A Systematic Review of UAV Protocol Architectures for Enhanced Communication

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) can be used for a wide range of tasks, and their capabilities are expanding rapidly. The use of public airspace is essential to the success of many UAV missions. This calls for stringent safety measures, on par with those of the airline industry. Multiple lines of communication between aircraft, their pilots, and UTM systems are necessary for safe UAV Traffic Management (UTM). The security of operations relies on the reliability of these communication channels. Each of these connections must also adhere to a number of strict security regulations. Due to their low resources and adaptable nature, UAS are typically unsuitable to the current internet-wide cryptography requirements. In this survey, we look at how traffic management may be made more secure by ensuring that all communication links are encrypted. Next, papers are presented and debated that use cryptographic primitives to ensure the safety of communication networks. Security solutions for UAVs are compared and contrasted with the authentication mechanisms designed for UAVs or other limited systems. Alternatives to the AES method that use symmetry are also discussed. Current UTM protocols like ADS-B and RemoteID, and the efforts made to protect them, are examined. According to the findings, a comprehensive secure architecture that can extend authentication and integrity to other systems (other planes, UTMs, etc.) is required.