ISAC-over-NTN: HAPS-UAV Framework for Post-Disaster Responsive 6G Networks

2026-01-21

AI Summary

This work addresses the challenge of maintaining reliable communication and situational awareness in post-disaster scenarios, where terrestrial networks are often severely damaged. To this end, the authors propose an integrated sensing and communication architecture leveraging non-terrestrial networks, which synergistically combines a high-altitude platform station (HAPS) with multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). For the first time, this framework integrates multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) communication and monostatic sensing within a single transmission link, enabled by a novel joint beamforming design that simultaneously supports high-reliability data transmission and Doppler-based motion detection. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system maintains stable connectivity in disaster-stricken environments, achieving 90% sensitivity in motion detection and 88% accuracy in locating trapped individuals, thereby significantly enhancing emergency response capabilities.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Multimodal Perception & Sensor Fusion
• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems
• Multiagent Systems: Agent Communication

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Web applications in cross-disciplinary domains and verticals such as mixed reality, smart cities, and digital health
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Security and Privacy: Large-scale security measurements

Abstract

In disaster scenarios, ensuring both reliable communication and situational awareness becomes a critical challenge due to the partial or complete collapse of terrestrial networks. This paper proposes an integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) over non-terrestrial networks (NTN) architecture referred to as ISAC-over-NTN that integrates multiple uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and a high-altitude platform station (HAPS) to maintain resilient and reliable network operations in post-disaster conditions. We aim to achieve two main objectives: i) provide a reliable communication infrastructure, thereby ensuring the continuity of search-and-rescue activities and connecting people to their loved ones, and ii) detect users, such as those trapped under rubble or those who are mobile, using a Doppler-based mobility detection model. We employ an innovative beamforming method that simultaneously transmits data and detects Doppler-based mobility by integrating multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) communication and monostatic sensing within the same transmission chain. The results show that the proposed framework maintains reliable connectivity and achieves high detection accuracy of users in critical locations, reaching 90% motion detection sensitivity and 88% detection accuracy.

Problem

• ISAC
• NTN
• post-disaster communication
• mobility detection
• 6G networks

Innovation

• ISAC-over-NTN
• HAPS-UAV
• Doppler-based mobility detection
• MU-MIMO beamforming
• non-terrestrial networks