Bangalore-based QNu Labs has introduced a comprehensive quantum‑safe communication platform designed to secure unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) against both current and emerging cryptographic threats.
The system aims to protect critical drone communication links including live video streams, telemetry, and command‑and‑control signals from quantum‑level decryption capabilities that could render conventional encryption obsolete.
The platform employs post‑quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms standardised by NIST, such as CRYSTALS‑Kyber, integrated with AES‑256‑GCM to deliver hybrid cryptographic layers.
This dual approach ensures resilience against classical attacks while pre‑emptively mitigating the impact of future quantum computing‑based cryptanalysis.
At the hardware level, QNu Labs has embedded a tamper‑resistant hardware‑root‑of‑trust and a quantum random number generator (QRNG). This combination ensures that cryptographic keys are derived from true quantum entropy sources, greatly reducing predictability and susceptibility to side‑channel exploits. Such hardware‑anchored cryptography adds a foundational layer of physical security within resource‑constrained flight architectures.
Central to the solution is the compact Q‑ORE encrypted module, purpose‑engineered to retrofit effortlessly into existing UAV flight controllers. The low‑SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) module enables legacy systems to achieve cryptographic modernisation without structural redesign, facilitating smooth integration across defence, BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line‑of‑Sight), and critical‑infrastructure drone operations.
The communication stack supports secure over‑the‑air (OTA) cryptographic upgrades, allowing mission operators to remotely update encryption primitives as new PQC standards and firmware patches evolve. Additionally, built‑in tamper detection mechanisms autonomously isolate compromised nodes and enforce zero‑trust link authentication.
This development holds major implications for national security and high‑assurance drone missions where link interception, command spoofing, or telemetry manipulation pose strategic risks.
By leveraging quantum‑safe algorithms and true‑random entropy, QNu Labs positions India at the forefront of post‑quantum‑secure drone communications — an arena of growing urgency given the global march toward quantum computing capabilities and advanced EW (Electronic Warfare) environments.
IDN (With Agency Inputs)
