The Commercial Information Sharing Program, or CISP, is a data-sharing program designed for businesses. It allows companies to exchange information about cyber threats and potential security breaches with each other, bolstering their collective defenses.
In the rapidly evolving drone industry, safety and security are paramount. One initiative at the forefront of this mission is the Commercial Information Sharing Program (CISP), a collaborative framework that connects drone operators, regulators, and public safety entities to facilitate the sharing of flight and operational data.
CISP's primary goal is to enhance situational awareness, detect threats early, and facilitate coordinated responses, particularly near critical sectors like drone operations, aerospace, telecommunications, and energy. This shared ecosystem significantly reduces the time between detection and mitigation while promoting collective vigilance across the drone industry.
The program functions through a secure, two-way data-sharing system with enrollment and vetting, data submission, analysis and detection, and an information return loop. This system allows for the exchange of telemetry anomalies, unauthorized drone behaviour, cybersecurity breaches, or sensor interference patterns, helping to prevent potential disruptions and boost regional airspace security.
The benefits for drone companies participating in CISP are numerous. Enhanced safety and regulatory compliance are key advantages, as access to shared flight data reduces collision risks and helps meet evolving government regulatory frameworks, particularly for complex operations like Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS).
Operational efficiency and scalability also improve, as companies can streamline flight planning, avoid airspace conflicts, and scale commercial drone activities across different regions more easily. Improved situational awareness and decision-making are also enabled, with shared data supporting better monitoring and management of drone traffic, enabling companies to make faster and smarter operational decisions, reducing delays and costs.
CISP also fosters innovation in sectors such as infrastructure inspection, agriculture, delivery, construction, and emergency response, leading to new revenue opportunities and safer operations. By positioning states and companies as leaders in advanced air mobility, programs like CISP encourage further investments and cooperation in the drone ecosystem.
Joining CISP is voluntary, but it offers benefits such as early access to threat intelligence and improved standing for federal contracts or advanced operational permissions. Companies participating in CISP often receive access to classified threat intelligence, helping them strengthen their operational defenses.
In the drone industry, CISP serves as a secure framework for manufacturers, software developers, and service providers to report cybersecurity incidents, flight anomalies, or suspicious behavior. Shared data is protected under nondisclosure agreements and federal data handling standards, while strict security protocols, including encryption and anonymization, ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information exchanged.
Recent reports indicate repeated GPS spoofing attempts near a critical energy facility through CISP, with federal authorities validating the attack and issuing a regional advisory. This incident underscores the importance of initiatives like CISP in safeguarding national infrastructure and ensuring the safe, efficient, and expanded use of drones commercially.
As drones take on a greater role in national infrastructure, secure communication between public and private sectors becomes increasingly critical. CISP, with its focus on open information sharing while respecting operational security, privacy, and public safety, is poised to play a pivotal role in this evolving landscape.
[1] Source: "NEOFIX: A Case Study in Drone Data Sharing for Public Safety" - National Conference of State Legislatures (2021) [3] Source: "Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Operations" - Federal Aviation Administration (2021)
- To bolster cybersecurity measures and strengthen operational defenses, drone companies can leverage the secure data-sharing system offered by the Commercial Information Sharing Program (CISP) for reporting cybersecurity incidents, flight anomalies, or suspicious behavior, ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of the information exchanged.
- By fostering collaboration between drone operators, regulators, and public safety entities in the domain of data-and-cloud-computing, technology, and cybersecurity, initiatives like CISP can enhance situational awareness, facilitate coordinated responses, and foster innovation in diverse sectors, ultimately promoting the safe, efficient, and expanded use of drones in the rapidly evolving drone industry.
