A Survey on UAV-Enabled Integrated Sensing and Communication Networking and Technologies

HU Yanglin; ZHANG Tiankui; LI Bo; YANG Dingcheng

doi:10.11999/JEIT241116

Volume 47 Issue 4

Apr. 2025

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HU Yanglin, ZHANG Tiankui, LI Bo, YANG Dingcheng. A Survey on UAV-Enabled Integrated Sensing and Communication Networking and Technologies[J]. Journal of Electronics & Information Technology, 2025, 47(4): 859-875. doi: 10.11999/JEIT241116

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HU Yanglin, ZHANG Tiankui, LI Bo, YANG Dingcheng. A Survey on UAV-Enabled Integrated Sensing and Communication Networking and Technologies[J]. Journal of Electronics & Information Technology, 2025, 47(4): 859-875. doi: 10.11999/JEIT241116

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A Survey on UAV-Enabled Integrated Sensing and Communication Networking and Technologies

doi: 10.11999/JEIT241116 cstr: 32379.14.JEIT241116

1.
School of Information and Communication Engineering, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, China
2.
School of Information Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai 264209, China
3.
School of Information Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China

Funds: The National Natural Science Foundation of China (62371068)

Received Date: 2024-12-19
Rev Recd Date: 2025-03-29

Available Online: 2025-04-07

Publish Date: 2025-04-01

Abstract

Abstract

Significance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have attracted significant attention due to their flexibility, high mobility, and potential for widespread applications across various industries. The integration of UAVs with Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) technology enables the combination of sensing and communication capabilities on a single platform, facilitating high-quality data collection, processing, and real-time communication, particularly in complex environments. This integration offers substantial benefits in both communication and environmental sensing, addressing key challenges in emerging fields, particularly in low-altitude economic scenarios such as smart cities, geomatics, and emergency rescue. Progress This paper provides a systematic survey of UAV-enabled ISAC networks, offering a comprehensive discussion on their underlying principles and the integration of communication and sensing tasks. The first section introduces the foundational principles and characteristics of ISAC technology, including a review of waveform sensing-communication integration and multi-modal sensing-communication technologies. The paper also examines recent efforts toward standardizing ISAC technology and emphasizes the importance of sharing and co-scheduling hardware and spectrum resources to improve overall system efficiency. Subsequently, the paper explores two main network architectures for deploying ISAC devices on UAVs and ground stations. First, it investigates sensing-assisted communication tasks, where the deployment of ISAC devices within UAV communication networks ensures efficient resource allocation, improved coverage, and enhanced communication performance, particularly in challenging environments. Second, it discusses sensing-communication fusion tasks, where UAV-enabled ISAC networks integrate functions such as positioning, edge computing, and data caching. UAVs play a pivotal role in combining these functionalities to optimize overall system performance. Through UAV-enabled ISAC technology, the system’s capacity to collect environmental data, perform real-time communication, and support intelligent decision-making in complex, dynamic conditions is significantly enhanced. Additionally, the paper surveys the current state of key UAV-enabled ISAC technologies, focusing on two main aspects: sensing-enabled techniques and resource allocation strategies. From the perspective of sensing-enabled technologies, advanced techniques such as massive MIMO, collaborative sensing, near-field communication, and multi-modal sensing notably improve UAVs’ sensing precision and coverage in dynamic environments, thereby facilitating the successful execution of various tasks. Furthermore, the paper examines resource allocation techniques, addressing the challenges of distributing energy, spectrum, and processing power within energy-constrained UAV systems. It also covers the integration of wireless energy harvesting, Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS), and advanced communication techniques, such as covert communication, which enable UAVs to operate more efficiently in challenging environments with limited energy resources. Conclusions UAV-enabled ISAC technology is progressing rapidly and holds significant potential to transform the integration of communication and sensing tasks within UAV networks. By capitalizing on UAV mobility and versatility, ISAC networks facilitate the seamless integration of communication and environmental sensing on a single platform. This integration enhances UAV performance and adaptability in complex environments while improving resource utilization, ensuring the efficient operation of UAV networks in applications such as smart cities, geographic surveying, and emergency response. Prospects Although significant progress has been made in developing UAV-enabled ISAC networks, several challenges persist. Energy limitations, complex transmission environments, and network security are critical issues that must be addressed for UAVs to operate effectively in dynamic and diverse environments. Future research will need to focus on overcoming these challenges by integrating emerging technologies such as wireless energy harvesting and RIS, which can enhance energy efficiency and network performance. Furthermore, geographic information-enabled technologies, such as radio maps, will increasingly play a crucial role in optimizing UAV deployment and navigation, particularly in complex environments. In addition, integrating covert communication techniques into UAV networks offers a promising avenue for improving the security and privacy of UAV-based communication systems, especially in sensitive applications such as defense and surveillance. The future of UAV-enabled ISAC networks will depend on addressing challenges related to energy constraints, environmental complexity, and security concerns, while enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of communication and sensing tasks. As these technologies mature, UAVs will become even more integral to emerging low-altitude economies, fostering the development of smart cities, efficient disaster response systems, and intelligent traffic management.
- Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC),
- UAV networking,
- Wireless resource allocation

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References(48)

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