Abstract: The convergence of blockchain technology and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has garnered significant academic attention due to its potential to enhance security, automation, and data management in UAV ecosystems. However, the rapid expansion of research in this domain necessitates a systematic analysis to delineate its intellectual structure and development trajectories. This study employs bibliometric techniques, specifically co-citation analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA), to identify and analyze key research streams at the intersection of blockchain and UAV technologies. Based on a dataset of 340 peer-reviewed publications retrieved from Web of Science, the analysis reveals six distinct research streams: (I) privacy and security in the Internet of Drones (IoD), (II) implications of combining emerging technologies, (III) federated learning, (IV) resource and data management in IoT, (V) optimization, security, and applications in UAV-enabled mobile edge computing (MEC) systems, and (VI) blockchain-enabled data sharing and automation in the IoD. These findings highlight blockchain’s predominant role in securing UAV communication, optimizing resource management, and enabling decentralized automation. Despite these advancements, challenges related to scalability, computational efficiency, and interoperability persist, with limited empirical validation of proposed frameworks. This study provides a structured overview of the evolving research landscape, offering insights for future investigations and interdisciplinary collaborations aimed at addressing these challenges. By identifying underexplored areas and emerging trends, this research contributes to advancing the integration of blockchain and UAV technologies, ensuring their secure and efficient deployment across diverse applications.

Keywords: Blockchain; UAVs; drones; distributed ledger; bibliometrics; review