Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method in which a processing system detects user equipment (UE) in communication with a network via a serving cell of the network; the network is configured to facilitate communications by one or more terrestrial UEs and one or more aerial UEs. The system monitors messages from an aerial UE regarding detection of a cell other than the serving cell, and receives information from the aerial UE regarding the detected cell. The method further includes analyzing the information to estimate a first quantity associated with the detected cell location relative to the serving cell and a second quantity associated with a power received at the aerial UE from the detected cell. The method also includes determining, based on the analyzing, whether the aerial UE is an unauthorized aerial UE. Other embodiments are disclosed.