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Advanced Photon Counting Techniques

Technologies for drone-based quantum key distribution

Daniel J. Gauthier, Roderick Cochran, Andrew J Conrad, Grzegorz Golba, Akash Gutha, Samantha Isaac, Timur Javid, AJ Schroeder, Daniel Sanchez-Rosales, Brian Wilens, Paul G. Kwiat

Published May 27, 2022• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

Quantum key distribution is a well-established approach for sharing a classical key between two parties. In most cases, the parties are at fixed locations and use an optical fiber or free-space channel with fixed telescopes. To enable flexible and mobile quantum key distribution applications, we are developing a drone-based system. Here, the entire quantum transmitter and receiver system must have low size, weight, and power so that it can fly on medium-scale drones (Group 2, 21-55 lb gross takeoff weight). We will describe these key technologies and our current progress on achieving secure key exchange between drones.

DOI
10.1117/12.2618491

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