Dr. Sana Haveez
Affiliate, University of Glasgow
Dr. Sana Hafeez is an accomplished researcher in secure wireless communications, UAV networks, and cyber-physical system design. She recently concluded two postdoctoral research positions at the University of Glasgow and Queen Mary University of London, where she contributed to pioneering projects SecureSense and 6G-FINESSE now focusing on quantum-resilient security frameworks, AI-driven threat mitigation, and decentralized UAV coordination for next-generation communication systems.
Her academic trajectory has been shaped by a deep focus on mission-critical network security, particularly for healthcare and emergency services. At Glasgow, she worked on SecureSense, a cutting-edge testbed for joint communication and sensing, and at Queen Mary, she contributed to 6G-FINESSE, an AI-enhanced architecture for ultra-secure wireless systems. These projects combined advanced technologies like blockchain authentication, federated learning, and formal verification methods to ensure robust, real-time performance in high-risk environments.
Currently, Dr. Hafeez is serving as a consultant on a research collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Aviation and Space Exploration at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia. This project, supported by a 30,000 SAR grant, focuses on high-impact publications in secure UAV technologies, with Dr. Hafeez contributing as a lead author. She has also been invited to deliver a Distinguished Lecture at KFUPM, highlighting her international recognition and interdisciplinary engagement. Dr. Hafeez holds a PhD in Electronic and Electrical Engineering from the University of Glasgow, where her thesis explored blockchain-secured UAV network optimization. She is recognized as a Global Talent by the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK, and has authored more than 14 peer-reviewed publications in prestigious journals and conferences such as IEEE Transactions, CAMAD, and ICDCS. Her technical service includes active participation in major IEEE Technical Program Committees, including IEEE VTC, Globecom, ICC, ICDCS, RASSE, and the 2025 International Telecommunications Conference (ITC-Egypt).
Beyond her research, Dr. Hafeez is deeply committed to diversity and outreach in STEM, SmartSTEM UK. She is speaker for the 14th Early Career Talks hosted by the IEEE Women in Engineering UK and Ireland Chapter and has organized hackathons and mentoring programs for inclusive innovation. Her work exemplifies a unique blend of technical depth, interdisciplinary collaboration, and public service.
At the AESIN Conference, Dr. Hafeez will present a next-generation UAV security framework aimed at ensuring cyber-resilience in medical logistics and emergency response. Her vision bridges advanced cybersecurity with ethical design, offering a pathway for secure, scalable, and inclusive UAV systems that can be trusted across diverse public sector applications.
Presentation: Securing UAV Networks: Next-Generation Healthcare
The rapid evolution of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technologies has catalysed a new era of critical infrastructure support, with healthcare emerging as a vital domain for life-saving deployments. Within the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom and particularly across the geographically diverse landscape of Scotland UAVs are unlocking transformative capabilities in medical logistics, telemedicine, and emergency response. From Scotland’s remote highlands and island communities to densely populated urban centres, UAV networks offer unprecedented solutions for overcoming systemic healthcare barriers. Yet, to safely integrate these intelligent air systems into critical infrastructure, robust cybersecurity frameworks are essential. This presentation outlines a secure-by-design UAV framework customized for the NHS and adaptable to other public-sector systems. In Scotland, where inclement weather and dispersed populations challenge traditional healthcare delivery, UAV clusters or flocks of drones have demonstrated tangible value. Use cases include expedited pharmaceutical transport, specimen retrieval, high-resolution aerial support during mass casualty events, and enhanced outreach to underserved communities. These applications, while promising, are vulnerable to sophisticated cyber threats. Wireless links, autonomous decision engines, and mission-critical data flows introduce complex attack surfaces that could undermine patient safety and operational integrity. Our multi-layered security architecture responds to these challenges with an integrated strategy. BETA-UAV applies decentralized blockchain authentication to secure identity and command chains without relying on central nodes crucial for post-disaster scenarios and dynamic airspaces. The BIRDS framework builds on this with immutable data logs and end-to-end encryption for safe, auditable healthcare deliveries. Further enhancing resilience, a decentralized, flocking-based UAV model supports cooperative decision-making across fleets, enabling safe operations even in GPS-denied or connectivity-challenged zones. To address real-time requirements for safety-critical missions, the framework incorporates quantum-resilient communication backed by 6G capabilities and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). AI-optimized routing dynamically adapts flight paths to changing environmental, regulatory, and emergency conditions. In trials, this configuration achieved 98.2% mission success, under-3-second latency, and 18% energy efficiency improvements validating its potential for ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) across the UK’s most challenging healthcare geographies. Looking ahead, our roadmap includes post-quantum cryptography for forward confidentiality, AI-enhanced intrusion detection and prevention systems, and federated learning for decentralized, privacy-preserving threat analytics. Real-time threat modelling and formal verification methodologies will further ensure safe, adaptive UAV operations in high-risk missions. These capabilities are not only critical for NHS deployments but also scalable to broader national applications, including emergency logistics, border surveillance, and humanitarian response. This presentation also examines the human-cantered aspects of UAV security. Emphasis is placed on intuitive interfaces for clinicians and first responders, operator accreditation aligned with governance, and transparent design for public trust. We evaluate the socio-technical implications of autonomous healthcare systems, and the ethical trade-offs involved in balancing surveillance, privacy, and life-saving potential. By embedding resilience and privacy-by-design principles, the framework promotes not only technical robustness but also societal acceptance.
In conclusion, securing UAV networks is no longer a niche concern it is a national imperative. The proposed strategy synthesizes blockchain, AI, post-quantum cryptography, and edge computing into a cohesive security model tailored to healthcare-specific needs yet extensible to other mission-critical sectors. This blueprint ensures operational continuity during crises, enhances equitable healthcare access, and establishes UAVs as reliable assets within the UK’s broader vision for cyber-resilient, connected public services.
Our vision is clear: to build intelligent, adaptive UAV ecosystems that protect lives, scale responsibly, and catalyse human-cantered innovation across the globe. By merging next-gen security paradigms with ethical AI and inclusive system design, we champion a future where aerial healthcare networks are secure, trusted, and universally accessible bridging urban, rural, and underserved regions with life-saving technology at scale.
