Verizon Teams Up With Nvidia, Lockheed Martin To Turn 5G Into A Drone-Tracking System

Verizon will utilize its existing 5G infrastructure alongside an AI-enabled system to identify, track, and monitor unmanned aircraft systems for a new Lockheed Martin drone detection system.

• Lockheed Martin’s NetSense, demonstrated in Miami in July, combines Verizon’s 5G spectrum with AI and RF technologies from Nvidia, ODC and Keysight to detect, track and monitor drones in real time.
• The technology is designed for applications including airports, power plants, stadiums, schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure, as well as government monitoring.
• Separately, Morningstar named Verizon among its list of top 10 dividend stocks.

Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) is collaborating with Lockheed Martin (LMT), Nvidia (NVDA), Keysight Technologies Inc. (KEYS), ODC and Astris AI to demonstrate the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technologies for detecting and tracking unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). 

The communications company will utilize its existing 5G infrastructure alongside an AI-enabled system to identify, track and monitor UAS, according to a statement from LMT. 

How Verizon Will Power NetSense

The system, called NetSense, was demonstrated in the Miami area in July, Lockheed Martin said. It used Verizon’s existing 5G network spectrum, along with Nvidia’s AI Aerial platform, ODC’s AI-native Radio Access Network software, Keysight’s radio-frequency simulation technology, and Lockheed Martin’s systems and algorithms to analyze radio-frequency disturbances to identify drones, predict their flight paths and provide real-time alerts.

The demonstration showed that NetSense could detect and maintain track of drones without requiring changes to existing cellular radio deployments. 

The technology is designed for applications including airports, power plants, stadiums, schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure, as well as government monitoring.

Morningstar Names Verizon A Top Dividend Stock

Separately, Morningstar named Verizon among its list of top 10 dividend stocks. “Verizon is one of the highest-yielding stocks on our list of the best dividend stocks to buy. The stock is trading 13% below our fair value estimate of $54 per share,” the analyst said in an article. 

Morningstar senior analyst Mike Hodel has also noted that Verizon’s recent price cuts have revived customer growth this year, adding that Verizon directed 60% of 2025’s cash flows to the dividend and has started to repurchase shares.

VZ Stock: Retail Stance

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around VZ stock was ‘bearish’ at the time of writing amid ‘low’ message volumes. 

VZ stock has gained nearly 16% so far in 2026. 

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