This puts a new twist on unmanned AND manned airplanes. Wonder if the company is considering this?

Hacker claims he can remotely hijack airplanes using an Android app

Here is a larger artical on it.

Researcher Says He's Found Hackable Flaws In Airplanes' Navigation Systems - Forbes

Maybe there's more to it that they're holding back for security reasons, but taking what they say at face value it's hard to be too worried.

I've never flown an aircraft that can get automatic FMS changes to speed/altitude/heading via ACARS. Anyone else? I could get a bogus message from dispatch the tells me to ASK for those changes but I still have to ask ATC and program the FMS.

I'm still scratching my head over how we go from bogus ACARS messages to dropping the masks in back.

No problem. When you sense that a cellphone has coupled itself to your airplane, give a quick aileron pulse to jerk the phone out of the hacker's hand, then pitch up to make it hit him in the face.

I heard in the next MISSION IMPOSSIBLE movie the terrorist take over the drone fleet.

I'm thinking you'd have to pitch down to hit him in the face. Unless his face was in a lap.

As implausible as this may be, hijacking a UAV will definitely be plausible. North Korea, China, Iran.... who knows who in the future. They are already creating havoc with banking, imagine what they's due with a UAV. I think pilots have a good future as long as the bad guys can't be stopped from even simple (and supposedly well protected) hacking of banks and other land based institutions.

Uploading a hacked FMS route change might be possible.......but that little button labeled A/P DSC gives the pilot the ultimate system override......assuming there is still a pilot in the cockpit of course....

I thought that button was to wake the Captain when he gets snoring too loud on his leg ...

It does work well for that too ...

Hacker uses an Android to remotely attack and hijack an airplane | Computerworld Blogs

Amazing how simple it is ... really.