Interview | Dr Thakkar reveals how future satellites will survive cyberattacks on their own
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
Dr. Shreekant (Ticky) Thakkar is the Chief Researcher at the Secure Systems Research Center of the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a scientific research entity based in the United Arab Emirates. He also serves as an Adjunct Research Professor at Khalifa University. At IDEX 2025, we interviewed him on how AI is enhancing satellite-based situational awareness, how space surveillance is evolving to meet modern security threats, how quantum and zero-trust innovations are redefining space system resilience, and the role of TII in developing resilient, AI-driven platforms for defense and beyond.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Dr. Thakkar sees AI as a transformative force in defense, enabling autonomous systems to detect threats, make decisions, and respond in real time without relying on human intervention. (Picture source: TII and Linkedin)
Dr. Thakkar leads advanced research in cyber-physical and autonomous systems with a focus on zero-trust end-to-end security, resilience, and safety. His current work spans swarm platforms such as UAVs and UGVs, leveraging generative AI and large language models (LLMs) to deliver secure mission coordination. His team has demonstrated and commercialized systems integrating UAVs, UGVs, and human first responders that operate with coordinated flight and mission operations using zero-trust communication over mesh and long-range networks.
In addition to autonomous platforms, his team has developed secure mobile applications for smartphones and laptops that follow zero-trust principles, now entering the commercialization phase. His research extends to embedding zero-trust technologies into silicon, edge, mobile, and cloud platforms, in collaboration with global open-source communities like Dronecode, RISC-V, Linux, Apache, and ROS. He also maintains partnerships with research institutions across the US, Europe, and the UAE.
Before joining TII, Dr. Thakkar was Chief Scientist and EVP of Engineering and Technology at a leading UAE cybersecurity company, where he led the development of secure smartphones and an enterprise VPN appliance. Prior to that, he held prominent roles such as Chief Solutions Architect at Qualcomm Data Technologies, Chief Technology Officer in HP’s Personal Computing Group, and Intel Fellow and Chief Systems Architect for Mobile Systems Technologies during his 21-year tenure at Intel. Across these roles, he has built innovation teams and internal startups within both large corporations and smaller organizations.
Dr. Thakkar holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Manchester. He is credited with 87 patents, 45 published papers, and more than 5,000 citations on Google Scholar, reflecting a sustained commitment to cutting-edge innovation and academic contribution. As part of our exchange at IDEX, we asked Dr. Thakkar about emerging technologies in satellite defense systems and the role of AI and quantum innovations in space security:
How can AI-driven satellite analytics improve situational awareness in defense and security?
“AI is transforming situational awareness by enabling real-time threat detection, autonomous decision-making, and adaptive system responses,” Dr. Thakkar explained. “Traditional satellite intelligence depends on ground-based analysis, creating delays in identifying and mitigating threats. AI shifts this dynamic by allowing satellites to process and prioritize data onboard, reducing latency and ensuring faster, more effective responses.”
The growing threat of cyberattacks, jamming, and system intrusions demands stronger security measures, leading to the creation of AI-driven anomaly detection systems that monitor power consumption, system behavior, and communication integrity to detect cyber intrusions and operational disruptions. (Picture source: TII)
He continued: “TII is developing AI-driven anomaly detection systems that monitor power consumption, system behavior, and communication integrity to detect cyber intrusions and operational disruptions. If a system deviation is detected, autonomous failover mechanisms trigger immediate responses, isolating affected components and maintaining mission integrity without human intervention. Another focus is adaptive constellations, where satellites dynamically reconfigure their communication routes to maintain secure data transmission, even when individual nodes are compromised. These AI-driven capabilities ensure that space-based intelligence is not just reactive but anticipatory, reducing vulnerabilities and strengthening operational resilience.”
What advantages do space-based surveillance and intelligence solutions offer for modern security challenges?
“Space-based surveillance provides persistent global coverage and secure intelligence gathering,” he said. “But the growing threat of cyberattacks, jamming, and system intrusions demands stronger security measures. The ability to maintain data integrity and ensure continuous operations in contested environments is critical.”
“TII applies Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) to space systems, eliminating implicit trust and requiring continuous authentication of every component – both in orbit and on the ground. This is reinforced by secure hardware roots of trust, ensuring cryptographic verification at every system level to prevent unauthorized access and protect critical functions, even if portions of the network are compromised. TII is also advancing post-quantum cryptographic techniques to protect intelligence transmissions from emerging decryption threats. By integrating ZTA, cryptographic resilience, and AI-driven security mechanisms, space-based surveillance is being secured against sophisticated cyber and electronic warfare tactics, ensuring mission continuity under hostile conditions.”
How are quantum and AI innovations enhancing space security capabilities?
“Quantum security and AI are driving a shift in how space systems defend against cyber and physical threats,” Dr. Thakkar noted. “As encryption faces new challenges from quantum computing, and as adversaries deploy more sophisticated attack methods, satellites must operate with self-defending security measures and long-term encryption strategies.”
He added: “TII is developing Quantum-Safe Cryptography to protect satellite communications from future quantum decryption capabilities. These encryption methods secure uplink, downlink, and inter-satellite communications, ensuring that sensitive data remains protected even against sustained interception attempts. AI plays a critical role in real-time anomaly detection, enabling satellites to identify irregular system behaviors, cyber intrusions, and operational disruptions autonomously. To ensure reliability, formal verification techniques are applied to validate AI-driven decision-making, preventing unpredictable system behavior. With the integration of AI-driven security, post-quantum cryptography, and Zero Trust enforcement, space systems are being designed to operate securely and autonomously in high-risk environments, ensuring long-term resilience against evolving threats.”
At IDEX 2025, TII presented Perceptra, a GPS-less navigation technology, and Saluki, a high-security flight control system, both designed to enhance autonomous flight resilience and security for UAVs. (Picture source: TII)
The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), under the Advanced Technology Research Council of Abu Dhabi, serves as a cornerstone of the UAE’s ambition to lead global scientific and technological advancement. TII drives research in ten key areas, including autonomous robotics, quantum, biotechnology, secure systems, and directed energy. Its mission is not only to prepare for the future, but to create it—positioning the UAE as a global R&D hub.
TII’s secure systems division, which includes the Secure Systems Research Center, develops rigorous end-to-end security solutions for autonomous, AI-driven platforms and digital infrastructure. Its work includes both partnership research with academic institutions and start-ups, and proprietary research across 10 focus areas including cyber-physical resilience, cryptography, and edge/cloud security. The center also develops secure flight control systems, mobile apps, and embedded security solutions that are now transitioning into commercial deployment.
At IDEX 2025, TII’s technologies were at the core of a major announcement: the unveiling of Perceptra and Saluki, developed by TII and adopted by ADASI in collaboration with VentureOne. Perceptra is a GPS-less vision-based navigation system designed to operate in GNSS-denied environments, while Saluki is a high-performance flight controller and mission computer featuring a Zero Trust architecture and 300 TOPS compute capability. Both were developed to enhance autonomous UAV resilience and security and are compatible with PX4, enabling multi-vehicle control for defense missions.
These technologies reflect TII’s broader mission to solve societal challenges through disruptive innovation. Recent efforts include work with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on safe urban air corridor design for autonomous drone taxis, and research programs in swarm coordination, AI-native communications, and autonomous mobility systems. TII also supports multiple cross-center programs in fields ranging from quantum computing and photonics to directed energy and high-power lasers.
With a strong foundation in scientific rigor and international collaboration, TII’s research units—such as the Autonomous Robotics Research Center, Directed Energy Research Center, and Propulsion and Space Research Center—drive innovation across domains. Research areas include AI theory and algorithms, 6G intelligent communication platforms, resilient swarm systems, vision-based navigation, cyber-reasoning for infrastructure, and next-gen mobility and aircraft propulsion.
Through its multidisciplinary programs and world-class facilities, TII continues to attract leading scientists and contribute to globally relevant advancements. Its integration within the ATRC enables strategic investments in dual-use and mission-critical technologies that reinforce the UAE’s leadership in next-generation science and defense innovation.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
Dr. Shreekant (Ticky) Thakkar is the Chief Researcher at the Secure Systems Research Center of the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a scientific research entity based in the United Arab Emirates. He also serves as an Adjunct Research Professor at Khalifa University. At IDEX 2025, we interviewed him on how AI is enhancing satellite-based situational awareness, how space surveillance is evolving to meet modern security threats, how quantum and zero-trust innovations are redefining space system resilience, and the role of TII in developing resilient, AI-driven platforms for defense and beyond.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Dr. Thakkar sees AI as a transformative force in defense, enabling autonomous systems to detect threats, make decisions, and respond in real time without relying on human intervention. (Picture source: TII and Linkedin)
Dr. Thakkar leads advanced research in cyber-physical and autonomous systems with a focus on zero-trust end-to-end security, resilience, and safety. His current work spans swarm platforms such as UAVs and UGVs, leveraging generative AI and large language models (LLMs) to deliver secure mission coordination. His team has demonstrated and commercialized systems integrating UAVs, UGVs, and human first responders that operate with coordinated flight and mission operations using zero-trust communication over mesh and long-range networks.
In addition to autonomous platforms, his team has developed secure mobile applications for smartphones and laptops that follow zero-trust principles, now entering the commercialization phase. His research extends to embedding zero-trust technologies into silicon, edge, mobile, and cloud platforms, in collaboration with global open-source communities like Dronecode, RISC-V, Linux, Apache, and ROS. He also maintains partnerships with research institutions across the US, Europe, and the UAE.
Before joining TII, Dr. Thakkar was Chief Scientist and EVP of Engineering and Technology at a leading UAE cybersecurity company, where he led the development of secure smartphones and an enterprise VPN appliance. Prior to that, he held prominent roles such as Chief Solutions Architect at Qualcomm Data Technologies, Chief Technology Officer in HP’s Personal Computing Group, and Intel Fellow and Chief Systems Architect for Mobile Systems Technologies during his 21-year tenure at Intel. Across these roles, he has built innovation teams and internal startups within both large corporations and smaller organizations.
Dr. Thakkar holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Manchester. He is credited with 87 patents, 45 published papers, and more than 5,000 citations on Google Scholar, reflecting a sustained commitment to cutting-edge innovation and academic contribution. As part of our exchange at IDEX, we asked Dr. Thakkar about emerging technologies in satellite defense systems and the role of AI and quantum innovations in space security:
How can AI-driven satellite analytics improve situational awareness in defense and security?
“AI is transforming situational awareness by enabling real-time threat detection, autonomous decision-making, and adaptive system responses,” Dr. Thakkar explained. “Traditional satellite intelligence depends on ground-based analysis, creating delays in identifying and mitigating threats. AI shifts this dynamic by allowing satellites to process and prioritize data onboard, reducing latency and ensuring faster, more effective responses.”
The growing threat of cyberattacks, jamming, and system intrusions demands stronger security measures, leading to the creation of AI-driven anomaly detection systems that monitor power consumption, system behavior, and communication integrity to detect cyber intrusions and operational disruptions. (Picture source: TII)
He continued: “TII is developing AI-driven anomaly detection systems that monitor power consumption, system behavior, and communication integrity to detect cyber intrusions and operational disruptions. If a system deviation is detected, autonomous failover mechanisms trigger immediate responses, isolating affected components and maintaining mission integrity without human intervention. Another focus is adaptive constellations, where satellites dynamically reconfigure their communication routes to maintain secure data transmission, even when individual nodes are compromised. These AI-driven capabilities ensure that space-based intelligence is not just reactive but anticipatory, reducing vulnerabilities and strengthening operational resilience.”
What advantages do space-based surveillance and intelligence solutions offer for modern security challenges?
“Space-based surveillance provides persistent global coverage and secure intelligence gathering,” he said. “But the growing threat of cyberattacks, jamming, and system intrusions demands stronger security measures. The ability to maintain data integrity and ensure continuous operations in contested environments is critical.”
“TII applies Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) to space systems, eliminating implicit trust and requiring continuous authentication of every component – both in orbit and on the ground. This is reinforced by secure hardware roots of trust, ensuring cryptographic verification at every system level to prevent unauthorized access and protect critical functions, even if portions of the network are compromised. TII is also advancing post-quantum cryptographic techniques to protect intelligence transmissions from emerging decryption threats. By integrating ZTA, cryptographic resilience, and AI-driven security mechanisms, space-based surveillance is being secured against sophisticated cyber and electronic warfare tactics, ensuring mission continuity under hostile conditions.”
How are quantum and AI innovations enhancing space security capabilities?
“Quantum security and AI are driving a shift in how space systems defend against cyber and physical threats,” Dr. Thakkar noted. “As encryption faces new challenges from quantum computing, and as adversaries deploy more sophisticated attack methods, satellites must operate with self-defending security measures and long-term encryption strategies.”
He added: “TII is developing Quantum-Safe Cryptography to protect satellite communications from future quantum decryption capabilities. These encryption methods secure uplink, downlink, and inter-satellite communications, ensuring that sensitive data remains protected even against sustained interception attempts. AI plays a critical role in real-time anomaly detection, enabling satellites to identify irregular system behaviors, cyber intrusions, and operational disruptions autonomously. To ensure reliability, formal verification techniques are applied to validate AI-driven decision-making, preventing unpredictable system behavior. With the integration of AI-driven security, post-quantum cryptography, and Zero Trust enforcement, space systems are being designed to operate securely and autonomously in high-risk environments, ensuring long-term resilience against evolving threats.”
At IDEX 2025, TII presented Perceptra, a GPS-less navigation technology, and Saluki, a high-security flight control system, both designed to enhance autonomous flight resilience and security for UAVs. (Picture source: TII)
The Technology Innovation Institute (TII), under the Advanced Technology Research Council of Abu Dhabi, serves as a cornerstone of the UAE’s ambition to lead global scientific and technological advancement. TII drives research in ten key areas, including autonomous robotics, quantum, biotechnology, secure systems, and directed energy. Its mission is not only to prepare for the future, but to create it—positioning the UAE as a global R&D hub.
TII’s secure systems division, which includes the Secure Systems Research Center, develops rigorous end-to-end security solutions for autonomous, AI-driven platforms and digital infrastructure. Its work includes both partnership research with academic institutions and start-ups, and proprietary research across 10 focus areas including cyber-physical resilience, cryptography, and edge/cloud security. The center also develops secure flight control systems, mobile apps, and embedded security solutions that are now transitioning into commercial deployment.
At IDEX 2025, TII’s technologies were at the core of a major announcement: the unveiling of Perceptra and Saluki, developed by TII and adopted by ADASI in collaboration with VentureOne. Perceptra is a GPS-less vision-based navigation system designed to operate in GNSS-denied environments, while Saluki is a high-performance flight controller and mission computer featuring a Zero Trust architecture and 300 TOPS compute capability. Both were developed to enhance autonomous UAV resilience and security and are compatible with PX4, enabling multi-vehicle control for defense missions.
These technologies reflect TII’s broader mission to solve societal challenges through disruptive innovation. Recent efforts include work with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on safe urban air corridor design for autonomous drone taxis, and research programs in swarm coordination, AI-native communications, and autonomous mobility systems. TII also supports multiple cross-center programs in fields ranging from quantum computing and photonics to directed energy and high-power lasers.
With a strong foundation in scientific rigor and international collaboration, TII’s research units—such as the Autonomous Robotics Research Center, Directed Energy Research Center, and Propulsion and Space Research Center—drive innovation across domains. Research areas include AI theory and algorithms, 6G intelligent communication platforms, resilient swarm systems, vision-based navigation, cyber-reasoning for infrastructure, and next-gen mobility and aircraft propulsion.
Through its multidisciplinary programs and world-class facilities, TII continues to attract leading scientists and contribute to globally relevant advancements. Its integration within the ATRC enables strategic investments in dual-use and mission-critical technologies that reinforce the UAE’s leadership in next-generation science and defense innovation.
