On the Secrecy of UAV Systems With Linear Trajectory

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the secrecy outage performance of UAV systems with linear trajectories, considering the impact of eavesdropping UAVs on both downlink and uplink communications, with analytical models validated by simulations.

Contribution

It provides the first analytical characterization of secrecy outage probabilities for UAVs with linear trajectories, accounting for random locations and eavesdropping threats.

Findings

Derived closed-form expressions for secrecy outage probabilities.

Validated analytical models with Monte-Carlo simulations.

Highlighted the impact of UAV positions on communication secrecy.

Abstract

By observing the fact that moving in a straight line is a common flying behavior of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in normal applications, e.g., power line inspections, and air patrols along with highway/streets/borders, in this paper we investigate the secrecy outage performance of a UAV system with linear trajectory, where a UAV ($S$) flies in a straight line and transmits its information over the downlink to a legitimate receiver ($D$) on the ground while an eavesdropping UAV ($E$) trying to overhear the information delivery between $S$ and $D$. Meanwhile, some information is delivered to $S$ over the uplink from $D$, such as commanding messages to control $S$'s detecting operations, which can also be eavesdropped by $E$. The locations of $S$, $D$, and $E$ are randomly distributed. We first characterize the statistical characteristics (including cumulative distribution functions and probability density function) of the received signal-to-noise ratio over both downlink and uplink, and then the closed-form analytical expressions for the lower boundary of the secrecy outage probability of both downlink and uplink have also been derived accordingly. Finally, Monte-Carlo simulations are given to testify our proposed analytical models.