Yuanjian Li (李元健)

Yuanjian Li (李元健)

Now an Assistant Professor @ Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China; Was a Research Fellow @ Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore; PhD in Wireless Communications and Machine Learning from King's College London (KCL), the UK.

Yuanjian Li

AI-Driven Resource Coordination for Air-Ground Integrated Networks

Academic CV Google Scholar ORCID Email
33 published journal and conference papers
14 first-author papers in leading IEEE venues
6 journal papers as first and corresponding author
2 research grants as Principal Investigator

Current research focus

My primary research programme is AI-Driven Resource Coordination for Air-Ground Integrated Networks. It brings together multi-UAV networking, mobile edge computing, and distributed learning to jointly optimize radio resources, computation offloading, and flight trajectories. The current projects target energy-efficient operation and timely IoT data collection.

Featured papers in this research area

  • Energy-Efficient UAV-Driven Multi-Access Edge Computing: A Distributed Many-Agent Perspective. IEEE Transactions on Communications, 2025. First and corresponding author DOI
  • Radio Resource Management for Cellular-Connected UAV: A Learning Approach. IEEE Transactions on Communications, 2023. First and corresponding author DOI
  • Path Planning for Cellular-Connected UAV: A DRL Solution With Quantum-Inspired Experience Replay. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, 2022. First and corresponding author DOI
  • Intelligent Trajectory Planning in UAV-Mounted Wireless Networks: A Quantum-Inspired Reinforcement Learning Perspective. IEEE Wireless Communications Letters, 2021. First and corresponding author DOI

See the complete publication list ↓

Complete publication list

All 33 published papers (18 journal articles and 15 conference papers), in reverse chronological order. The full publication record also includes complementary and collaborative work in THz communications and wireless security, which can be found in my CV.

2026

  1. Wideband Hybrid-Field THz UM-MIMO Channel Estimation: A Dual-Attention-Aided Deep-Unfolded Bayesian Learning Approach. IEEE Transactions on Communications. First and corresponding author DOI
  2. Near-Field User Localization and Beamforming in Covert Communication. IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology. DOI
  3. AoI and Energy Co-Optimization for UAV-IoT Systems: A Temporal-Critical DRL Solution. Information and Communication Technology Conference (ICTC). DOI

2025

  1. Energy-Efficient UAV-Driven Multi-Access Edge Computing: A Distributed Many-Agent Perspective. IEEE Transactions on Communications. First and corresponding author DOI
  2. Hybrid Near- and Far-Field THz UM-MIMO Channel Estimation: A Sparsifying Matrix Learning-Aided Bayesian Approach. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications. First and corresponding author DOI
  3. Performance Analysis for MmWave Cell-Free Access Network Based on Terahertz Backhaul. IEEE Communications Letters. Corresponding author DOI
  4. IRS-User Matching and Beamforming Design for Multi-Active-IRS-and-UAV-Aided Secure Directional Modulation Networks. Chinese Journal of Aeronautics. DOI
  5. Model-Driven Deep Learning-Aided Wideband Hybrid-Field THz UM-MIMO Channel Estimation. IEEE GLOBECOM. First author DOI
  6. Joint Optimization of Security and Energy Efficiency in UAV-Assisted Mobile Edge Computing Systems Using Deep Reinforcement Learning. International Conference on Intelligent Communication, Sensing and Electromagnetics (ICSE). DOI
  7. Anti-Jamming Design for RIS-Assisted Multi-Cluster Wireless Powered Communication Networks. International Conference on Ubiquitous Communication (UCom) · Best Paper Award. DOI
  8. RAIL: An Accurate and Fast Angle-Inferred Localization Algorithm for UAV-WSN Systems. IEEE/CIC ICCC Workshops. DOI
  9. Beam Squint Assisted Near-Field Covert Communication. IEEE/CIC ICCC. DOI

2024

  1. Energy-Efficient UAV-Aided Computation Offloading on THz Band: A MADRL Solution. IEEE GLOBECOM. First author DOI

2023

  1. Radio Resource Management for Cellular-Connected UAV: A Learning Approach. IEEE Transactions on Communications. First and corresponding author DOI
  2. DRL-Aided Joint Resource Block and Beamforming Management for Cellular-Connected UAVs. IEEE GLOBECOM. First author DOI
  3. Secrecy Performance Analysis on UAV Down-Link Broadcasting With a Full Duplex Receiver. IEEE PIMRC. First author DOI

2022

  1. Path Planning for Cellular-Connected UAV: A DRL Solution With Quantum-Inspired Experience Replay. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications. First and corresponding author DOI
  2. Covertness-Aware Trajectory Design for UAV: A Multi-Step TD3-PER Solution. IEEE ICC. First author DOI
  3. Intelligent UAV Navigation: A DRL-QiER Solution. IEEE ICC. First author DOI

2021

  1. Intelligent Trajectory Planning in UAV-Mounted Wireless Networks: A Quantum-Inspired Reinforcement Learning Perspective. IEEE Wireless Communications Letters. First and corresponding author DOI
  2. Antenna Selection in Energy Harvesting Relaying Networks Using Q-Learning Algorithms. China Communications. DOI

2020

  1. Harvest-and-Opportunistically-Relay: Analyses on Transmission Outage and Covertness. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications. First author DOI
  2. Analysis and Optimization of Wireless Powered Untrusted Relay System With Multiple Destinations. Physical Communication. DOI

2019

  1. Ergodic Secrecy Performance Analysis of Multiuser Diversity in Energy-Constrained Untrusted Relay Systems. Journal of Signal Processing. DOI
  2. Security Performance Analysis of Full Duplex Relay System With Wireless Energy Harvesting. Journal of Huaqiao University (Natural Science). DOI
  3. Wireless Energy Harvesting Relaying Networks Combined With Antenna Selection. IEEE WPMC. DOI

2018

  1. Artificial Noise Aided Precoding With Imperfect CSI in Full-Duplex Relaying Secure Communications. IEEE Access. First author DOI
  2. Antenna Mode Switching for Full-Duplex Destination-Based Jamming Secure Transmission. IEEE Access. First author DOI
  3. Antenna Mode Switching in Full-Duplex Destination-Jamming Secure Transmission Systems. Journal of Signal Processing. First author DOI
  4. Study of Full-Duplex Relay Secure Networks Based on Wireless Energy Harvesting Technology. Communications Technology.

2017

  1. Secrecy Performance Analysis of Artificial Noise Aided Precoding in Full-Duplex Relay Systems. IEEE GLOBECOM. First author DOI
  2. Large-Scale Antennas Analysis of Untrusted Relay System With Cooperative Jamming. International Conference on Network and Service Management (CNSM). DOI
  3. A Full-Duplex SWIPT Relaying Protocol Based on Discrete Energy State. IEEE WPMC. DOI

Research funding and recognition

Principal Investigator funding

  • Jiangsu Higher Education Natural Science Foundation General Programme: DRL-Powered Distributed Resource Coordination for UAV-Aided IoT (2025–2027; CNY 30,000).
  • XJTLU Research Development Fund: AI-Native Decentralized Resource Scheduling for Space-Air-Ground Integrated IoT (2026–2028; CNY 100,000).

Selected recognition

  • Best Paper Award, International Conference on Ubiquitous Communication (UCom), 2025 (coauthored paper).
  • Exemplary Reviewer, IEEE Communications Society, 2025.

Teaching and supervision

Teaching at XJTLU in an English-medium environment, postgraduate and undergraduate supervision, and earlier graduate teaching-assistant work at King's College London.

XJTLU teaching

  • Module Leader, COS202 Continuous and Discrete Time Signals and Systems — 2026/27, Semester 1; more than 610 Year 3 undergraduate students.
  • Module Leader, CAN210 Digital Signal Processing — 2025/26, Semester 2; 159 Year 3 undergraduate students.
  • Co-Module Leader, CAN207 Continuous and Discrete Time Signals and Systems — 2025/26, Semester 1; more than 530 Year 3 undergraduate students.
  • Co-Module Leader, SAT005 Introduction to Emerging Technologies — 2024/25, Semester 2.

Postgraduate research supervision — primary supervisor

  • Shen Liu, PhD (Autumn 2026 entry; previously MSc, University of Nottingham): Quantum Deep Reinforcement Learning-Aided Resource Coordination for Energy-Efficient 6G Networks (SFXJTU2506).
  • Yuanyuan Chen, MRes (Autumn 2025 entry; previously BSc, Shanghai Institute of Technology): Federated AI-Driven Information Freshness Optimization for 6G-Aided IoT Data Collection Systems.
  • Yang Yu, MSc (Autumn 2025 entry; previously BSc, Shandong University of Science and Technology): DRL-Aided Age-of-Information Minimization in Air-Ground Integrated Networks.
  • Guangyi Zhang, MSc (Autumn 2025 entry; previously BSc, Shandong University of Science and Technology): Reinforcement Learning-Aided Resource Coordination for Drone-Assisted Edge Computing in Industrial IoT.
  • Zhouxiang Tao, MSc (Autumn 2026 entry; previously BSc, Guizhou University): Agentic AI for Air-Ground Integrated Networks.
  • Yawen Ji, MSc (Autumn 2026 entry; previously BSc, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications): Agentic AI for Air-Ground Integrated Networks.

Undergraduate research and final-year projects — primary supervisor

  • 2026 XJTLU Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF-2026-0240; CNY 6,000): AI-Driven Multi-Dimensional Resource Scheduling for UAV-Enabled Multi-Access Edge Computing. Students: Xiaotian Jia and Yutian Cui (Information and Computing Science); Weiyue Zhang and Shengran Ding (Telecommunications Engineering). Open-source code · Project poster.
  • Final-year project (FYP) supervision at XJTLU, AY2025/26 — seven students: Pengkun Ou, Yichun Xu, Shutong Yuan, Guanxu Bai, Ruineng Tang, Ancheng Li, and Yuxuan Chen. Project themes: deep-reinforcement-learning-enabled UAV communications, edge computing, IoT information freshness, and wireless security.
  • FYP supervision at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore, AY2024/25 — one student: Tiew Yen Huei. Project title: DRL-Powered Resource Coordination for UAV-THz Computation Offloading. In this case, the primary supervisor is my postdoc mentor, Prof. A S Madhukumar. FYP Dissertation Link

Doctoral supervision and recruitment projects

  • Primary PhD Supervisor — XJTLU Postgraduate Research Scholarship project FOSA2506034, DRL-Enabled Resource Coordination for Covertness-Aware and Energy-Efficient UAV-Aided IoT (since July 2025; CNY 297,000). Position available.
  • Primary PhD Supervisor — XJTLU–Xi'an Jiaotong University–University of Liverpool joint doctoral project SFXJTU2506, Quantum Deep Reinforcement Learning-Aided Resource Coordination for Energy-Efficient 6G Networks (since October 2025). Position has been filled.
  • Second PhD Supervisor — XJTLU Postgraduate Research Scholarship project FOSLG250407, Adaptive Digital Twin Modelling and Optimization for V2X Networks in Large-Scale Traffic Scenarios (since July 2025; CNY 297,000).

Graduate teaching assistant, King's College London

  • 7CCEMDCO Digital Communications — 2022/23, Semester 1.
  • 5CCE2MCT Mechatronics — 2021/22, Semester 2.
  • 7CCSMMPC Mobile and Personal Communications — 2020/21, Semester 2.

I welcome enquiries from prospective research students and collaborators working on AI-driven resource coordination for air-ground integrated networks. Please email me with a brief description of your background and research interests.

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