C-UAS Site Survey Checklist for Critical Infrastructure
A C-UAS site survey converts a general request for drone awareness into a set of testable design assumptions. For critical infrastructure, the survey should identify the assets that matter, the airspace and ground areas that can be observed, the directions from which low-altitude activity may approach, and the physical conditions that affect each sensor. It should also record mounting options, power, network access, maintenance routes, control-room workflow, permitted flight activity, local RF noise, weather exposure, and the operator's evidence requirements. The output is not a promise of complete coverage. It is a map of known conditions, uncertainties, and decisions that can be reviewed before equipment is selected. A useful survey gives engineering, security, IT, facilities, and operations teams the same reference instead of allowing each group to work from a different sketch.
1. Define the protected problem
Start with the site's operating objective. A power facility may prioritize generating units, substations, fuel areas, water infrastructure, control buildings, and perimeter approaches. A port may have cranes, warehouses, water approaches, vessel movement, and changing metal clutter. An airport has its own aviation coordination and safety requirements. The survey should identify which areas need awareness, which areas are outside scope, and which normal activities must not be treated as unknown by default.
- Protected assets and critical operating zones.
- Site boundary and adjacent roads, buildings, water, open land, or public areas.
- Permitted UAV activity, contractors, inspection routes, and known local operations.
- Duty hours, after-hours coverage, and who receives alerts.
2. Record sensor horizons and blind zones
Every sensor sees the site differently. RF sensing is affected by transmitters, shielding, terrain, and the signals available from the target. Radar is affected by geometry, clutter, target presentation, and mounting height. EO/IR requires line of sight and suitable visual or thermal contrast. Remote ID requires compatible broadcasts and usable reception.
Photographs should be taken from proposed sensor positions, not only from ground level. Roof parapets, towers, stacks, cranes, tree lines, slopes, and new construction can create blind zones that are invisible on a simple site plan.
3. Check installation and integration conditions
- Mounting structure, load limits, vibration, weather exposure, lightning protection, and maintenance access.
- Power supply, backup requirements, cable routes, grounding, and equipment enclosure space.
- Local network, bandwidth, cybersecurity boundaries, time synchronization, and permitted external connections.
- Existing video systems, maps, control-room displays, alarm systems, and incident-reporting tools.
- Data storage location, retention rules, export format, user roles, and audit requirements.
4. Document the operating workflow
A site survey is incomplete if it stops at sensor positions. It should show who receives the first alert, who checks the permitted-flight list, who reviews tracks or images, who assigns event status, and who closes the record. The operator also needs a process for reporting false cues, changing thresholds, and requesting a layout review after site conditions change.
What should the survey deliver?
The minimum useful package is a marked site map, photo set, sensor-position register, power-and-network notes, known RF and visual conditions, operating-role matrix, data requirements, open questions, and a list of assumptions that still need field testing. N-TET uses this information to review a critical infrastructure airspace monitoring configuration without turning an early proposal into an unsupported performance guarantee.