A Blockchain-Enabled Framework of UAV Coordination for Post- Disaster Networks

Emergency communication is critical but challenging after natural disasters when the ground infrastructure is devastated. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have enormous potential for agile relief coordination in such scenarios. However, effectively leveraging UAV fleets poses additional challenges, in terms of security, privacy, and efficient collaboration across response agencies. This paper presents a robust blockchain-enabled framework to address these challenges by integrating a consortium blockchain model, smart contracts, and crypto-graphic techniques to securely coordinate UAV fleets for dis-aster response. Specifically, we make two key contributions: a consortium blockchain architecture for secure and private multi-agency coordination and an optimized consensus protocol balancing efficiency and fault tolerance using a delegated proof of stake practical Byzantine fault tolerance (DPoS-PBFT). Com-prehensive simulations show the framework's ability to enhance transparency, automation, scalability, and cyber-attack resilience for UAV coordination in post-disaster networks.