Taxonomy of threats, security mechanisms, and regulatory frameworks for cargo delivery drones

Cargo drones are revolutionizing logistics and transportation, offering enhanced delivery efficiency and reduced environmental impact. This article delves into the critical security threats facing cargo drones, highlighting the unique challenges inherent to these systems. It systematically categorizes various threats into communication-based attacks, sensor-based attacks, hardware-based attacks, and software-based attacks. The article also explores regulatory considerations and analyzes different types of cargo drones. Key contributions include a comprehensive, multi-layered threat taxonomy, a holistic review of security challenges across communication, sensing, computing, and software layers, and a consolidated analysis of end-to-end drone security mechanisms. The survey offers the first unified treatment of global cargo-drone regulations, comparing frameworks from ISO, ICAO, FAA, EASA, DGCA, CAA, MLIT, and GCAA. It connects regulatory requirements with operational security needs, BVLOS compliance, Remote ID mandates, DAA standards, and UTM integration. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of overcoming both technical and regulatory challenges to ensure the safe and efficient use of cargo drones in modern transportation.