Secure Communications in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Enabled Mobile Edge Computing Systems

With the rapid evolution of wireless communication technologies, emerging applications like autonomous driving, telemedicine, and virtual reality are becoming integral to modern life. These advancements have significantly increased computing demands and coverage requirements, posing challenges for traditional systems and resource-constrained devices. Unmanned aerial vehicle-assisted mobile edge computing (UAV-assisted MEC) offers an innovative solution, enabling rapid deployment of communication infrastructure and providing efficient computing services for devices. However, the openness and broadcast nature of UAV communications make them highly susceptible to security threats.

The book "Secure Communications in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Enabled Mobile Edge Computing Systems" explores advanced strategies to secure data transmission in UAV-enabled MEC systems. Furthermore, this book provides a detailed exploration of how physical-layer security techniques can be effectively employed to enhance secure communications within these complex systems. Aimed at researchers, engineers, and professionals in the fields of secure communications, MEC, and UAV technology, the book addresses the growing demand for resilient security frameworks that can handle the dynamic and real-time nature of UAV operations. It offers vital insights for anyone involved in the development of next-generation wireless networks, making it an indispensable reference for those tackling security challenges in UAV-enabled MEC systems.

The content covers advanced theoretical insights and technical analysis, offering a comprehensive range of methods to strengthen security in UAV-enabled MEC systems. Key topics include secure offloading strategies, communication modes, edge learning, deep reinforcement learning, reconfigurable intelligent surface, and multiple UAVs collaboration. Additionally, the book delves into physical-layer security techniques such as artificial noise generation and cooperative jamming. These methods aim to safeguard sensitive information from eavesdroppers and secure communication channels at the physical layer. Alongside these security-focused techniques, the book also covers essential optimization strategies, including trajectory optimization, resource allocation under adversarial conditions, which collectively enhance secure performance in UAV-enabled MEC systems.

Weidang Lu is currently a professor in the College of Information Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, China. His research interests are in the areas of intelligent communications, UAV communications, secure communications, and mobile edge computing. Prof. Lu won the Best Paper Awards at AICON 2021 and WiSATs 2019. Prof. Lu is serving as an associate editor of Interne of Things, Physical communication. He is also one of World Top 2% Scientists. Additionally, Prof. Lu is serving as a committee member of the Youth Technical Group of the Internet of Things at the Chinese Institute of Electronics, a board member of the Zhejiang Institute of Electronics, and General Co-Chair and Program Committee Co-Chair for international conferences, including MLICOM 2018, CHINAAI 2020, and 6GN 2021.

Yu Ding received the B.E. degree in College of Information Engineering from Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China. She is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree with Zhejiang University of Technology. Her current research interests include UAV communications, mobile edge computing, and physical layer security for wireless systems. She has published five high-impact journal papers including IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, IEEE Transactions on Communications, with three of these recognized as ESI Highly Cited Papers. She have received the Best Paper Awards at AICON 2021.

Huimei Han is currently an associate professor at Zhejiang University of Technology, in China. She received the Ph.D. degree in telecommunication engineering from Xidian University, Xi’an, China, in 2019. Since 2019, she has been with the College of Information Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China. Her current research interests include secure communications, machine-to-machine communications, and intelligent communications. She has published over 20 research articles in leading academic journals, such as IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, IEEE Transactions on Communications. She won the Best Paper Awards at IIKI 2022 and ECIE 2024.

Guanjun Xu is a professor in the Space Information Research Institute, Hangzhou Dianzi University, China. He has received his Ph.D. degree in information and communication engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology, China, in 2017. After that, he was an associate professor and full professor at East China Normal University, China until 2023. His research interests include radio wave propagation over fading channels, wave scattering in random media, optical wireless communications, and deep space communication. He received the Best Paper Award in IEEE ECIE 2024, ISEMC 2023, WCSP 2022, Best Student Paper Award in ISAP 2015, and the Young Elite Scientist Sponsorship Program by CAST in 2020. He currently serves as a Topical Advisory Panel Editor of PHOTONICS, Section Editor of REMOTE SENSING, Reviewer Editor for FRONTIERS IN COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKS, and a Guest Editor of several reputed journals. He also serves/served as a TPC Cochair of SINS 2024, IEEE ISEMC 2023, TPC of IEEE VTC2024-Fall & IEEE VTC2023-Fall, IEEE ICC 2025 & 2024 & 2023 & 2022, IEEE GLOBECOM 2019, and co-chair for numerous international workshops.