ISAC-Aided UAV Swarms: From Networked Perception to Capability Evolution

With the advancement of technology, intelligent unmanned aerial vehicle swarms (UAV-S) are playing an increasingly significant role across various industries, and sensing is one of their key capabilities that enable UAV-S to operate more effectively in complex and dynamic surroundings. However, due to payload constraints, UAVs often face limitations in the number and weight of sensors they can carry. Integrated sensing and communications (ISAC) aims to achieve hardware and spectrum sharing between radar sensing and wireless communication. This integration augments not merely the network functions, but also enhances resource efficiency, thereby unlocking novel capabilities for UAV-S. The information gathered by ISAC related to the targets and surroundings can be utilized for adaptive deployment, resource management, and more, thereby enhancing the intelligence of UAV-S. In this article, we focus on exploring the feasibility of utilizing ISAC in UAV-S. Firstly, we highlight the potential of ISAC in UAV-S and present several application instances. Secondly, we explore how ISAC enhances UAV-S capabilities, covering aspects like networked perception, sensing-assisted communication, and adaptive deployment. Additionally, we outline potential challenges and opportunities that ISAC may face during its deployment in UAV-S. Finally, we use adaptive deployment as a case study to illustrate the performance enhancements brought by ISAC to UAV-S.