W2 – 2nd International Workshop on Intelligent Aerial and Spaceborne Systems for 6G (6G SAGA): Communication, Sensing, and Autonomy for Mobility
Honorable Chair: Ohtsuki Tomoaki, Keio University, Japan
Co-organizers:
Trung Quang Duong, Memorial University, Canada
Shigeru Shimamoto, Waseda University, Japan
Kyunghan Lee, Seoul National University, Korea
Tu Dac Ho, NTNU, Norway
TPC Chairs:
– Chen-Nee Chuah, University of California, Davis, U.S.A.
– Zhenni Pan, Waseda University, Japan
– Miao Pan, University of Houston, U.S.A.
– Hossien Eldeeb, UAE University
– Hieu Dinh Tran, SnT, Luxembourg
– Haejoon Jung, Kyung Hee University
Program:
Date: 9 June 2026
Time: 09:00 to 15:30
Room: Lympia B-1
Morning Session (0900-1230)
Chair: Prof. Tu Dac Ho, NTNU – Norway
0905 -0950
Keynote speaker: Prof. Lajos Hanzo, University in Southampton, UK
Title: Multi-Component Optimization of Space-Air-Ground Integrated Networks
0950 -1010
AI-Native End-to-End Link Management over SAGIN via Anomaly-Resilient Prediction for 6G In-Flight Communications
Sayantan Bose, National Institute of Technology Meghalaya, Sohra, India; Shikhar Verma, Kochi University of Technology; Mostafa Fouda, Idaho State University; Zubair MD Fadllulah, Western University Canada; Diptendu Sinha Roy, National Institute of Technology Meghalaya, Sohra, India
1010 -1030
FT8-Based Ionospheric Condition Estimation for Aerial and Spaceborne Communications
Yukiko Tanabe, University of Waseda; Kazutoshi Yoshii, Shigeru SHIMAMOTO, Waseda University
1100 -1120
Learning Compact Terrain-Context Representations for Feasibility-Aware Offline Reinforcement Learning in UAV Relaying Networks
Joseanne Viana, UC3M; Viswak R Balaji, University College Cork; Boris Galkin, Lester Ho, Holger Claussen, Tyndall National Institute
1120 -1140
RL-based Resource Allocation in NOMA-Enabled NTN for Massive Machine-Type Communications
Ti Ti Nguyen, SnT, University of Luxembourg; Duc-Dung Tran, University of Luxembourg; Vu Nguyen Ha, SnT, University of Luxembourg; Hung Nguyen-Kha, University of Luxembourg; Giorgio Taricco, Politecnico di Torino; Eva Lagunas, Symeon Chatzinotas, SnT, University of Luxembourg
1140 -1200
Terrain-Aware Joint Optimization of HAPS Position and Cell Configuration for Tunable Throughput-Coverage Trade-off
Wataru Takabatake, Koji Tashiro, Kenji Hoshino, SoftBank Corp.; Tomoaki Ohtsuki, Keio University
1200 -1220
When LEO Backhaul Bursts Hit the RAN: QoE-Aware PRB Control to Absorb NTN Dynamics
Suneet Kumar Singh, NTNU; Tu Dac ho, Stanislav Lange, Thomas Erich Zinner, Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Zhenni Pan, Shigeru SHIMAMOTO, Waseda University
Afternoon Session (1330-1530)
Chair: Prof. Zhenni Pan, Waseda University – Japan
1330-1350
AI-Driven Semantic Communication for Robust Perception Sharing in 6G Space-Air-Ground Integrated Mobility Systems
Jiaxin Fan, Waseda Univeristy; Zhenni Pan, Jun Wu, Waseda University
1350-1410
Capacity Analysis of Weibull Fading Channels for Satellite-Ground Integrated Communications
Aiwei Lei, Zhengzhou University; Di Zhang, Sun Yat-sen University; Aimin Li, Middle East Technical University; Evgeny Khorov, Russian Academy of Sciences
1410-1430
Game-Theoretic Trajectory Planning with Sensing-Based Intention Estimation for AMRs
Keigo Okano, Toru Namerikawa, Keio University
1430-1450
MMDRL-Based Adaptive Parameter Optimization in UAV Swarm Network
Mingyuan Wang, Ming Lei, Rongpeng Li, Zhejiang University
1450-1530
Keynote speaker: Otsuki Tomoaki, Keio University, Japan
Title: HAPS and SAGIN for 6G: Toward Seamless Non-Terrestrial Mobile Communications
– End –
Abstract: IEEE VTC is a premier venue for innovations in vehicular technology, mobility, and intelligent transportation systems, and 6G SAGA extends this vision to the next frontier: AI native non terrestrial networks (NTNs) integrated with terrestrial 5G/6G for connected and autonomous mobility. As vehicles evolve into intelligent nodes in a global network, terrestrial infrastructure alone cannot meet the demands of large-scale traffic monitoring, ultra-reliable V2X, and ubiquitous coverage. This workshop addresses these challenges by exploring Space–Air–Ground Integrated Networks (SAGIN) that leverage satellites, UAVs, and HAPS to complement terrestrial systems.
Aligned with VTC’s emphasis on vehicular networks, edge computing, and emerging paradigms such as quantum secure communications, 6G SAGA focuses on joint communication–computing–sensing (3CS) for mobility, edge intelligence and federated learning for real-time decision making, and ISAC for positioning and navigation in high mobility environments. Topics include multi-orbit
coordination, autonomous aerial swarms for traffic support, and energy-efficient NTN protocols for sustainable transportation.
By convening experts from academia, industry, and government, 6G SAGA provides a unique platform to shape the roadmap for NTN-enabled vehicular systems, advancing VTC’s mission to deliver safe, sustainable, and intelligent mobility for the 6G era.
Keynote Bios:
Lajos Hanzo is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, FIEEE, FIET, Fellow of EURASIP and a Foreign Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He coauthored 2000+ contributions at IEEE Xplore and 20 Wiley-IEEE Press monographs. He was bestowed upon the IEEE Eric Sumner Technical Field Award. (http://www-mobile.ecs.soton.ac.uk , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lajos_Hanzo)
Tomoaki Otsuki (Ohtsuki) received the B.E., M.E., and Ph. D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Keio University, Yokohama, Japan in 1990, 1992, and 1994, respectively. From 1994 to 1995, he was a post-doctoral fellow and a Visiting Researcher in Electrical Engineering at Keio University. From 1993 to 1995, he was a Special Researcher at the Fellowships of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for Japanese Junior Scientists. From 1995 to 2005, he was with the Science University of Tokyo. In 2005, he joined Keio University. He is now a Professor at Keio University. From 1998 to 1999, he was with the department of electrical engineering and computer sciences, University of California, Berkeley. He is engaged in research on wireless communications, optical communications, signal processing, and information theory. Dr. Ohtsuki is a recipient of the 1997 Inoue Research Award for Young Scientist, the 1997 Hiroshi Ando Memorial Young Engineering Award, Ericsson Young Scientist Award 2000, 2002 Funai Information and Science Award for Young Scientist, IEEE the 1st Asia-Pacific Young Researcher Award 2001, the 5th International Communication Foundation (ICF) Research Award, 2011 IEEE SPCE Outstanding Service Award, the 27th TELECOM System Technology Award, ETRI Journal’s 2012 Best Reviewer Award, 9th International Conference on Communications and Networking in China 2014 (CHINACOM ’14) Best Paper Award, 2020 Yagami Award, The 26th Asia-Pacific Conference on Communications (APCC2021) Best Paper Award, International Conference on Internet of Things, Communication and Intelligent Technology (IoTCIT) 2024 Best Paper Award, the 2024 6th International Conference on Robotics, Intelligent Control and Artificial Intelligence (RICAI2024) Best Paper Award, and the IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC2026) Best Paper Award. He has published more than 350 journal papers and 560 international conference papers.
He served as a Chair of IEEE Communications Society, Signal Processing for Communications and Electronics Technical Committee. He served as a technical editor of the IEEE Wireless Communications Magazine and an editor of Elsevier Physical Communications. He is now serving as an Area Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology and an editor of the IEEE Communications Surveys and Tutorials. He is also serving as the IEEE Communications Society, Asia Pacific Board Director. He has served as general-co chair, symposium co-chair, and TPC co-chair of many conferences, including IEEE GLOBECOM 2008, SPC, IEEE ICC 2011, CTS, IEEE GLOBECOM 2012, SPC, IEEE ICC 2020, SPC, IEEE APWCS, IEEE SPAWC, and IEEE VTC. He gave tutorials and keynote speeches at many international conferences including IEEE VTC, IEEE PIMRC, IEEE WCNC, and so on. He was Vice President and President of the Communications Society of the IEICE, also he was a distinguished lecturer of the IEEE. He is a fellow of the IEICE, a Fellow of Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (AAIA), a senior member of the IEEE, and a member of the Engineering Academy of Japan.
Co-organizer’s Bios:
Trung Quang Duong:
Prof. Duong is an internationally recognised expert in 6G wireless systems, vehicular connectivity, and quantum-secure communications. His research focuses on AI-native architectures, semantic
communications, and integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) for autonomous mobility and large-scale traffic monitoring. With over 500 publications and multiple IEEE Best Paper Awards, he
has pioneered solutions for vehicular edge intelligence and NTN integration. Prof. Duong is an IEEE Fellow and Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, actively shaping the
future of safe, sustainable, and intelligent transportation systems.
Shigeru Shimamoto:
Prof. Shimamoto is a leading authority on satellite and aerial communication systems for mobility, with extensive contributions to vehicular networking, UAV-assisted coverage, and optical wireless
technologies. His work on non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and IoT-driven vehicular systems has advanced connectivity for large-scale traffic monitoring and emergency response. A recipient of Japan’s Minister of Education Award, Prof. Shimamoto drives research on NTN-enabled V2X and energy-efficient vehicular infrastructures, making him a key innovator in next-generation ITS.
Kyunghan Lee:
Prof. Lee specialises in low-latency networking and edge computing for autonomous vehicles, focusing on split computing, mobile AI, and real-time vehicular decision-making. His award-winning
research on 5G/6G vehicular systems and cooperative perception has earned him multiple IEEE and ACM honours, including the William R. Bennett Prize. Prof. Lee’s work directly addresses VTC’s mission by enabling ultra-reliable V2X and immersive mobility services through advanced network architectures.
Tu Dac Ho:
Assoc. Prof. Tu Dac Ho is an expert in non-terrestrial networks (NTN) and 6G architectures for vehicular mobility. His research focuses on UAV/HAPS-assisted connectivity, Visible Light Communications (VLC) for V2V/V2X, and AI-native orchestration for autonomous driving and large-scale traffic monitoring. He integrates edge computing, integrated sensing and communication
(ISAC), and energy-efficient protocols to enable sustainable and resilient Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Prof. Ho has published more than 90 articles in IEEE conferences and journals, and
serves on technical committees for major events such as IEEE VTC, CCNC, WCNC, and GLOBECOM. His work bridges NTN innovation with vehicular safety, cooperative perception, and real-time decision-making, making him a key contributor to the vision of safe, sustainable, and globally connected mobility.
Keynote and Panel Discussion: TBA
Paper submission deadline Extended: 8 February 2026
Acceptance notification: 18 March 2026
Final paper submission deadline Extended: 7 April 2026
Submission requirements: 5-page paper (without overlength charge) and up to 2 additional pages are allowed with the purchase of additional page charges in the amount of $100 USD per additional page at the time of registration and final paper submission.
Paper submission can be located here: https://vtc2026s-rr-wks.trackchair.com/
This workshop is technically supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)’s Adopting Sustainable Partnerships for Innovative Research Ecosystem (ASPIRE) Project and the Information Network Technical Committee (IN) of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers (IEICE), Japan.