The Internet of Drones (IoD) presents a transformative advancement in unmanned aerial systems, promising enhanced capabilities across numerous industries, including agriculture, security, and logistics. However, integrating these systems into critical sectors makes them a prominent cyber-attack target. This survey examines the current landscape of authentication schemes designed to secure IoD communications, emphasizing the need for solutions that are effective in preventing security breaches and efficient enough to operate within the resource constraints of drone technology. We explore several authentication schemes that depend on various cryptographic methods, including blockchain-based cryptography, elliptic curve cryptography, and cryptographic hash functions, assessing their suitability for IoD environments based on security analysis and security features. This survey highlights recent innovations in the authentication field and provides a comparative analysis of their performance in various IoD applications. This comprehensive review aims to guide researchers, technologists, and policymakers in developing and adopting authentication strategies that enhance drone networks’ security and operational efficacy.