Dear Colleagues, 

Networks beyond 5G (B5G) include the automation and intelligence of drones, as well as strategies for capacity expansion to address the massive connectivity problems and provide ultra-high throughput and low latency. On the other hand, security and privacy threats have always been a concern with drones. This is due to the absence of security and privacy considerations in the drone’s design, including unsecured wireless channels and an inadequate computation capability to execute advanced cryptographic algorithms. Due to the large real-time applications of drones and the omnipresence of wireless connectivity in B5G networks, advanced security measures are necessary to prevent unauthorized access to critical data. Similarly, while designing security protocols for drones in B5G networks, high scalability, device diversity, and high mobility should be considered. As B5G networks will integrate AI and edge AI-based capabilities for drones, it is also essential to include security measures against AI-related attacks. Keeping in mind the above security and privacy considerations, this Special Issue debates the security and privacy threats that could prevent drones from being used in various B5G applications, as well as the security requirements needed. Furthermore, this Special Issue also aims to propose solutions based on lightweight security methods, including the use of blockchain technology and federated learning.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Security and privacy issues for drones in B5G;
• Blockchain-based security protocols for drones in B5G;
• Novel frameworks and algorithms based on existing and upcoming technologies to enhance security for drones in B5G;
• Lightweight security solutions for drones in B5G;
• Security measures against AI-related attacks on drones in B5G;
• Federated learning-based security solutions for drones in B5G.

Dr. Muhammad Asghar Khan
Prof. Dr. Pascal Lorenz
Dr. Syed Agha Hassnain Mohsan
Dr. Shehzad Ashraf Chaudhry
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• B5G
• AI
• federated learning
• blockchain
• security
• drones