Ericsson announces ISAC system that lets mobile networks detect drones

On 2 November 2026 Ericsson announced the Ericsson ISAC System, which adds sensing to mobile networks. According to the company, it lets defense, public safety and critical infrastructure operators detect and track objects even when they are not connected to the network, and it is meant to add a layer to radar and other sensors, not to take their place.

• The system works out where objects are from the way radio signals bounce off them. Sending and receiving happen at several mobile sites in different locations, so each object is observed from more than one angle.
• It uses existing towers, backhaul and spectrum together with sensing-capable 5G radios, edge computing and AI.
• Ericsson says that in validated tests the system picked up and followed micro drones at distances on the order of kilometers, with 3D positions; actual results depend on the target, its flight profile and the terrain, among other factors.
• Rollout is phased: small commercial pilots limited to sensing begin with selected customers in 2027, and larger deployments follow from 2028.

Trials took place with AT&T in Arlington, Texas, with Erillisverkot in Helsinki, and in Poland with Asseco and operator Play. In Poland, ISAC was paired with Play's network and Asseco's PUSZCZYK acoustic sensors to show how the combination could help find and locate low-flying drones with greater accuracy.

Why it matters

Ericsson's target users are defense, public safety and critical infrastructure operators; the company also lists transport, industry and drone traffic management as possible uses. For companies running power plants, ports or large production sites, the approach suggests that security data could come from an operator's 5G network without building a separate radar network. However, the product has not yet reached the pilot stage, and it is not known whether operators in Türkiye will offer such a service; for now it is a development to watch.