Impact of RIS Orientation on Throughput in UAV-Assisted Wireless Systems

Zawar Hussain; Faran Awais Butt; Ali Hussein Muqaibel; Saleh Ahmed Alawsh; Ijaz Haider Naqvi

doi:10.1109/WINCOM65874.2025.11313371

Impact of RIS Orientation on Throughput in UAV-Assisted Wireless Systems

Zawar Hussain
, Faran Awais Butt
, Ali Hussein Muqaibel
, Saleh Ahmed Alawsh
, Ijaz Haider Naqvi

Interdisciplinary Research Center for Communication Systems and Sensing

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) orientation on the throughput performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-assisted wireless communication systems. Specifically, we study how physical rotation of the RIS, through controlled azimuth and elevation adjustments, influences the effective channel and data rate. A UAV-mounted RIS enables directional alignment to serve ground users in scenarios where the direct Base Station (BS)-to-user path is blocked. Using the SimRIS channel simulator, we analyze the system under various rotation angles and present performance heatmaps that highlight optimal RIS orientations. The study shows that RIS alignment has a substantial effect on achievable rates, thereby motivating orientation-aware optimization in practical deployments.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings - 12th International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communications, WINCOM 2025
Editors	Bandar Alrami, Khaled Suwais, Ahmed Drissi El Maliani, Mohamed El Kamili, Khalil Ibrahimi, Abdellatif Kobbane
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Edition	2025
ISBN (Electronic)	9798331598785
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/WINCOM65874.2025.11313371
State	Published - 2025
Event	12th International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communications, WINCOM 2025 - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Duration: 25 Nov 2025 → 27 Nov 2025

Conference

Conference	12th International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communications, WINCOM 2025
Country/Territory	Saudi Arabia
City	Riyadh
Period	25/11/25 → 27/11/25

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 IEEE.

Keywords

Line-of-Sight (LoS)
Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO)
Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS)
Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Artificial Intelligence
Computer Networks and Communications
Computer Science Applications
Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition

Access to Document

10.1109/WINCOM65874.2025.11313371

Cite this

Hussain, Z., Butt, F. A., Muqaibel, A. H., Alawsh, S. A., & Naqvi, I. H. (2025). Impact of RIS Orientation on Throughput in UAV-Assisted Wireless Systems. In B. Alrami, K. Suwais, A. D. El Maliani, M. El Kamili, K. Ibrahimi, & A. Kobbane (Eds.), Proceedings - 12th International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communications, WINCOM 2025 (2025 ed.). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/WINCOM65874.2025.11313371

Hussain, Zawar ; Butt, Faran Awais ; Muqaibel, Ali Hussein et al. / Impact of RIS Orientation on Throughput in UAV-Assisted Wireless Systems. Proceedings - 12th International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communications, WINCOM 2025. editor / Bandar Alrami ; Khaled Suwais ; Ahmed Drissi El Maliani ; Mohamed El Kamili ; Khalil Ibrahimi ; Abdellatif Kobbane. 2025. ed. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2025.

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title = "Impact of RIS Orientation on Throughput in UAV-Assisted Wireless Systems",

abstract = "This paper investigates the impact of Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) orientation on the throughput performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-assisted wireless communication systems. Specifically, we study how physical rotation of the RIS, through controlled azimuth and elevation adjustments, influences the effective channel and data rate. A UAV-mounted RIS enables directional alignment to serve ground users in scenarios where the direct Base Station (BS)-to-user path is blocked. Using the SimRIS channel simulator, we analyze the system under various rotation angles and present performance heatmaps that highlight optimal RIS orientations. The study shows that RIS alignment has a substantial effect on achievable rates, thereby motivating orientation-aware optimization in practical deployments.",

keywords = "Line-of-Sight (LoS), Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS), Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)",

author = "Zawar Hussain and Butt, \{Faran Awais\} and Muqaibel, \{Ali Hussein\} and Alawsh, \{Saleh Ahmed\} and Naqvi, \{Ijaz Haider\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 IEEE.; 12th International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communications, WINCOM 2025 ; Conference date: 25-11-2025 Through 27-11-2025",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1109/WINCOM65874.2025.11313371",

language = "English",

editor = "Bandar Alrami and Khaled Suwais and \{El Maliani\}, \{Ahmed Drissi\} and \{El Kamili\}, Mohamed and Khalil Ibrahimi and Abdellatif Kobbane",

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publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",

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edition = "2025",

}

Hussain, Z, Butt, FA , Muqaibel, AH , Alawsh, SA & Naqvi, IH 2025, Impact of RIS Orientation on Throughput in UAV-Assisted Wireless Systems. in B Alrami, K Suwais, AD El Maliani, M El Kamili, K Ibrahimi & A Kobbane (eds), Proceedings - 12th International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communications, WINCOM 2025. 2025 edn, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 12th International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communications, WINCOM 2025, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 25/11/25. https://doi.org/10.1109/WINCOM65874.2025.11313371

Impact of RIS Orientation on Throughput in UAV-Assisted Wireless Systems. / Hussain, Zawar; Butt, Faran Awais ; Muqaibel, Ali Hussein et al.
Proceedings - 12th International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communications, WINCOM 2025. ed. / Bandar Alrami; Khaled Suwais; Ahmed Drissi El Maliani; Mohamed El Kamili; Khalil Ibrahimi; Abdellatif Kobbane. 2025. ed. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2025.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Impact of RIS Orientation on Throughput in UAV-Assisted Wireless Systems

AU - Hussain, Zawar

AU - Butt, Faran Awais

AU - Muqaibel, Ali Hussein

AU - Alawsh, Saleh Ahmed

AU - Naqvi, Ijaz Haider

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - This paper investigates the impact of Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) orientation on the throughput performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-assisted wireless communication systems. Specifically, we study how physical rotation of the RIS, through controlled azimuth and elevation adjustments, influences the effective channel and data rate. A UAV-mounted RIS enables directional alignment to serve ground users in scenarios where the direct Base Station (BS)-to-user path is blocked. Using the SimRIS channel simulator, we analyze the system under various rotation angles and present performance heatmaps that highlight optimal RIS orientations. The study shows that RIS alignment has a substantial effect on achievable rates, thereby motivating orientation-aware optimization in practical deployments.

AB - This paper investigates the impact of Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) orientation on the throughput performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-assisted wireless communication systems. Specifically, we study how physical rotation of the RIS, through controlled azimuth and elevation adjustments, influences the effective channel and data rate. A UAV-mounted RIS enables directional alignment to serve ground users in scenarios where the direct Base Station (BS)-to-user path is blocked. Using the SimRIS channel simulator, we analyze the system under various rotation angles and present performance heatmaps that highlight optimal RIS orientations. The study shows that RIS alignment has a substantial effect on achievable rates, thereby motivating orientation-aware optimization in practical deployments.

KW - Line-of-Sight (LoS)

KW - Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO)

KW - Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS)

KW - Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR)

KW - Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105034216993

U2 - 10.1109/WINCOM65874.2025.11313371

DO - 10.1109/WINCOM65874.2025.11313371

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:105034216993

BT - Proceedings - 12th International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communications, WINCOM 2025

A2 - Alrami, Bandar

A2 - Suwais, Khaled

A2 - El Maliani, Ahmed Drissi

A2 - El Kamili, Mohamed

A2 - Ibrahimi, Khalil

A2 - Kobbane, Abdellatif

PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

T2 - 12th International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communications, WINCOM 2025

Y2 - 25 November 2025 through 27 November 2025

ER -

Hussain Z, Butt FA , Muqaibel AH , Alawsh SA, Naqvi IH. Impact of RIS Orientation on Throughput in UAV-Assisted Wireless Systems. In Alrami B, Suwais K, El Maliani AD, El Kamili M, Ibrahimi K, Kobbane A, editors, Proceedings - 12th International Conference on Wireless Networks and Mobile Communications, WINCOM 2025. 2025 ed. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2025 doi: 10.1109/WINCOM65874.2025.11313371

Impact of RIS Orientation on Throughput in UAV-Assisted Wireless Systems

Abstract

Conference

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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Cite this