Optical Spectral Modulation of CdSe/ZnS Quantum Dots Based UAV Identification

High security and high reliability identification methods are desired in UAV swarms. An identification method for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) based on optical spectrum modulation is proposed by using narrow-linewidth CdSe/ZnS quantum dots. By generating an environmental-information-based key-generation algorithm, UAV ₁ is capable to promptly produce a key optical spectrum, which conceals its identity codes of UAV ₁ . When the key optical spectrum transmits to the photodetector of UAV ₂ , UAV ₂ can decode the key optical spectrum and gain the identity of UAV ₁ . Solutions are proposed to improve the success rate of identification for UAV ₂ , as well as to avoid the problem of spectral floating during the flighting process of UAVs. Success rate of 100% is predicted when the identification system supports no more than 27 types of UAV identities in a group under conditions of a) the digital numbers of all identity codes are within the range of 1 to 3, b) the floating percentage of the optical spectrum is not higher than 14%. The proposed method possesses high simplicity, high success rate, and high confidentiality in identification. It is potential to be applied as a secure communication method in largescale UAV swarms.