Tactien launches CAST to score counter-drone systems in the field

The Tactien Group has launched CAST™, a testing and scoring platform for counter-drone systems that measures vendor performance in real customer environments. The company says the tool is designed to give operators a consistent, site-specific answer on which detection system works best at critical infrastructure sites.

Why it matters: - Utilities, refineries, data centers and military installations often buy counter-UAS detection systems based on spec sheets and staged demos. - CAST is designed to measure how those systems perform in the actual environment where they will be used. - The goal is to give operators a repeatable scoring method that compares vendors on the same standard.

What happened: - The Tactien Group announced CAST™ (Counter-UXS Assessment & System Testing), an independent software platform for planning, running and scoring counter-drone evaluations. - The platform is used by Tactien’s advisory team in customer environments. - The announcement was issued on October 19, 2026. - The Tactien Group is an independent aviation advisory firm focused on critical infrastructure.

The details: - CAST scores each vendor’s detection feed against red team UAS telemetry. - The platform evaluates tracking and telemetry against KPIs including probability of detection, track continuity, track loss, track accuracy, classification accuracy, Remote ID match, time to classification, multiple-target handling and false positives. - The scoring is deterministic. - The same raw test data can be rescored under multiple operational standards or an operator’s own criteria. - Tactien’s advisory team handles site surveys and mapping, red-team flight planning, test card development, flight operations, detection analysis and performance reporting. - CAST keeps that process consistent from site to site and vendor to vendor. - Tactien says it has zero financial stake in the technologies it evaluates. - CAST is patent pending.

Between the lines: - The launch reflects a shift from demo-based procurement to environment-specific validation for counter-drone tools. - Site conditions such as sensor placement, RF propagation and network latency can change system performance materially. - A system that works in an open desert can perform differently near high-voltage electric lines, a data center substation or a base perimeter. - Nate Ernst, founder and president of Tactien, said CAST is intended to test variables unique to a customer’s site and give every vendor the same chance to prove capability. - The company says CAST is already supporting its counter-UAS verification and validation work for critical infrastructure clients.

What’s next: - Tactien says CAST is already proven for counter-UAS testing. - Integration of ground, maritime and underwater unmanned systems is scheduled for Q1 2027. - Operators and installations interested in a site-specific Counter-UXS evaluation can contact Tactien at contact@tactiengroup.com or visit more information. - The Tactien Group says it serves electric utilities, oil and gas operators, water authorities, data center operators and other infrastructure owners.

The bottom line: - CAST aims to replace vendor-driven counter-drone claims with a standardized, field-based scorecard tied to the customer’s own requirements.