Drones can now be tracked down by mobile networks alone — could this new Ericsson tech spell the end for the current crop of flying UAVs?

• Ericsson wants mobile networks to detect and track low-flying drones
• Cell towers could become additional surveillance tools against unauthorized aircraft
• AT&T and Erillisverkot have already tested Ericsson's network sensing technology

Ericsson is developing technology that could allow telecommunications networks to detect and follow drones without depending entirely on dedicated surveillance equipment.

Its Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) system analyses radio signals bouncing off flying objects, using existing cellular infrastructure to identify their movements.

The company plans to begin limited commercial trials in 2027 before expanding availability to additional customers during 2028.

Ericsson turns cellular infrastructure into drone detection equipment

The technology uses radio transmission equipment at multiple cellular sites to identify objects flying within their coverage areas.

When signals encounter a drone, some energy returns towards receiving stations, allowing the network to examine the resulting reflections.

By comparing information collected from different locations, the system can estimate an object's position and follow its movements.

Ericsson says this approach could help identify small, fast-moving aircraft flying close to the ground, where conventional surveillance equipment sometimes faces difficulties.

The technology requires specialised radio equipment, computing resources and software rather than functioning automatically on every existing mobile network.

Its hardware requirements include Massive MIMO antennas, which use multiple transmission and reception elements to handle complex radio signals.

This technology has already been tested by AT&T around Arlington, Texas, while Finland's Erillisverkot also conducted similar trials.

Ericsson claims that both exercises successfully identified multiple drones and followed their movements using the network-based sensing approach.

Mobile networks could help address growing drone security threats

The proposed system comes as unauthorized drone flights increasingly disrupt airports and raise security concerns around military installations and other sensitive locations.

Flights at Jersey Airport in the Channel Islands near the UK were disrupted over Halloween weekend after repeated unauthorised drone sightings raised safety concerns.

Military facilities have also reported increasing incidents, prompting authorities to consider additional measures against unidentified aircraft approaching protected locations.

In Britain, military personnel have received legal authority to disable unauthorised drones detected around certain military installations.

Existing protection arrangements frequently depend on specialized detection equipment, although installing sufficient coverage across extensive territories can become expensive.

Ericsson believes cellular infrastructure could provide additional surveillance capabilities without requiring authorities to construct entirely separate monitoring networks.

“Mobile networks are useful as drone detection solutions because their antennas are already covering low elevations, close to ground level where drones often fly, unlike traditional radar,” said Ian Fogg, research director at CCS Insight.

“The new spectrum that should arrive with 6G will also make it easier to deploy sensing on wide channels, which further improves detection accuracy,” said Ian Fogg.

Beyond security applications, the technology could also monitor shipping movements, vehicle traffic and changing weather conditions around infrastructure.

However, Ericsson's proposed system is intended to complement established surveillance equipment rather than eliminate the need for radar installations.

The company must still establish how accurately its technology performs under different conditions, particularly where buildings, terrain and competing signals complicate detection.

The deployment will provide opportunities to assess whether mobile network sensing can deliver dependable results outside controlled testing environments.

Via The Register

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