What Troll Systems Corporation does

Troll Systems Corporation is a privately held, Valencia, California-based manufacturer of long-range microwave data link systems for airborne, ground, and marine applications, founded in 2002 by a management buyout of the Troll brand from L3/Wescam. The company builds software-defined radio (SDR) transceivers (MicroLink SDR, LinkBox II), directional tracking antennas (SkyLink Mini II/S/SP/DP, AX3000, MTX Series, MT300, Mini GS), and diversity receive systems (A6RX, A6, A1, DMR8000) that together enable long-range bidirectional video and data transmission for manned and unmanned aircraft. Core underlying technology includes COFDM, OFDM, FDD, CDL, MANET, and MIMO waveforms across the UHF to Ku bands, complemented by patented Directional Diversity RF asset tracking (US Patent #8,816,933 B2), an embedded Nvidia supercomputer module for edge video processing and AI-assisted sensor fusion, and metal additive manufacturing for 3D-printed ultra-wide band antennas. The company is ITAR-free, AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 certified, with product-level compliance to DO-160, NTIA Stage 4, MIL-STD 810H, MIL-STD 461G, and Mil-S-901D.

The company sells to four primary verticals: defense and military (defense primes and unmanned system integrators including General Atomics, Boeing, L3 Harris, Leidos, Cubic, Sikorsky, Airbus, and Bell), federal law enforcement (notably U.S. Customs and Border Protection under a major multi-year 2020 nationwide contract), state and local law enforcement (e.g., Nebraska State Patrol), and commercial broadcasting (where it has equipped approximately 90%+ of US news helicopters). Revenue is generated through enterprise hardware sales on a quote-based procurement model, professional services and extended support contracts, and custom system integration and RFE customization. Distribution is direct, with no channel partners identified; the go-to-market relies on direct enterprise field sales, trade show presence (notably the National Association of Broadcasters), and customer case studies. The company has sold to 1,000+ customers across 30+ countries and, as of end of 2008, had manufactured approximately 2,500 network ground control systems.

Name

Troll Systems Corporation

Legal name

Troll Systems Corporation

Website

https://trollsystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Troll Systems Corporation is a privately held Valencia, California-based manufacturer of long-range microwave data link systems, including SDR transceivers and directional tracking antennas, serving defense contractors, federal and state law enforcement, and commercial broadcasters across 30+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microwave Data Link Systems

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (334220), Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing (33429), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment (3663), Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

Military Aerospace Communications, Datalinks & Networking (IMABAMAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

UAS Communications, Datalinks, SATCOM & Remote Control Systems (IMABAIAJ), UAS Ground Control Stations (GCS) & Remote Operations Infrastructure (IMABAIAL), IFF/Identification, Beaconing & Cooperative Surveillance Systems (IMABAGAF), Ground Segment Systems (Ground Stations, TT&C, Mission Ops) (IMABACAJ)

Keywords

• Microwave data links
• Airborne antenna systems
• Software defined radio
• Tactical communications equipment
• Diversity receivers

Headquarters

HQ city

Valencia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Airborne/Ground/Marine Antenna Systems: Sale of transceivers, tracking antennas, diversity receivers, and controllers. Products include MicroLink SDR, LinkBox II, SkyLink Mini series, MTX series, AX3000, A6RX, DMR8000. One-time capital purchase model typical for government/defense procurement.
2. Professional Services and Support Contracts: Installation, commissioning, on-site training, and software upgrades. Extended warranties and service contracts available. Standard two-year factory warranty with optional extended coverage.
3. System Integration and Customization: Custom system design and integration services for unique tactical environments. Includes RFE (Radio Frequency Equipment) customization and quick-connect active/passive module configurations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Troll Systems Corporation designs and manufactures long-range microwave data link hardware systems spanning airborne, ground, and marine platforms. Its product line includes software-defined radio transceivers (MicroLink SDR, LinkBox II), high-gain airborne tracking antennas (SkyLink Mini family), ground/marine auto-tracking antennas (MTX, AX3000, MT300, Mini GS), diversity antennas (A6RX, A6, A1), diversity receivers (DMR8000), and supporting controllers and video servers. The company sells directly to federal/state law enforcement, defense contractors, military, and commercial broadcasters, providing custom integration, installation, training, and support services.

Product overview

Troll Systems Corporation is a manufacturer of long-range microwave data link systems spanning airborne, ground, and marine domains. The product portfolio centers on two core transceiver lines (MicroLink SDR and LinkBox II) that provide software-defined multi-band radio transmission with integrated video encoding and mission payload control. These transceivers integrate with a family of directional tracking antennas (SkyLink Mini II/S/SP/DP for airborne; AX3000, MTX Series, MT300, Mini GS for ground/marine) and diversity antenna/receiver systems (A6RX, A6, A1 diversity antennas paired with DMR8000 receivers). Supporting infrastructure includes the S8000 remote antenna controller, M3007 TouchStar master control system, and VNS4200 adaptive bitrate streaming server. All products share a common user interface and support open Ethernet protocols for integration with third-party radio systems and mapping platforms. The company serves commercial broadcasting, law enforcement, federal agencies, and defense contractors with ITAR-free, MIL-STD certified hardware.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MicroLink SDR Software-defined wideband RF transceiver and mission payload controller with embedded Nvidia supercomputer for video encoding/decoding/encryption across UHF to C-band, used by defense, law enforcement, and broadcasting customers on airborne, ground, and marine platforms.
• LinkBox II Transceiver Multi-band, multi-waveform airborne data link transceiver and mission controller supporting bidirectional COFDM and MIMO mesh networks; combines dual TX/RX modems, video processing, power management, and network hub functionality.
• SkyLink Mini II High-gain directional airborne tracking antenna with embedded INS and GPS; DO-160 certified; supports COFDM, FDD, CDL, and MANET/MIMO waveforms across L to Ku bands.
• SkyLink Mini S Airborne tracking antenna optimized for L and S bands with higher gain than Mini II for those frequency ranges; embedded INS with GPS for self-calibration; optional dual rotary joint for simultaneous dual-frequency or dual-polarization operation.
• SkyLink Mini SP Deployable airborne tracking antenna designed for rotor-wing aircraft, mounting below landing skids to prevent signal interference from external payloads; features frangible safety link, embedded INS/GPS, and automated deployment/retraction.
• SkyLink DP Omni Deployable omnidirectional antenna system extending below aircraft skids to eliminate interference from camera gimbals; optional dual-polarized configuration supports 1x2, 2x2, and 4x4 MIMO across S and C bands; DO-160 certified.
• AX3000 Tracking Antenna Aperture-efficient offset parabolic directional tracking antenna with lightweight carbon fiber design; supports UHF to Ku-band with COFDM, OFDM, CDL, and MIMO waveforms; MIL-STD 810H salt fog certified.
• AX3000 Marine Tracking Antenna All-weather, multi-band directional tracking antenna variant for marine and coastal installations with weatherized radome, carbon fiber construction, and MIL-STD 810H salt fog certification.
• MTX Auto-Tracking Antenna Series Auto-tracking tactical antenna system in four reflector sizes (3' to 6') for ground and vehicle-mounted applications; modular design deploys in under 20 minutes without tools; radio-agnostic multi-band (UHF to Ku).
• MT300 Mobile Tracking Antenna Long-range tactical C2ISR to C4ISR antenna with integrated CDL and MIMO multi-band radios and auto-calibration; modular design with 220+ nm operational range; no tools required for setup.
• Mini GS Mobile Tracking Antenna Radio-agnostic high-gain tracking antenna for on-the-move terrestrial vehicles and maritime applications; edge-computing microprocessor for third-party transceiver control; dual-GPS accurate to ±0.15° heading; multi-sensor INS.
• SkyLink Dual-Polarized MIMO Antenna DO-160 certified dual-polarized omnidirectional antenna containing horizontal and vertical polarizations in a single airborne-rated package; available in S-band (2.3-2.5 GHz) and C-band (4.7-5.8 GHz); supports 1x2, 2x2, and 4x4 MIMO.
• Marine Omni-Directional Antenna Dual-polarized omnidirectional antenna certified to MIL-S-901D and IP65 for naval operations; vertically polarized coaxial sleeve dipole and horizontally polarized turnstile slot for UHF to C-band operation.
• A6RX Mobile Diversity Antenna Wide-band sector antenna with embedded six-input diversity receiver providing 360° signal reception (up to 15dBi gain per sector); integrated TacCase mission controller with PoE Ethernet distribution.
• A6 Diversity Sector Antenna Ultra-wide band diversity sector antenna providing high-gain 360° diversity reception via six independent sectors with overlapping beamwidths; available in single to tri-band configurations (1.4-7.1 GHz, down-converted to UHF).
• A1 Directional Sector Antenna Ground sector antenna providing approximately 60° of coverage, designed for building or tower mounting; available in single or multi-band versions with high-performance down-converter outputting UHF.
• DMR8000 Diversity Receiver Two to eight input diversity receiver with embedded remote site antenna controller; features MPEG-2 and H.264 decoding, AES 128/256 decryption, touchscreen GUI, Linux OS, and RTP/UDP streaming with maximal-ratio combining.
• S8000 Antenna Controller IP-based remote antenna controller replacing BAS-era S750/S350 models; eight-port Ethernet switch; touchscreen GUI, HDMI/composite video outputs; supports Ethernet, serial, and dial-up communications.
• M3007 Master Control Rack-mountable master controller pre-configured with TouchStar software for controlling geographically diverse receive sites; touchscreen interface navigating multiple sites with single-click switching and real-time POV video display.
• VNS4200 Video Network Server Adaptive bitrate streaming video network server decoding, transcoding, and distributing secure IP video over public or private networks; manages multiple incoming streams with server-side encryption and H.264 transcoding.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tested range exceeding 420km for MTX tracking antennas
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• U.S. Customs and Border ProtectioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Major multi-year contract (2020) for nationwide airborne and ground infrastructure. Troll manufactures tracking antennas, multi-waveform transceivers, and integrated access/backhaul control systems for CBP operations including air, ground, and marine domains.
• Nebraska State PatrolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Statewide real-time HD video and data transmission system for air support unit. Includes LinkBox transmitter, Mini II antenna on Cessna 206 and Bell 407, and A6RX mobile receive sites.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Persistent Systems: Persistent Systems builds the MPU5 tactical mesh networking radio, a direct competitor to Troll's MicroLink SDR and LinkBox II for tactical MIMO/COFDM data links serving US/allied military and law enforcement. Both target long-range, on-the-move, multi-node airborne and ground communications.
• Silvus Technologies: Silvus manufactures StreamCaster MIMO mesh radios for defense, law enforcement, and broadcast markets, directly competing with Troll's MANET/MIMO-capable antennas and transceivers. Both sell COFDM/MIMO waveforms into similar airborne and ground tactical programs.
• Doodle Labs: Doodle Labs builds miniature Mesh Rider radio modules for tactical and unmanned systems, overlapping with Troll's SkyLink Mini and Mini GS product lines for UAS and small-platform applications. Both serve defense and commercial unmanned customers with multi-band radio links.
• Comtech Telecommunications: Comtech's Command & Control Technologies and Satellite Network Technologies divisions provide tactical troposcatter and satellite/ground data link systems used by defense and government customers, overlapping with Troll's ground-based MTX and AX3000 antenna systems.

Broad incumbents

• L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris is a broad defense incumbent offering tactical radios, datalinks, and ISR communications across all domains. As the corporate parent of the original Troll Technology/Wescam business, it is both a competitor and a historical predecessor in the airborne data link space.
• Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions: Curtiss-Wright provides rugged defense electronics including tactical communications and data link subsystems for airborne and ground platforms. It competes with Troll in defense C4ISR bundles and has the integration scale to win platform-level awards that Troll addresses at the subsystem level.
• RTX (Collins Aerospace / Raytheon): RTX's Collins Aerospace and Raytheon divisions supply airborne communications, datalinks, and ISR electronics to defense primes and integrators. Its broad portfolio competes with Troll's SkyLink and MicroLink products as part of larger platform-level sales.
• Thales Group: Thales provides tactical communications, electronic warfare, and ISR subsystems globally. Its airborne and ground tactical radio families overlap with Troll's COFDM/MIMO and CDL-capable antennas, particularly in international defense markets.
• BAE Systems Electronic Systems: BAE Systems manufactures airborne electronics, datalinks, and tactical communications for U.S. and allied militaries. It competes with Troll in defense airborne data link subsystems and command/control integration.
• DragoonITCN / Ultra Electronics (Cobham): Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions (now part of CAES/TransDigm) supplies rugged RF, microwave, and datalink components for defense, including airborne and ground communications. It competes with Troll at the antenna and RF subsystem level within larger platform integrations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/troll-systems-corporation-419835600306
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/troll-systems-corporation

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Troll Systems Corporation