When does a pilot become a deployment?

A successful test, a signed contract and an operational system tell us different things. The useful question is what the evidence establishes.

Start with the operating scope.

Look for a named operator, a specific use case and a description of where the system is being used. A trial at one stand does not establish airport-wide adoption.

Separate status from outcomes.

A system can be live without published evidence of measurable benefits. Show the reported deployment stage alongside what is known about results.

Follow the record over time.

New evidence should add context without erasing the earlier announcement. A reader should be able to see what changed and which source supports it.