Ericsson and Erillisverkot Demonstrate 5G ISAC Drone Detection in Finland on September 16–18

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Ericsson and Erillisverkot completed a 5G Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) technology demonstration in Helsinki and conducted field trials at Vuosaari Harbor, verifying that mobile networks can detect, locate, and track drone activity in real time.

Unauthorized drones are posing increasingly prominent challenges to national security, public safety, and critical infrastructure. The demonstration, held from September 16 to 18, showed that ISAC can overlay a scalable layer of sensing capability around ports, borders, and other sensitive areas, supporting Finland's security and emergency preparedness.

Small, low-altitude drones are difficult to monitor across large areas, especially models that are not connected to the network and do not emit wireless signals. ISAC transforms existing mobile network sites into distributed sensing platforms, giving authorities a new means of situational awareness beyond traditional sensors, covering scenarios around airports, ports, borders, critical infrastructure, and major public events.

In the trials, multiple network nodes collected sensing information in parallel and aggregated it into a broader, more complete regional situational picture. Authorities can identify potential risks earlier, optimize the timing and location of responses, and strengthen protection for personnel and sensitive locations. Because it does not depend on a single sensor location, the system is also well suited to tracking moving targets such as drones. In future deployments, ISAC can work in coordination with existing sensors and connect to authorities' command and control systems.

Ericsson's approach to ISAC integrates Massive MIMO 5G radio platforms and beam control with dedicated edge computing, signal processing, and sensing software. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are introduced in target detection and classification to enhance sensing processing.

The technology can support the evolution toward 5G Advanced and 6G; in such networks, sensing and communication are expected to be more tightly combined. Early deployments may target defense and public safety users, while broader commercialization is expected during the 6G era as standards and ecosystems mature.

Ericsson and Erillisverkot have a long-standing partnership in Finland's mission-critical communications sector. In 2020, Erillisverkot selected Ericsson to supply 3GPP core IT systems, products, and solutions for Finland's next-generation public safety network Virve 2.0. Since then, the two companies have continued joint development, aiming to provide secure, resilient, and reliable communications support for Finnish authorities.

Ismo Parviainen, Chief Specialist and CDO at the Ministry of the Interior and a member of the Erillisverkot board, believes that situational awareness of low-altitude airspace must be clear and continuous, a shared need among authorities and other critical organizations. Citing a busy port as an example, he noted that ISAC shows mobile networks can complement existing sensing means under complex conditions and scale according to operational needs; he specifically mentioned that the relevant capabilities can be built on existing mobile network infrastructure and telecommunications systems, leveraging resources already invested.

Patrik Wikberg, Head of Public Safety Solutions at Ericsson, said that protecting critical infrastructure and supporting public safety operations depend on reliable situational awareness. This ISAC drone demonstration conducted with Erillisverkot gave Finnish authorities an opportunity to examine how mobile network sensing can complement existing capabilities and achieve more scalable situational awareness in complex scenarios.

Timo Lehtimäki, CEO of Erillisverkot, said that the value of mission-critical networks lies in their ability to operate reliably when they are needed most. This demonstration shows that connectivity can be further extended into the sensing domain, helping authorities protect people and critical infrastructure. He added that Erillisverkot, together with Ericsson, is exploring how to advance this capability responsibly to serve Finland's security and emergency preparedness needs.