Acoustic detection system spots drones using sound instead of radar

Researchers built a microphone array that listens to drone sounds and pinpoints where they are in 3D space using AI image recognition on audio data. This moves drone detection away from expensive radar systems toward cheaper acoustic sensing that works in any environment.

Drone detection has relied on radar and radio tracking for years — adding acoustic detection as a cheap, passive alternative means more organizations can monitor airspace without specialized equipment, which matters for everything from airports to prisons to wildfire zones.