Ericsson says it can detect, track drones using only mobile networks

Ericsson’s new Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) platform is being sold as the answer to a problem that’s been gnawing at airports, military bases and any site that can’t afford a swarm of cheap drones buzzing overhead. The claim is simple: turn your existing mobile network into a distributed radar that can spot low‑altitude, fast‑moving objects without laying down a separate sensor grid. As a founder who has spent a decade wrestling with real‑world production infrastructure, I’m both intrigued and wary. The tech sounds slick, but the business risk and operational cost implications for independent carriers are anything but trivial.

What ISAC actually does

At its core, ISAC leverages the same 5G radios that already sit on your cell towers, but with a twist – the hardware must be “sensing‑capable” and meet specific Massive MIMO antenna and spectrum requirements. When a base station transmits, the signal bounces off any object in its path. Multiple nearby towers then pick up the reflected echo, and edge‑based compute crunches the data to triangulate the object’s location and track its movement. In short, the network becomes a distributed sensor array that can detect drones, boats, traffic patterns or even weather, as Ericsson’s own material notes.

The process is not magic; it simply adds a layer of signal‑processing on top of the radio link. The key differentiator is that the antennas are already positioned low to the ground – a sweet spot for drones that typically fly below traditional radar horizons. That’s why Ericsson pitches ISAC as a “security gap” filler for low‑flying, fast‑moving objects.

From pilot to commercial rollout

Ericsson says the technology has already survived a handful of field trials. AT&T ran tests in Arlington, Texas, while a Finnish state‑owned communications entity, Erillisverkot, also trialed the system. In both cases the platform reportedly detected multiple drones and tracked their trajectories. Following those trials, Ericsson plans a phased commercial launch: small‑scale, sensing‑only pilots with select customers in 2027, then broader deployments from 2028 onward.

That timeline is worth noting for anyone watching the market. The pilots are limited to “sensing‑only” – meaning they won’t yet integrate with existing security workflows or command‑and‑control systems beyond a standardized interface. Full‑scale, multi‑operator deployments that actually replace or augment dedicated sensor networks are still at least two years away. For independent carriers, that lag means you’ll need to decide now whether to invest in the hardware upgrades now or wait for the ecosystem to mature.

Why the hype matters to smaller players

Large hyperscalers and telecom giants love to tout “future‑proof” capabilities that can be layered onto their existing assets. The promise of turning every base station into a sensor sounds like a cost‑saving miracle, but the reality is that ISAC requires “dedicated compute resources” and software upgrades on top of the radio hardware. Those are capital expenditures that don’t magically disappear because the antennas are already there.

From a risk perspective, you’re adding a new functional layer to a network that already has tight uptime SLAs. Any bug or performance hit in the sensing software could ripple through your core traffic handling. In my own experience, adding a new processing chain to a live network often uncovers hidden bottlene‑cks that only surface under real‑world load – think of the “best practice” that works in a lab but collapses when you hit peak traffic. Independent operators can’t afford a misstep that forces a service outage.

Regulatory and security angles

The Register notes that the UK has already granted military personnel authority to neutralise unwanted flying intruders, and that drone incidents have forced airport closures – the latest being at Jersey Airport over the Halloween weekend. That regulatory pressure is a double‑edged sword. On one hand, it creates a market for drone‑detection solutions; on the other, it raises the stakes for data security and compliance. Ericsson claims ISAC data can be “securely shared through standardized interfaces” with authorized external systems, but the phrase “standardized interfaces” is a euphemism for APIs that must be hardened against misuse.

For a carrier that already wrestles with GDPR, CCPA or local data‑protection laws, adding a sensor feed that could potentially capture location data on private devices adds another compliance layer. You’ll need to vet the software stack, ensure proper encryption, and possibly obtain certifications before you can legally feed ISAC data into a security operations centre.

Cost versus benefit: the hidden price tag

Ericsson’s pitch leans heavily on the idea that you’re re‑using existing infrastructure. The truth is that “sensing‑capable” radios are not the same as the legacy 4G or even early 5G gear many operators still run. Massive MIMO antennas and the associated spectrum bandwidth are prerequisites. Upgrading a mid‑size network to meet those specs can run into the tens of millions – a figure that dwarfs the modest pilot budgets most carriers allocate for new services.

When you factor in the need for edge compute nodes to run the signal‑processing algorithms, the total cost of ownership climbs further. For a carrier that already struggles to justify the expense of rolling out 5G coverage in the first place, the incremental spend on ISAC could tip the ROI balance into the red unless you have a clear, revenue‑generating use case – for example, selling drone‑detection as a service to municipalities or critical infrastructure owners.

Practical steps for independent operators

If you’re considering ISAC, start with a clear business case. Identify a specific problem – say, protecting a regional airport or a critical energy facility – and quantify the value of early detection versus the cost of a dedicated radar system. Then map the hardware gap: do your current sites have Massive MIMO radios, or will you need a full upgrade? Next, run a small pilot on a single site with a trusted vendor to validate the detection performance and the impact on core traffic.

Don’t forget the data‑governance checklist. Verify that the standardized interfaces Ericsson mentions can be locked down to only authorised endpoints, and that audit logs are retained for compliance. Finally, keep an eye on the emerging 6G discussion. While 6G promises wider channels and better precision, it also means another wave of equipment refreshes. Betting too early on a technology that may be superseded in a few years could lock you into a costly upgrade cycle.

Bottom line: hype is real, risk is real

Ericsson’s ISAC is a clever repurposing of mobile radio assets to fill a genuine security gap. The technology works – the trials in Texas and Finland proved it can spot and track drones. But the commercial reality for independent carriers is that you’ll need new radios, edge compute, and a robust security framework before you can even think about selling the service.

In a world where hyperscalers push “software‑defined everything” and VC‑backed startups promise turnkey solutions, the hard truth remains: you pay for the hardware, you pay for the integration, and you pay for the risk of a new failure mode in a network that can’t afford downtime. My advice is to treat ISAC as a strategic add‑on, not a core service. Start small, protect your core traffic, and only scale when you have a paying customer who truly needs drone detection – not just because the buzzword is “sensing”.

— Allan Ali, Founder

This article was produced with AI-assisted research and editorial support. Reporting is based on the source material cited below. Sources: The Register; theregister.com; Global1.News (03 November 2026).

By Allan Ali, Global1.News