A Practical Framework of Key Performance Indicators for Multi-Robot Lunar and Planetary Field Tests

TL;DR

This paper presents a structured KPI framework tailored for multi-robot lunar exploration, linking scientific objectives with operational performance metrics to enable consistent evaluation across diverse field trials.

Contribution

The authors develop and validate a practical KPI framework based on realistic lunar scenarios, enhancing comparability and goal alignment in multi-robot planetary exploration tests.

Findings

The KPI framework is practical and easy to apply for efficiency and robustness metrics.

Precision KPIs require reliable ground-truth data, which is often challenging in outdoor analog environments.

The framework supports systematic comparison and development of robotic systems for planetary exploration.

Abstract

Robotic prospecting for critical resources on the Moon, such as ilmenite, rare earth elements, and water ice, requires robust exploration methods given the diverse terrain and harsh environmental conditions. Although numerous analog field trials address these goals, comparing their results remains challenging because of differences in robot platforms and experimental setups. These missions typically assess performance using selected, scenario-specific engineering metrics that fail to establish a clear link between field performance and science-driven objectives. In this paper, we address this gap by deriving a structured framework of KPI from three realistic multi-robot lunar scenarios reflecting scientific objectives and operational constraints. Our framework emphasizes scenario-dependent priorities in efficiency, robustness, and precision, and is explicitly designed for practical applicability in field deployments. We validated the framework in a multi-robot field test and found it practical and easy to apply for efficiency- and robustness-related KPI, whereas precision-oriented KPI require reliable ground-truth data that is not always feasible to obtain in outdoor analog environments. Overall, we propose this framework as a common evaluation standard enabling consistent, goal-oriented comparison of multi-robot field trials and supporting systematic development of robotic systems for future planetary exploration.