Quantum-Resilient Blockchain for Secure Transactions in UAV-Assisted Smart Agriculture Networks

Abstract

The integration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into smart agriculture has enabled real-time monitoring, data collection, and automated farming operations. However, the high mobility, decentralized nature, and low-power communication of UAVs pose significant security challenges, particularly in ensuring transaction integrity and trust. This paper presents a quantum-resilient blockchain framework designed to secure data and resource transactions in UAV-assisted smart agriculture networks. The proposed solution incorporates post-quantum cryptographic primitives-specifically lattice-based digital signatures and key encapsulation mechanisms to achieve tamper-proof, low-latency consensus without relying on traditional computationally intensive proof-of-work schemes. A lightweight consensus protocol tailored for UAV communication constraints is developed, and transaction validation is handled through a trust-ranked, multi-layer ledger maintained by edge nodes. Experimental results from simulations using NS-3 and custom blockchain testbeds show that the framework outperforms existing schemes in terms of transaction throughput, energy efficiency, and resistance to quantum attacks. The proposed system provides a scalable, secure, and sustainable solution for precision agriculture, enabling trusted automation and resilient data sharing in post-quantum eras.