5G Networks Now Track Drones in the Air
Ericsson and AT&T demonstrations use existing cell sites to locate drones, with no commercial rollout date yet announced.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Telecommunications
AT&T and Ericsson demonstrated 5G-based drone detection outside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, using existing cellular infrastructure. Separately, Ericsson and Erillisverkot completed a similar trial at Vuosaari Harbor in Helsinki. Both are demonstrations; commercial deployment timelines have not been disclosed.
Why it matters
The demonstrations show mobile networks being tested as a sensing layer, not just a communications layer, which could let carriers offer drone-tracking capability on infrastructure already in place. The companies suggest this could eventually support distributed sensing tied to future 6G networks.
The Arlington demonstration tracked multiple drones at 300 to 400 feet using Ericsson Massive MIMO radios across several network sites. Detection range, spectrum bandwidth, and accuracy figures were not disclosed for either trial.
The players
AT&T
A major U.S. wireless carrier whose cellular network served as the sensing infrastructure in the Arlington demonstration.
Ericsson
A Swedish telecom equipment maker whose Massive MIMO radios power the sensing system in both trials.
Erillisverkot
A Finnish public-safety network operator that co-led the Helsinki trial and builds on the Virve 2.0 network.
The details
Multiple 5G network sites collect radio-signal measurements at the same time, and software combines those measurements to estimate where a drone is and how fast it is moving. Ericsson's Massive MIMO radios — multi-antenna base stations that steer narrow beams of radio energy — provide much of the sensing input. AI-based algorithms and specialized signal processing then turn those readings into continuous tracking data on location, velocity, and elevation. The Helsinki system adds edge computing, which processes the data near the radios rather than in a distant data center.
Timeline
September 16-18: Helsinki 5G drone detection trial conducted at Vuosaari Harbor.
October 30: Ericsson and Erillisverkot announced the Helsinki trial results.
The Tech Race
The trials extend Ericsson's Massive MIMO radio platform from carrying traffic into sensing, positioning the company against efforts to make 6G networks sense their environment. The companies describe the work as a step toward distributed sensing tied to future 6G networks, though no timeline was given.
No commercial availability, pricing, or deployment dates have been announced, so the drone-detection capability is not yet available to customers. Public-safety agencies and operators of critical sites such as ports and airports are the groups the companies say they are evaluating it for.
The takeaway
Watch for whether AT&T or Ericsson announce a commercial rollout or named customers for the sensing service, which would show the demonstrations moving toward product. The Helsinki results, announced October 30, are the next concrete data point on accuracy and operating range once Ericsson and Erillisverkot publish them.
Further reading
For more on how carriers are repurposing mobile networks, explore Telecommunications coverage.
