Mobile networks face new cellular UAV exploitation risks

Mobile operators are confronting a new security problem: hostile forces can use commercial cellular networks to control and coordinate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

In June 2025, Ukraine’s "Operation Spiderweb" reportedly disabled or destroyed about 20 Russian aircraft across five airbases by routing drone telemetry, commands, and live video through Russia’s own mobile infrastructure. The incident shows how easily UAVs can blend into normal network traffic and turn everyday connectivity into a weapon. Analysts argue that defending against this type of exploitation demands deeper, real-time visibility into how devices move and behave on mobile networks, rather than relying only on perimeter defenses or basic anomaly alerts.