Design of UAV swarm identity authentication based on lightweight blockchain

Blockchain technology has several characteristics, including decentralisation, non-tampering, and cryptographic algorithms. These characteristics are the focus of research for distributed group network authentication. However, the existing blockchain has high arithmetic requirements and low efficiency, which limits its application in UAV swarm group networks. Therefore, a lightweight blockchain UAV swarm identity authentication system has been designed. A model for a blockchain-based authentication system for UAV swarms is constructed. The system’s blockchain consensus algorithm, Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT), has been improved. A new lightweight trusted PBFT consensus algorithm, Lightweight Trusted PBFT (LTPBFT), has been proposed. This algorithm reduces the reputation reward and punishment mechanism and the voting mechanism by introducing the probability of Byzantine nodes acting as master nodes. The algorithm achieves this by introducing a reputation reward and punishment mechanism and a voting mechanism. The consistency protocol process has been optimised to simplify both its Prepare and Commit phases. This reduces communication complexity and achieves a lightweight authentication system. Simulation results demonstrate that the LTPBFT consensus algorithm is more efficient and stable than PBFT in terms of communication overhead, throughput, consensus delay and security.