Scoreboard, Not Hype: The 5 Metrics That Win C-UAS

(if if isn't measured in the field, it isn't ready for the field.)

Decision-makers deserve more than impressive demos - they need results they can trust. The fastest way to build that trust is to show how your system performs against clear, operational metrics captured in realistic conditions. Field evaluation has become the standard across defense and homeland security programs, and the teams that bring disciplined measurement win the conversation.

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Why "pretty demos" fail, and scoreboards win.

Static, controlled runs hide the hard parts: clutter, weather, adjacent RF, moving targets, and handoffs between sensors and operators. A scoreboard forces you to measure what matters, compare apples to apples, and create an evidence trail others can verify.

The five metrics that matter:

1. Probability of Detection (PD) & False-Alarm Rate (FAR)

   Report both, together. Break out by target class, range band, and clutter level. FAR without PD is meaningless; PD without FAR can be dangerous.

2. Track Continuity

   Can you keep custody through maneuvers, occlusions, and cross-sensor handoffs? Continuity is the operator's reality check and the backbone of a trusted "single track." Use standard multi-target tracking metrics (e.g., OSPA/GOSPA and trajectory sets) to quantify this rigorously.

3. Time-to-Effect (TTE)

   How long from first valid detection to the decision you intend: classification, alert, cue, or handoff to a response play? TTE reveals whether your workflow actually helps the operator, not just the model.

4. Geolocation Accuracy (CEP/R95)

   Report circular error probabilities using ground truth. Accuracy - especially in urban canyons or GNSS-degraded conditions - determines whether a mitigation or deconfliction action is safe and lawful.

5. Operator Load

   Count alerts per hour, acknowledgements, interventions, and error rates. A system that overloads the operator ultimately lowers PD and raises FAR when it matters most.

Trust, by design: Publish how you measured (clock sync, ground truth, retention, etc.) so others can verify the results.

What "good" looks like (bands, not absolutes).

• PD/FAR: Publish ranges by class and clutter (e.g., PD 0.9–0.97 / FAR 0.003–0.01 in open field; lower PD, higher FAR in heavy clutter).

• Continuity: Show percentage of tracks maintained through specific events (turns, occlusions, sensor handoffs).

• TTE: Break out by decision type (first classify, alert routed, cue delivered).

• CEP/R95: Report by range band and environment; include GNSS-degraded runs.

• Operator load: Aim for stable alert rates with low interventions under stress.

The point isn't to chase perfect numbers - it's to publish honest, comparable bands tied to the environment and test design.

This is where NUAIR Defense becomes your advantage. We help teams prove multi-sensor C-UAS performance with instrumented, repeatable field runs that stand up to scrutiny. Our team designs the scenarios, syncs clocks, establishes ground truth, and captures raw detections, fused tracks, and operator actions in open exports - delivering the scoreboard and concise AAR bundle that leaders trust and auditors respect. Trust, by design: privacy-first data, clear authorities, auditable logs, repeatable results.

When you partner with NUAIR Defense, you're not just running a demo - you're generating decision-quality evidence.

ABOUT NUAIR Defense

NUAIR Defense is the defense-division of NUAIR, marrying commercial innovation with rapid-deployment defense systems. We deliver a fused, vendor-agnostic services stack — taking tech from validation & certification to real-time operations and sustainment —that enables layered, mobile counter-UAS and advanced air-mobility defense architectures. Email contact@NUAIRDefense.org to schedule an operational validation sprint.