Recent advances in small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) technologies lower the barriers for use by both private and commercial entities. However, these advances are also likely to lead to greater vehicle densities, a more heterogenous mix of vehicles and equipment and greater levels of vehicle autonomy, which can increase the chance for communications disruptions. For the safe and secure operation of these vehicles, it is essential to have a robust communications network. This work is focused on harnessing the power of quantum technologies to enable this robust communications network by: (1) utilizing quantum optimization algorithms to design robust network with routing redundancy that can respond adaptively to dynamically changing real-time environment and disruptions, (2) utilize quantum optimization algorithms resource allocation for detection, localization, and tracking of mobile communication disruption agents and (3) utilize quantum key distribution (QKD) to execute secure key sharing in anti-jamming protocols for secure radio frequency (RF) communication. Efforts to map these quantum optimization algorithms to commercially available quantum annealers and soon to be available general-purpose gate-model quantum hardware architectures will be reviewed, and plans for testing the solutions to these algorithms through indoor sUAS flight tests will be discussed. Lastly, efforts to miniaturize and practically deploy Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) hardware, which could ultimately be used to securely exchange encryption keys, in sUAS networks will be reviewed.
Recent advances in small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) technologies lower the barriers for use by both private and commercial entities. However, these advances are also likely to lead to greater vehicle densities, a more heterogenous mix of vehicles and equipment and greater levels of vehicle autonomy, which can increase the chance for communications disruptions. For the safe and secure operation of these vehicles, it is essential to have a robust communications network. This work is focused on harnessing the power of quantum technologies to enable this robust communications network by: (1) utilizing quantum optimization algorithms to design robust network with routing redundancy that can respond adaptively to dynamically changing real-time environment and disruptions, (2) utilize quantum optimization algorithms resource allocation for detection, localization, and tracking of mobile communication disruption agents and (3) utilize quantum key distribution (QKD) to execute secure key sharing in anti-jamming protocols for secure radio frequency (RF) communication. Efforts to map these quantum optimization algorithms to commercially available quantum annealers and soon to be available general-purpose gate-model quantum hardware architectures will be reviewed, and plans for testing the solutions to these algorithms through indoor sUAS flight tests will be discussed. Lastly, efforts to miniaturize and practically deploy Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) hardware, which could ultimately be used to securely exchange encryption keys, in sUAS networks will be reviewed.
The article examines the prospects of integrating quantum technologies into unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Research on quantum technologies has been conducted in the development of new unmanned aircraft. Particular attention is given to quantum sensors for navigation, quantum optimization algorithms for autonomous control, and quantum key distribution (QKD) for secure communication. The research employs comparative analysis of classical and quantum sensors, a review of optimization algorithms (QAOA, VQE), and the principles of QKD. Laboratory and field test results are considered, along with the experience of international companies and startups. It is shown that quantum inertial sensors enable drift-free navigation even in “GPS-denied” environments. QKD ensures secure communication channels, while quantum optimization algorithms allow efficient real-time solutions for routing and swarm management.
The increasing demands for ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), high-capacity, connectivity, and mobility in next-generation wireless networks have driven the integration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as flexible and adaptive communication nodes. UAV-assisted networks offer enhanced coverage, dynamic deployment, and cost-effective infrastructure for the sixth generation (6G) and beyond. However, optimizing UAV trajectory planning, resource allocation, and interference management is particularly challenging, especially in dynamic and large-scale environments. Classical reinforcement learning (RL) techniques, while effective in adaptive optimization, suffer from computational inefficiencies and slow convergence in high-dimensional state-action spaces. To address these constraints, quantum reinforcement learning (QRL) emerges as a novel paradigm that leverages quantum computing principles, such as superposition and entanglement, to enhance decision-making efficiency. This study provides a comprehensive overview of QRL algorithms and investigates their transformative potential in UAV-assisted wireless communication networks. We analyze UAV deployment strategies, network architectures, and topologies, highlighting their advantages as well as inherent challenges. Furthermore, we examine the limitations of classical RL algorithms and assess how QRL overcomes them while improving computational efficiency and exploration capabilities. In addition, we present a detailed review of existing QRL algorithms applicable to next-generation UAV-enhanced wireless networks, identifying key challenges that must be addressed for practical deployment. Finally, we identify open research challenges and offer future directions for integrating QRL into UAV-assisted communication, paving the way for scalable, intelligent, and high-performance wireless systems.
The emergence of sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks introduces unprecedented requirements for ultra-secure, low-latency communication across heterogeneous space–air–ground integrated network (SAGIN). Existing drone communication frameworks including LoRaWAN, Long Term Evolution, and Ad Hoc mesh architectures exhibit critical vulnerabilities to eavesdropping, jamming, and quantum-computational attacks due to their reliance on classical cryptographic primitives. To address these challenges, this work presents the Quantum-Secured Adaptive Routing Algorithm (QSARA), a novel framework designed for 6G-enabled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) networks that integrates Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS), and Joint Communication and Sensing (JCAS) to enhance information-theoretic security and real-time performance. The proposed framework employs a quantum-augmented dynamic graph model to represent UAV swarm networking and uses Proximal Policy Optimisation (PPO)-based deep reinforcement learning to optimise routing under adversarial and uncertain conditions. A multi-objective cost function jointly captures classical quality of service metrics, such as latency, bandwidth, and energy consumption alongside with quantum-layer security indicators, including quantum bit error rate, key pool entropy, and key availability. High-fidelity simulations with 500 mobile drones under diverse adversarial threats demonstrate that the proposed framework achieves a key establishment success rate of 96.2%, end-to-end latency of 23.7 milliseconds, energy consumption of 7.8 watt-hours, and a packet delivery ratio of 94.1%, outperforming state-of-the-art classical and quantum-aware baselines. These results position the QSARA as a scalable and quantum-resilient routing solution for mission-critical UAV networking in next-generation 6G smart mobility ecosystems.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have accordingly been successfully integrated into different industries, including military, healthcare, and education, because of their diverse applications and sophisticated capabilities. Nevertheless, UAVs are increasingly confronted with significant security and operational issues related to communications and collision avoidance. This chapter will discuss in detail the convergence of quantum cryptography with UAVs for enhanced security against these problems. Starting with a critical examination of the literature on the subject at hand, the paper traces the historical evolution of cryptography and discusses the present trends in UAV technology. The existing security standards are discussed, including their shortcomings, paving the way for the need for stricter ones. The principles of quantum cryptography, including quantum key distribution (QKD), are briefly summarized below in relation to classical cryptography. In the case of UAV communications, challenges include uniqueness threats, the real-time context, and the recently emerging problem of collision, all of which should be addressed. The proposed layered architecture here will include quantum cryptography to guarantee data security while enhancing communication efficiency. This will provide a framework for future development by explaining in detail the design, implementation, and security mechanisms of the proposed solution. Its performance will be evaluated in various case studies of military, healthcare, and education environments. The performance evaluation parameters have been addressed in detail to emphasize the strengths of the system and areas for improvement. The research raises the newly arising collision problem with UAVs and offers quantum solutions to improve the collision avoidance mechanism. This chapter will describe in depth how quantum cryptography merges with UAVs for increased protection against these issues. Beginning with a critical study of the available literature on the topic at hand, the paper follows the historical development of cryptography and discusses the current trends in UAVs. The prevailing security standards are discussed, along with their limitations, leading to the necessity for stricter ones. The quantum cryptographic principles, such as QKD, are briefly summarized below as applied to classical cryptography. Uniqueness threats, the real-time context, and the recently emerging problem of collision are challenges that should be addressed in the case of UAV communications.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have gone from single platforms that were remotely piloted to fully networked, autonomous cyber-physical systems that operate in the civilian, industrial and defense arenas. Their increasing reliance on wireless communication for command and control, cooperative sensing, distributed decision-making and swarm coordination has raised the level of communication security to the point where it has become a mission-critical requirement. Contemporary UAV security architectures are much based on classical public-key–based cryptography (RSA and elliptic are the most well-known) whose security assumptions become fundamentally vulnerable against the presence of large-scale quantum computing. This chapter gives a comprehensive and future-oriented discussion about post-quantum cryptography (PQC)-based security models for UAVs communication and information exchange networks. Quantum resistance should be applied not only at the algorithmic level but across the whole UAV communications trust stack, which is the main argument. Part I set the conceptual and technical ground by affecting a short range of the improvement of UAV communication systems, in articulating a system quantum-era threat model and giving a motivation for mission-adaptive, cross-layer security architectures. The discussion makes the long-term confidentiality, survivability of the system and continuing operation more robust, and the security of UAV with PQC enabled is no longer speculative, but is considered a strategic requirement.
Secure communication is vital for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations, where ensuring data integrity and secrecy is essential. The distinctive challenges in UAV communication UAV communication and the evolving quantum computing field heighten the vulnerabilities of traditional cryptographic methods. Quantum cryptography quantum cryptography offers a promising solution by leveraging quantum mechanics to establish provably secure channels. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of quantum cryptography quantum cryptography in UAV communications, covering fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics relevant to cryptography. It explores protocols like quantum key distribution (QKD QKD ), quantum secure direct communication (QSDC), and quantum teleportation, quantum teleportation discussing their applicability and limitations in UAV networks. Additionally, the chapter discusses how quantum communication can be effectively utilized for long-range UAV communication. Furthermore, it delves into implementing quantum cryptography-as-a-service for UAVs, presenting real-world case studies and outlining future directions and challenges. Serving as a roadmap for integrating quantum cryptography, this chapter ensures robust security in UAV operations against evolving threats.