Drone-Based Quantum Communication Links

Quantum networks between mobile platforms enable secure communication, distributed quantum sensors, and distributed quantum computing. As progress towards a future quantum internet continues, connecting mobile platforms (e.g., unmanned drones, smart vehicles, ships, and planes) to quantum networks remains a challenge. For instance, engineering constraints for real-world mobile platforms require low size, weight, and power (SWaP) for quantum systems. Additionally, single photons must be routed to platforms that are in motion and experience vibrations. In this effort, we discuss progress toward developing and demonstrating quantum communication links, including decoy-state quantum key distribution (QKD), between mobile drone and vehicle platforms in several configurations (drone-to-drone, drone-to-moving vehicle, and vehicle-to-vehicle). We will discuss and analyze critical subsystems including our decoy-state QKD source based on resonant cavity light emitting diodes (LED), compact optical system design, pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) subsystem, single-photon detectors, field-programmable gate array-based time-tagger, and a novel time-synchronization algorithm. In addition, we present system performance including tracking performance under multiple conditions and mobile platform configurations.