Elisa and Sensofusion form joint venture for drone detection
Elisa Corporation and Sensofusion Plc have established Masthead Oy, a jointly owned company that will provide drone detection solutions in Europe. The venture will combine Sensofusion’s detection technology with Elisa’s mobile network infrastructure in Finland and Estonia.
- Masthead Oy has already begun operations.
- Elisa and Sensofusion each own 50% of the joint venture.
- The venture will combine drone detection technology with Elisa’s mobile network infrastructure.
- Solutions are intended for authorities and critical infrastructure operators.
- Initial infrastructure deployment will cover Finland and Estonia.
Masthead will use existing infrastructure
Masthead Oy has already begun operations and is owned equally by Elisa and Sensofusion, with each company holding 50%. Its goal is to deploy multimodal drone detection capabilities across a wider geographical area by using infrastructure that already exists.
According to the companies, the joint venture is responding to a growing need for broader and more effective drone detection capabilities. They link that need to a rapidly changing security environment and increased drone activity.
The venture will combine Sensofusion’s drone detection technology with Elisa’s extensive mobile network infrastructure in Finland and Estonia. The companies say this approach will allow detection capabilities to reach beyond individual sensor deployments and support coverage across a broader area.
Targeting authorities and critical infrastructure
Masthead’s solutions are intended to support authorities and critical infrastructure operators. The stated aim is to improve real-time situational awareness and the ability to detect and track drones.
Sensofusion describes its technology as being designed to detect, identify and track drones in demanding environments. The company says combining that technology with Elisa’s digital infrastructure and operational expertise will help provide real-time situational awareness where it is needed.
Elisa CEO Topi Manner said, “Both the public and private sectors in Finland and Estonia have identified a need to strengthen the countries' drone detection capabilities.” He added that Masthead brings Sensofusion’s sensor technology to Elisa’s digital infrastructure and represents the next step in the companies’ continued collaboration.
What the partnership means for deployment
The announcement positions Masthead as a privately owned network for drone detection in Finland and Estonia, rather than a standalone technology product. Its model brings together Sensofusion’s sensors and Elisa’s telecommunications infrastructure, creating a service intended for organisations that need visibility of drone activity across wider locations.
Sensofusion CEO Tuomas Rasila said the companies could deploy the technology “through existing digital infrastructure and extend its reach across Finland and Estonia.” He described Masthead as combining Sensofusion’s technology with Elisa’s infrastructure and operational expertise.
The announcement does not provide details about pricing, specific deployment locations or a timetable for expansion beyond Finland and Estonia. It identifies the two countries’ public and private sectors, authorities and critical infrastructure operators as the intended users of the solutions.
