Verizon and Lockheed Martin test AI-and-5G airspace monitoring service for drones and critical sites

Verizon Communications is working with Lockheed Martin on pilots for an airspace monitoring offering that combines artificial intelligence with 5G connectivity, aimed at improving detection of unmanned aircraft systems and supporting security needs around critical infrastructure.

The collaboration centers on NetSense Airspace Awareness-as-a-Service, which Verizon describes as a platform delivered as a service rather than a one-time deployment. In that model, a provider supplies the technology and operational workflow, with customers using it to monitor and manage specific sensing and alerting needs.

Under the effort described in recent reporting, Verizon and Lockheed Martin are positioned to apply AI to interpret network and sensor inputs and use 5G to move data quickly enough for operational use cases. The goal is to help address a practical challenge for airspace awareness, where identifying and tracking drones and other unmanned aircraft can require fast, coordinated sensing and decision-making.

The pilots also underscore how telecom companies are exploring beyond traditional connectivity, leaning into software-defined monitoring tied to network capabilities. For Verizon, airspace and security adjacent use cases can broaden demand beyond consumer and enterprise broadband, while for Lockheed Martin, it aligns with its defense and sensing technology focus.

Verizon and Lockheed Martin did not disclose, in the materials available for this report, which geographies the pilots cover, what specific airspace scenarios are being tested, or what performance targets (such as detection accuracy or latency) they are using to evaluate the technology.

The announcement comes as regulators and industry groups continue to grapple with drone traffic, from recreational and commercial operations to potential threats. In that environment, services that can detect unmanned aircraft and feed information into security operations are likely to attract interest from owners of infrastructure and operators who need situational awareness.

Even without disclosed metrics, the structure of the partnership suggests a division of labor common to these projects: Verizon provides network and connectivity infrastructure, while Lockheed Martin contributes defense-grade sensing and systems integration. Together, they are attempting to package those elements into a repeatable service that can be deployed for specific customers.

What to watch next is whether Verizon provides pilot results, including any quantified improvements, and whether the companies outline a pathway from pilots to broader deployments. Additional detail on customer targets and operational integration would be especially important for understanding how the offering fits into existing security and airspace governance workflows.