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Advances in Communication, Sensing and Control Technologies for Distributed Systems: Formation Flying, Clusters and Constellations

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Aerospace Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 38

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Information and Communication Engineering, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, China
Interests: integrated communication; navigation and remote sensing; networked collaborative perception; dynamics and control of satellites and UAV swarms; engineering validation of LEO satellite constellations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Information and Communication Engineering, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876, China
Interests: satellite internet; aerospace communication; spacecraft navigation and control; spacecraft formation flying; space mission analysis and design of small satellites
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on advancing communication, sensing, and control technologies for distributed systems in the context of emerging 6G networks, low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite internet, and deep-space exploration. These technologies are critical for applications ranging from aerospace systems (e.g., satellite swarms, UAV fleets) to terrestrial domains, such as networked robotics, industrial automation, and smart transportation. We seek innovations addressing low-latency connectivity, ultra-reliable coordination, and multi-domain integration across air, space, and ground platforms. Submissions are encouraged to explore multi-functional architectures (e.g., communication–navigation–remote sensing fusion, integrated sensing and communication (ISAC)) and intelligent collaborative strategies in guidance, navigation, and control. Topics of interest include the following:

  • The application of 6G-ISAC to distributed systems;
  • The integration theory of communication–sensing–control co-design;
  • The integration of communication, navigation, and remote sensing for LEO satellites;
  • Multi-agent collaborative perception and networked control under dynamic environments;
  • Resilient and reliable guidance and trajectory planning under complex environments;
  • Integrated communication and computing for 6G satellite–terrestrial networks;
  • AI-driven autonomy and optimization in distributed systems;
  • Case studies on satellite constellations, swarm robotics, or IoT-enabled industrial clusters.

This Special Issue welcomes theoretical innovations, experimental validations, and interdisciplinary approaches that bridge the gaps between hardware, software, and real-world deployment.

Dr. Xiangtian Zhao
Prof. Dr. Shijie Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • distributed systems
  • cooperative sensing
  • networked control
  • integrated sensing and communication
  • integrated communication and navigation
  • integrated communication and remote sensing
  • satellite–terrestrial networks
  • advanced filtering and control theory
  • AI-driven data processing and fusion

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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