About Sam Lucero Sam Lucero is a seasoned industry analyst with over 14 years of experience analyzing telecommunications and networking technology markets. He has spent the last ten years assessing the markets for machine-to-machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Sam has established leading M2M market research programs and managed international teams of industry analysts. He has authored numerous reports, forecast databases, and topical articles covering various aspects of the M2M/IoT market opportunity and has been widely quoted in news and trade journals, from the New York Times and the Economist to CNET and Wireless Week. Furthermore, Sam has moderated, presented, and judged at a number of industry events, including CTIA and Connected World. In 2014 Sam was named one of six “Augural Analysts” for M2M by Connected World Magazine.
IIoT Bold Prediction Series Part 3: Predictive Analytics Alters Fundamental IT/OT Practices
So far, our series of IIoT Bold Predictions for 2016 has focused on the concepts of IIoT security and government’s regulatory role in the development of IoT and IIoT devices. Today, we’re changing gears a bit, with a prediction from Scott Allen, FreeWave’s CMO, which focuses on the implementation of IIoT technology into big data practices to create real-time, data-driven intelligence. Prediction #3: Predictive Analytics Alters Fundamental IT/OT Practices Predictive analytics will change the nature of industrial communication systems and networks significantly over the next five years. Certain industrial sectors have long utilized machine-to-machine (M2M) technology, like manufacturing, utilities, and oil and gas, as the backbone to operations technology. However, as IIoT communication technology continues to improve at a rapid pace, these industries will begin implementing tech and business practices designed to create data synergy that will ultimately provide predictive analytics for better decision making. There are two elements at work that will push predictive analytics to the forefront of industrial communication systems. The first is the advancement of technology. Big data companies are making serious progress with comparing data-at-rest with data-in-motion as a strong basis for predicting outcomes with maximum accuracy. As the network infrastructure advances at the access layer in ways that allow analytic applications to be executed locally while communicating globally this trend will do nothing but accelerate. The second element that will drive change is the retiring or soon to be retiring workforce that drove the implementation and use of SCADA networks. This will create a knowledge gap that will require new technology to fill – and predictive analytics will be the one that fills that gap. Although an aging workforce is not unique to the IIoT sector, the transition will be pronounced and could, without incorporating predictive analytics practices, be accompanied by some significant growing pains. Looking Ahead Sensor-2-Server (S2S) technology will begin to ease the synergy between IIoT technology and big data. Ensuring accurate data transmission, collection and analysis in critical industries is an important step along the path to a connected world. As S2S technology proliferates, companies will see a significant impact on IT and OT practices, along with the ability to converge those two silos into more efficient and streamlined decision-making.
IT Security Dynamics and the Industrial IoT
The quest to understand production and operational factors, distribute this information to business systems and people within an organization, and directly improve business processes and profitability as a result is not new. In fact, it has been embraced by companies for decades. This collection of operational information for use in information or business systems is known as IT/OT convergence. Getting IT and OT systems to work together to maximize business efficiency — while avoiding negative consequences, risks and pitfalls in the process — is a tall task. However, thanks to new technologies, this process is becoming more practical and is creating the opportunities for huge economic benefits when these two disciplines are successfully integrated. But, how does this convergence affect the security paradigm in large, geographically dispersed enterprises? Let’s Talk Security Traditionally, companies have a corporate firewall that divides the corporate IT space from OT space. With an Internet of Things (IoT) communications network, there is a need to protect the sensors and new applications on the OT side. However, even if there is a secure communication link, if the individual devices that are connected on the OT side become compromised and the threat has access to that communication link, a hacker can push malicious data, cause denial of service (DoS), or introduce malware or viruses to the entire network. There are many of ways to run into problems on the IoT front if companies are not careful in their network design security implementation. On the IT side, corporate network security typically sees many threats. Those threats require significant attention, and consequently IT organizations have numerous options and tools to use, such as intrusion detection, log monitoring, network behavior monitoring, network inspections, whitelisting, firewalls, and more. The IT space has a much different attack surface than OT because with an IT network, the company can physically secure the building and control where the data goes in and out. Data escaping the building is relatively small in comparison to the OT space. WiFi that is leaking outside the building could be a vulnerability, but there are tools and ways to lock down that type of threat, and checkpoints where the IT department can analyze the traffic going through the network. In IT, bandwidth is plentiful and the network overhead associated with security is generally not a major factor. Considering Industrial IoT Networks IIoT networks, on the other hand, can span many miles with potentially hundreds of thousands of data points. An IIoT network likely consists of small embedded devices with long lifespans, making it very efficient. However, they are generally not like the Windows operating system, which is consistently conducting massive updates. Some embedded technologies don’t allow any updates, making it essential to carefully select the best devices for a network. Having thousands of these edge devices is where organizations will begin to see IT/OT convergence – many more points in the field where threats could be coming into the IT network. Industrial organizations today are creating a connected infrastructure with IP-enabled sensors or IP/IIoT-enabled Access Gateways. The data generated by sensors at an asset location can be valuable to more than just the central control system. This might mean M2M communication with sensors talking directly to each other. It may mean that multiple systems consume the live, real-time sensor data directly from the field. It may even mean that operators connect their sensors directly to the cloud or other back office systems. If there is a way to share critical data while addressing security issues that can help provide information to key data users, then that information becomes increasingly valuable. Security Through Obscurity is Not a Solution IIoT solutions often utilize the widely deployed security technologies from the Internet to avoid the custom, one-off solutions of past industrial security, when it was used at all. IP technology makes it easier to deploy and talk to sensors, but it also makes it easier for intruders to see and snoop on valuable data streams. Security through obscurity is not a solution. There are many common attack vectors for industrial devices that become even more relevant when considering the IIoT infrastructures and fully networked, geographically dispersed projects.