Work

Integrated sensing, communications, and identification for low-altitude economy

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: With the rapid development of the low-altitude economy (LAE), low-altitude activities are becoming increasingly frequent and dynamic, placing growing demands on the underlying information infrastructure to ensure efficient and safe airspace operation. Low-altitude information networks (LAINs), as the key infrastructure supporting these activities, are required not only to ensure reliable communication, but also to support environmental sensing and target identification. Existing research on integrated sensing and communications (ISAC) has established an important foundation for the joint design of communication and sensing functions in LAINs. However, with the increasing need for airspace safety and regulatory compliance, identification is becoming an essential function that should be systematically incorporated into the overall network design. This paper presents a comprehensive review of integrated sensing, communications, and identification (ISCAI) for LAE. We first provide an overview of LAINs by reviewing approaches to low-altitude communication, sensing, and identification, and explain how representative application scenarios motivate their integration. We then review the fundamentals of low-altitude ISAC, including system architectures, channel modeling, unified signal models, and performance metrics, followed by communication-centric and sensing-centric ISAC design as well as resource allocation and aircraft trajectory optimization. Building on these, we introduce the ISCAI paradigm, with particular attention to a backscatter communication (BackCom)-based identification mechanism in which backscatter devices serve as electronic license plates for aircraft. We further present the system and signal models of the resulting integrated sensing and identification (ISAI) and ISCAI paradigms, along with their multifunctional receiver designs and mutual integration gains. Finally, we outline important open problems and future directions, including the information-theoretic framework of ISCAI, artificial intelligence (AI)-empowered ISCAI system design, and reconfigurable intelligent surface-enhanced ISCAI. This paper aims to provide a structured perspective on how LAINs are evolving from the joint design of communication and sensing toward a broader integration of communication, sensing, and identification.

Source: Science China Information Sciences

DOI: 10.1007/s11432-026-5211-3

Authors: Shanxing Zeng, Jun Wang, Ying-Chang Liang

Institution: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Language: English

Topic: Radar Systems and Signal Processing

Subfield: Aerospace Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,190