Next Article in Journal
Smart Glove: A Cost-Effective and Intuitive Interface for Advanced Drone Control
Previous Article in Journal
Hierarchical Online Air Combat Maneuver Decision Making and Control Based on Surrogate-Assisted Differential Evolution Algorithm
Previous Article in Special Issue
Advanced Path Planning for UAV Swarms in Smart City Disaster Scenarios Using Hybrid Metaheuristic Algorithms
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Drones
Volume 9
Issue 2
10.3390/drones9020108
drones-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Review

UAV Communication in Space–Air–Ground Integrated Networks (SAGINs): Technologies, Applications, and Challenges

by
Peiying Zhang
1,2,3,
Shengpeng Chen
1,2,
Xiangguo Zheng
1,2,
Peiyan Li
1,2,
Guilong Wang
1,2,
Ruixin Wang
1,2,
Jian Wang
4 and
Lizhuang Tan
3,5,*
1
Qingdao Institute of Software, College of Computer Science and Technology, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
2
Shandong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Oil & Gas Industrial Software, Qingdao 266580, China
3
Key Laboratory of Computing Power Network and Information Security, Ministry of Education, Shandong Computer Science Center (National Supercomputer Center in Jinan), Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China
4
College of Science, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
5
Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Computing Power Internet and Service Computing, Shandong Fundamental Research Center for Computer Science, Jinan 250014, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Drones 2025, 9(2), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/drones9020108
Submission received: 5 December 2024 / Revised: 29 January 2025 / Accepted: 29 January 2025 / Published: 1 February 2025
(This article belongs to the Collection Feature Papers Collection of the World’s Top 2% Scientists in Drones)
Versions Notes

Abstract

With the continuous advancement of 6G technology, SAGINs provide seamless coverage and efficient connectivity for future communications by integrating terrestrial, aerial, and satellite networks. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), owing to their high maneuverability and flexibility, have emerged as a critical component of the aerial layer in SAGINs. In this paper, we systematically review the key technologies, applications, and challenges of UAV-assisted SAGINs. First, the hierarchical architecture of SAGINs and their dynamic heterogeneous characteristics are elaborated on, and this is followed by an in-depth discussion of UAV communication. Subsequently, the core technologies of UAV-assisted SAGINs are comprehensively analyzed across five dimensions—routing protocols, security control, path planning, resource management, and UAV deployment—highlighting the progress and limitations of existing research. In terms of applications, UAV-assisted SAGINs demonstrate significant potential in disaster recovery, remote network coverage, smart cities, and agricultural monitoring. However, their practical deployment still faces challenges such as dynamic topology management, cross-layer protocol adaptation, energy-efficiency optimization, and security threats. Finally, we summarize the applications and challenges of UAV-assisted SAGINs and provide prospects for future research directions.
Keywords: 6G; wireless communication; Space–Air–Ground Integrated Networks; unmanned aerial vehicle 6G; wireless communication; Space–Air–Ground Integrated Networks; unmanned aerial vehicle

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Zhang, P.; Chen, S.; Zheng, X.; Li, P.; Wang, G.; Wang, R.; Wang, J.; Tan, L. UAV Communication in Space–Air–Ground Integrated Networks (SAGINs): Technologies, Applications, and Challenges. Drones 2025, 9, 108. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones9020108

AMA Style

Zhang P, Chen S, Zheng X, Li P, Wang G, Wang R, Wang J, Tan L. UAV Communication in Space–Air–Ground Integrated Networks (SAGINs): Technologies, Applications, and Challenges. Drones. 2025; 9(2):108. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones9020108

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhang, Peiying, Shengpeng Chen, Xiangguo Zheng, Peiyan Li, Guilong Wang, Ruixin Wang, Jian Wang, and Lizhuang Tan. 2025. "UAV Communication in Space–Air–Ground Integrated Networks (SAGINs): Technologies, Applications, and Challenges" Drones 9, no. 2: 108. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones9020108

APA Style

Zhang, P., Chen, S., Zheng, X., Li, P., Wang, G., Wang, R., Wang, J., & Tan, L. (2025). UAV Communication in Space–Air–Ground Integrated Networks (SAGINs): Technologies, Applications, and Challenges. Drones, 9(2), 108. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones9020108

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop