Wireless secure communication involving UAV: an overview of physical layer security

• Published in: MATEC Web of Conferences Vol. 336; p. 4005
• Main Authors: Li, Jiawei, Cheng, Ruixia, Zhu, Junwen, Tian, Yu, Zhang, Yiwen
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Les Ulis EDP Sciences 2021
• Subjects: Communications systems; Line of sight communication; Maneuverability; physical layer security; Power management; Secrecy aspects; secrecy capacity; Security; Trajectory optimization; uav; Unmanned aerial vehicles; Weight reduction; Wireless communication systems; Wireless communications
• ISSN: 2261-236X; 2274-7214; 2261-236X
• DOI: 10.1051/matecconf/202133604005

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is a flight device with power and energy based on computer program control, which has the characteristics of small size, light weight, high maneuverability and low cost. With its characteristics, UAV can play an important role in military and civil fields. However, due to the broadcast nature of wireless communication and inherent air-to-ground line-of-sight channel, UAV wireless communication system is more vulnerable to security threats. On the basis of traditional encryption technology, the secrecy capacity of the UAV communication system can be improved by introducing physical layer security. This article aims to study the security of the physical layer in the UAV communication system, and summarizes the latest research results on the safety communication involving UAVs on the physical layer, such as trajectory optimization, power allocation, user scheduling and cooperative UAVs. Further, some potential research directions and challenges in physical layer security of UAV system are discussed.