Blockchain Technology for Secure Communication and Formation Control in Smart Drone Swarms
Today, intelligent drone technology is rapidly expanding, particularly in the defense industry. A swarm of drones can communicate, share data, and make the best decisions on their own. Drone swarms can swiftly and effectively carry out missions like surveillance, reconnaissance, and rescue operation...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Future Internet |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/15/10/344 |
| _version_ | 1827761572041195520 |
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| author | Athanasios Koulianos Antonios Litke |
| author_facet | Athanasios Koulianos Antonios Litke |
| author_sort | Athanasios Koulianos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Today, intelligent drone technology is rapidly expanding, particularly in the defense industry. A swarm of drones can communicate, share data, and make the best decisions on their own. Drone swarms can swiftly and effectively carry out missions like surveillance, reconnaissance, and rescue operations, without exposing military troops to hostile conditions. However, there are still significant problems that need to be resolved. One of them is to protect communications on these systems from threat actors. In this paper, we use blockchain technology as a defense mechanism against such issues. Drones can communicate data safely, without the need for a centralized authority (ground station), when using a blockchain to facilitate communication between them in a leader–follower hierarchy structure. Solidity has been used to create a compact, lightweight, and effective smart contract that automates the process of choosing a position in a certain swarm formation structure. Additionally, a mechanism for electing a new leader is proposed. The effectiveness of the presented model is assessed through a simulation that makes use of a DApp we created and Gazebo software. The purpose of this work is to develop a reliable and secure UAV swarm communication system that will enable widespread global adoption by numerous sectors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:14:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-765b9030904c470ba233d8259ffc9a3f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-5903 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T10:14:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Future Internet |
| spelling | doaj.art-765b9030904c470ba233d8259ffc9a3f2023-11-16T10:28:29ZengMDPI AGFuture Internet1999-59032023-10-01151034410.3390/fi15100344Blockchain Technology for Secure Communication and Formation Control in Smart Drone SwarmsAthanasios Koulianos0Antonios Litke1Department of Mathematics and Engineering, Hellenic Army Academy, 16673 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Mathematics and Engineering, Hellenic Army Academy, 16673 Athens, GreeceToday, intelligent drone technology is rapidly expanding, particularly in the defense industry. A swarm of drones can communicate, share data, and make the best decisions on their own. Drone swarms can swiftly and effectively carry out missions like surveillance, reconnaissance, and rescue operations, without exposing military troops to hostile conditions. However, there are still significant problems that need to be resolved. One of them is to protect communications on these systems from threat actors. In this paper, we use blockchain technology as a defense mechanism against such issues. Drones can communicate data safely, without the need for a centralized authority (ground station), when using a blockchain to facilitate communication between them in a leader–follower hierarchy structure. Solidity has been used to create a compact, lightweight, and effective smart contract that automates the process of choosing a position in a certain swarm formation structure. Additionally, a mechanism for electing a new leader is proposed. The effectiveness of the presented model is assessed through a simulation that makes use of a DApp we created and Gazebo software. The purpose of this work is to develop a reliable and secure UAV swarm communication system that will enable widespread global adoption by numerous sectors.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/15/10/344IoTdrone swarmsformation controlsecurityblockchainsmart contract |
| spellingShingle | Athanasios Koulianos Antonios Litke Blockchain Technology for Secure Communication and Formation Control in Smart Drone Swarms Future Internet IoT drone swarms formation control security blockchain smart contract |
| title | Blockchain Technology for Secure Communication and Formation Control in Smart Drone Swarms |
| title_full | Blockchain Technology for Secure Communication and Formation Control in Smart Drone Swarms |
| title_fullStr | Blockchain Technology for Secure Communication and Formation Control in Smart Drone Swarms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Blockchain Technology for Secure Communication and Formation Control in Smart Drone Swarms |
| title_short | Blockchain Technology for Secure Communication and Formation Control in Smart Drone Swarms |
| title_sort | blockchain technology for secure communication and formation control in smart drone swarms |
| topic | IoT drone swarms formation control security blockchain smart contract |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-5903/15/10/344 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT athanasioskoulianos blockchaintechnologyforsecurecommunicationandformationcontrolinsmartdroneswarms AT antonioslitke blockchaintechnologyforsecurecommunicationandformationcontrolinsmartdroneswarms |