Drones are a growing concern for federal agencies, which want a way to keep track of devices whizzing around neighborhoods, parks, or places they are not allowed.

As a result, researchers from NASA are teaming up with Verizon to find a way to track these short, low-altitude flights.

According to documents obtained by The Guardian, the company and the agency are working to "jointly explore" if cell towers could support what would basically be an air traffic control system for drones.

Testing could start this summer at NASA's Ames Research Center, the paper said, while Verizon has until 2017 to come up with a concept for how it would use its cell towers to track drones.

Drones could potentially be tracked using a number of different options, including radar, cell phone signals, and even satellite-based tracking. One proposed system would require drones to be Internet-connected, so they could download data about areas they shouldn't fly around. Weather information would also help ground drones in the event that a storm was about to sweep through the area.

The main issue, however, is money. NASA's budget woes are well-documented (it's not cheap to go to Mars), so it asked the industry to pitch in. Thus far, Verizon is the only carrier to step up, The Guardian said, but that might be just fine, given that it has the largest network.

Amazon and Google will also contribute, in the hopes that it benefits their PrimeAir and Project Wing drone-delivery services, respectively.