Systems and methods for confirming identity and location of an aircraft within an airspace

1 . A system comprising:

an aircraft including:

a position sensor configured to output a position signal regarding a position of the aircraft within an airspace; and

a propulsion system configured to output a position confirmation signal regarding the position of the aircraft within the airspace, wherein the propulsion system comprises a motor in communication with a propulsion control unit including one or more processors, and wherein the propulsion control unit is configured to encode a location signal on an audio signal output by the motor to provide the position confirmation signal.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a tracking sub-system including a tracking control unit configured to receive the position signal and the position confirmation signal, wherein the tracking control unit is further configured to compare the position signal and the position confirmation signal to assess an accuracy of the position signal.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the position sensor is an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) communication device.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a commercial aircraft, or a military aircraft.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the motor is an electric motor.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the location signal comprises:

a location of the aircraft within the airspace; and

an identification of the aircraft.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the location signal further comprises a timestamp.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the propulsion control unit is further configured to:

modulate an output of the motor to provide a modulated noise signal, and

embed the position confirmation signal in the modulated noise signal output by the motor.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the propulsion control unit is further configured to modulate an amplitude or frequency of the position confirmation signal to define a desired audio channel.

10 . A method comprising:

outputting, by a position sensor of an aircraft, a position signal regarding a position of the aircraft within an airspace;

encoding, by a propulsion control unit of a propulsion system of the aircraft, a location signal on an audio signal output by a motor of the propulsion system to provide a position confirmation signal regarding the position of the aircraft within the airspace, and wherein the motor is in communication with the propulsion control unit; and

outputting, by the propulsion system of the aircraft, the position confirmation signal.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving, by a tracking control unit of a tracking sub-system, the position signal and the position confirmation signal; and

comparing, by the tracking control unit, the position signal and the position confirmation signal to assess an accuracy of the position signal.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the position sensor is an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) communication device.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the aircraft is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a commercial aircraft, or a military aircraft.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the motor is an electric motor.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the location signal comprises:

a location of the aircraft within the airspace; and

an identification of the aircraft.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the location signal further comprises a timestamp.

17 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

modulating, by the propulsion control unit, an output of the motor to provide a modulated noise signal, and

embedding, by the propulsion control unit, the position confirmation signal in the modulated noise signal output by the motor.

18 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising modulating, by the propulsion control unit, an amplitude or frequency of the position confirmation signal to define a desired audio channel.

19 . A system comprising:

an aircraft including:

a position sensor configured to output a position signal regarding a position of the aircraft within an airspace; and

a propulsion system configured to output a position confirmation signal regarding the position of the aircraft within the airspace, wherein the position sensor is an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) communication device, wherein the propulsion system comprises a motor in communication with a propulsion control unit including one or more processors, and wherein the propulsion control unit encodes a location signal on an audio signal output by the motor to provide the position confirmation signal; and

a tracking sub-system including a tracking control unit configured to receive the position signal and the position confirmation signal, wherein the tracking control unit is further configured to compare the position signal and the position confirmation signal to assess an accuracy of the position signal.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the location signal comprises:

a location of the aircraft within the airspace;

an identification of the aircraft; and

a timestamp.