Lockheed Martin partners with Verizon and Nvidia on AI drone detection service

US aerospace company Lockheed Martin has partnered with Verizon, Nvidia, Keysight Technologies, ODC, and Astris AI to test an artificial intelligence-enabled system for detecting unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

The companies demonstrated the service last month in the Miami area, where Lockheed Martin deployed its NetSense airspace awareness-as-a-service system in what it described as a critical, high-traffic urban area important to US protection.

The live demonstration showcased NetSense's components, capabilities, and UAS detection and alert functions in real time. The system used ODC's AI-native Radio Access Network (RAN) software, Nvidia's AI Aerial platform, Keysight's advanced radio-frequency (RF) simulation platform, and spectrum from Verizon's 5G network.

Using these technologies, NetSense detected drones, alerted the demonstration team, and maintained tracking throughout the flight. Lockheed Martin unveiled a prototype of the system in March, before the trial.

NetSense combines Lockheed Martin's warning and tracking systems. These systems use AI to interpret RF disturbances, predict and track a UAS flight path, and automatically send real-time alerts.

Lockheed Martin describes NetSense as faster to deploy

Lockheed Martin said NetSense can use Nvidia AI Aerial to analyze RF signal disturbances in real time and provide the resulting data to the company's NetSense algorithms.

The company also said the system is faster to deploy than traditional or custom-built systems because it uses commercially available off-the-shelf technology. According to Lockheed Martin, NetSense is easier to scale, more cost-effective, and based on an open architecture that simplifies integration with commercial systems.

The demonstration also indicated that NetSense can operate without modifications to existing cellular radio deployments. This capability is relevant ahead of the expected 6G era, in which Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) is expected to play a significant role.

“As drones become more affordable and accessible, airspace awareness technology needs to evolve rapidly to outpace potential threats. That's why we developed the NetSense solution,” said Sarah Hiza, senior vice president of technology and strategic innovation at Lockheed Martin. “By working within the established 5G network spectrum, we're able to collaborate with the commercial technology industry and deploy a solution that's ready at the time of need.”

“By applying AI to the RF signal measurement data already traversing our 5G infrastructure, we can effectively turn our network into an intelligent sensing platform,” said Anil Guntupali, senior vice president of technology and product development at Verizon. “By collaborating with Lockheed Martin to apply intelligence to our existing 5G spectrum, we're proving that the most complex security problems often have an answer embedded in the network.”

Further pilot deployments are planned for the second half of this year and early next year. Commercial general availability is expected next year, with initial deployments limited to selected customers that urgently need the capability.