Aug 2026· IEEE Communications Standards Magazine· 0 citations· 15 references
Engineering
TL;DR
A multi-layer HAP-centric flying ad-hoc network (FANET) is proposed, highlighting HAP-centric FANETs as a foundation for resilient, scalable, and application-oriented 6G NTN deployments.
Abstract
High-altitude platforms (HAPs) are key enablers of next-generation non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), offering wide coverage, long endurance, and rapid deployment. Despite these advantages, current NTN designs remain satellite-centric and rely on terrestrial cellular assumptions, limiting flexibility and scalability. To overcome these limitations, this article proposes a multi-layer HAP-centric flying ad-hoc network (FANET). In this framework, HAPs are integrated with distributed uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) to form a standalone, cell-free (CF) non-terrestrial system capable of autonomous operation. The layered architecture consists of an inter-HAP ad-hoc layer, a HAP-to-UAV cooperative layer, and a UAV-to-ground access layer, collectively enabling aerial connectivity, adaptive coverage, and interference-aware user access. Unique challenges for each layer are analyzed, including inter-HAP connectivity, FANET co-existence with terrestrial networks (TNs), and user access under heterogeneous conditions. Moreover, the article introduces enabling strategies such as fast beam alignment for high data rate connectivity, uncoordinated FANET/TN co-existence, and user localization and environment classification. Validated by three case studies, the discussion also outlines standardization pathways. The results highlight HAP-centric FANETs as a foundation for resilient, scalable, and application-oriented 6G NTN deployments.
Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed GNN-RSMA interference management algorithm outperforms conventional multiple access schemes while achieving fairness and worst-user performance comparable to successive convex approximation (SCA)-based optimization at only a fraction of its computational cost.
Afsoon Alidadi Shamsabadi, Animesh Yadav, H. Yanikomeroglu· 0 citations
A comprehensive and structured review of methods for MACNs, with particular emphasis on AI-driven solutions and their relationship to classical and hybrid alternatives, and offers insights into the design of AI-driven MACNs that are efficient, scalable, and adaptive to evolving network and service demands.
Shafkat Khan Siam, Muhammad Yeasir Arafat, Muhammad Morshed Alam et al.· Artificial Intelligence Revi...· 0 citations
High altitude platform stations (HAPSs) are becoming a key component of future non-terrestrial networks (NTNs). HAPSs can serve a larger area than uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and offer lower propagation latency, maintenance expense, and energy costs than satellites. A major application of HAPSs is to serve the areas where terrestrial network (TN) deployment is infeasible, especially in hard-to-reach areas and post-disaster areas. For instance, in the Amazon rainforest, the Mediterranean region, and deserts, TN deployment is severely constrained by geographical and environmental conditions. Only areas close to transportation networks or coastlines can be covered, while large areas remain uncovered. Such coverage holes in hard-to-reach areas are typically overlooked in existing literature. Motivated by these realistic cases, in this paper, we use tools from stochastic geometry to mathematically model hard-to-reach areas where cellular terrestrial infrastructure only exists at their perimeter. We propose to deploy a HAPS constellation over this hard-to-reach area to enhance connectivity. For that setup, we derive the downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) coverage performance of the considered user equipment (UE) as a function of the location of the UE inside the coverage hole. Our results show how the number of HAPSs, beamwidth, and HAPS altitude affect the DL and UL coverage probabilities. Finally, we provide multiple useful guidelines for future HAPS deployment.
Hao Lin, Mustafa A. Kishk, M. Alouini· IEEE Transactions on Wireles...· 0 citations
Timely and dependable information exchange is essential for large-scale unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms to coordinate under their fast motion, intermittent links, and limited energy on board. However, swarm deployments increasingly must contend with spectrum contention and jamming, as well as a lack of dependable infrastructure, which can reveal the shortcomings of traditional radio-frequency (RF) networking. This paper presents a synthesized overview of communication technologies and networking architectures for UAV swarm operations in FANETs. Representative studies were identified by a structured search and screening process across major venues of scholarly output, which are synthesized using a cross-layer lens including physical links, medium access, routing, information-centric networking, learning-enabled adaptation, and security. In this article, We compare RF/cellular with emerging high-capacity links including millimeter-wave and free-space optical communication, and then show how routing/indirection and content/function-centric paradigms (NDN/NFN) can mitigate fragility imposed by reliance on brittle end-to-end paths. Lastly, we analyse learning-based control (especially multi-agent reinforcement learning) for communication-aware mobility and resources management, as well as security approaches for contested settings. The resulting design perspective highlights recurring trade-offs among reliability, latency, throughput, energy, and integrity, and identifies practical research directions toward more robust and deployable swarm communication systems.
Azzam Almekhlafi, Y. Alqudsi· 2026 6th International Confe...· 0 citations
This paper evaluates the downlink performance of 5G non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) realized via tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (TUAV)-mounted base stations, and compares it against conventional 5G terrestrial networks (TNs) in a realistic dense urban scenario. Unlike battery-limited UAVs, TUAVs are connected to ground stations via lightweight cables, enabling stable positioning and near-line-of-sight links to users without the endurance constraints of untethered platforms. Using a 3GPP-compliant multi-cell hexagonal layout with 19 sites and 57 sectors, we model TUAV altitudes ranging from 100 to 1000\,m and evaluate the average effective signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) and user throughput via system-level simulations. Results show that TUAV-based NTN deployments can significantly outperform terrestrial 5G in per-user throughput, with the largest gains observed for cell-edge and low-SINR users, provided the TUAV altitude is properly chosen to balance improved line-of-sight probability against increased propagation loss and interference at higher altitudes.
RAMNA is introduced, a resource-aware optimizing algorithm designed to maximize network availability by autonomously repositioning UAVs at runtime, and contributes to the self-healing and self-optimization properties required for resilient, long-lived flying ad-hoc networks operating under energy uncertainty.
L. Pinto, Miguel Catarro, Alan Oliveira de Sá· SEAMS@ICSE· 0 citations
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