DOA Estimation for Low-Altitude Networks: HAD Architectures, Methods, and Challenges

TL;DR

This paper reviews HAD architectures and methods for DOA estimation in low-altitude networks, addressing challenges and proposing research directions for reliable ISAC applications.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of HAD-enabled DOA estimation techniques, highlighting their advantages, challenges, and future research directions in low-altitude environments.

Findings

HAD architectures enable scalable beam-centric and ISAC operations.

Various DOA estimation methods are adapted for HAD systems, including SCM reconstruction and pilot-aided estimation.

Open challenges include robustness and deployment reliability in practical scenarios.

Abstract

With the rapid expansion of low-altitude economy (LAE) services and the growing demand for integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) in air-ground networks, reliable direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation has become essential for both directional communication and sensing functions. DOA underpins beam alignment, spatial-reuse scheduling, and ISAC-critical tasks such as airspace situational awareness and multi-target monitoring. Hybrid analog-digital (HAD) architectures have emerged as a practical solution for large-aperture directional operation under stringent radio frequency (RF), analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints. However, HAD compresses antenna-domain observations through analog combining, fundamentally reshaping the measurement model and introducing new algorithmic and system-level challenges for DOA estimation. This article first reviews the principles and representative architectures of HAD, highlighting their advantages for scalable beam-centric and ISAC-oriented operation in LAE scenarios. We then provide a structured overview of HAD-enabled DOA estimation methodologies, including spatial covariance matrix (SCM) reconstruction, multi-combiner scan-based acquisition, and pilot-aided estimation, along with key design tradeoffs. Finally, we discuss open challenges and outline reliability-driven research directions toward robust, deployable HAD-enabled DOA solutions for practical ISAC-enabled low-altitude environments.