Applied Navigation
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersBothell, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Applied Navigation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Applied Navigation
- Legal name
- Applied Navigation LLC
- Website
- https://appliednav.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Applied Navigation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- UAV Autopilot and Flight Management Systems
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Flight Management Systems (FMS) (IMABAFAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Flight Control Computers & Autopilot Systems (IMABAFAA), Autonomous Flight Control & Guidance Systems (UAS/Urban Air Mobility) (IMABAFAO), Military Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) & Autonomous Aerial Platforms (IMABAMAC), Avionics Software, Certification & Safety-Critical Systems (DO-178/DO-254) (IMABAFAK), Avionics Communication Systems (VHF/UHF/SATCOM/Data Link) (IMABAFAG)
Keywords
Where Applied Navigation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bothell
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Applied Navigation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales - Quattro FMS: Sale of the Quattro Flight Management System autopilot hardware including system-on-module variants (standard, sans-radio, SOM). The product is sold as integrated components for unmanned aerial vehicles requiring flight management systems.
- Hardware Sales - Quattro Node: Sale of Quattro Node air data sampling units and associated pitot tubes for modular system expansion and redundancy in UAS platforms.
- Software Licensing - Vigilant Spirit: Software licensing agreement with Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to provide Vigilant Spirit Control Station to users. STANAG 4586 compliant operator control interface.
- Professional Services - Support and Training: Comprehensive support including vehicle simulation, initial settings configuration, flight readiness review (FRR), flight tests, and operator training courses. Applied Navigation provides complete hardware, software, and support packages for critical flight management system integration.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Applied Navigation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Applied Navigation designs, manufactures, and supports the Quattro Flight Management System (FMS), a next-generation autopilot/flight management system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Quattro FMS is sold as integrated hardware (and optional variants such as sans-radio and SOM) along with complementary modules including the Quattro Node sensor/actuator expansion unit and the Vigilant Spirit ground control station software, primarily for integration into defense and commercial UAS platforms.
Product overview
Applied Navigation offers a modular UAS flight control ecosystem centered on the Quattro Flight Management System (FMS), a next-generation autopilot developed from the ground up. The core Quattro FMS provides advanced flight control with built-in redundancy, active diagnostics, and STANAG 4586 compliance. The product family includes the Quattro Node (modular sensor/actuator expansion module), Vigilant Spirit (ground control station interface developed with AFRL), and various Quattro variants (standard, sans-radio, and SOM). These products work together: Quattro handles flight control and autonomy while Vigilant Spirit provides the mission-centric human-machine interface. The ecosystem supports diverse vehicle types (helicopter, fixed wing, hybrid VTOL, multirotor) and integrates with third-party peripherals including Currawong ESCs, Volz actuators, u-blox/NovAtel GPS receivers, and Microhard datalinks.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 360 flights and 17+ hours of flight time demonstrated across multiple vehicle types
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Applied Navigation
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Applied Navigation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability4 records
Feature8 records
Applied Navigation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.
- Overwatch AerocoreStrategic partnership to integrate Starlink and other low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications directly with the Quattro autopilot and supported aircraft. The partnership enables truly connected autonomous flight with real-time telemetry, video, and command-and-control over resilient global networks. Aimed at unlocking safe and scalable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations for commercial and government users.
- Magline CompositesregionalEuropean distributor and support provider for Quattro products. Magline Composites operates from Zaragoza, Spain and works closely with Applied Navigation to distribute and support Quattro in Europe. Conducts autonomous flight demonstrations including runway landings with the Cruser-II UAS.
- Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)coreLicensing agreement with AFRL to provide Vigilant Spirit Control Station to users. Vigilant Spirit was originally developed by AFRL's 711th Wing and refined by Applied Navigation. The software licensing agreement enables Applied Navigation to commercialize the STANAG 4586 compliant operator control interface.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Applied Navigation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cloud Cap Technology (L3Harris): Producer of the Piccolo family of autopilots for unmanned aircraft, now part of L3Harris; the most direct competitor to Applied Navigation's Quattro FMS, serving the same defense and commercial UAS market with comparable flight management capabilities.
- UAV Navigation: Spanish manufacturer of flight control systems and autopilots for unmanned aircraft; competes head-to-head with Quattro across fixed-wing, rotary, and VTOL UAS platforms, including in defense programs.
- Auterion: Provider of an open-source-based (PX4) flight management and autopilot stack for enterprise and defense UAS; offers comparable full-vehicle autonomy that competes with Quattro for OEM integrations.
- Embention: Developer of the Veronte autopilot and ground control systems for professional UAS; a direct peer offering flight management hardware and software targeting similar defense and commercial UAV platforms.
Emerging players
- ModalAI: Provides compact autopilot and onboard perception systems for small UAS based on Qualcomm platforms; an emerging competitor in the smaller-end UAS autopilot market that overlaps with Quattro SOM/sans-radio variants.
- Sky-Drones: Supplier of autopilot, flight management, and ground control station solutions for commercial and defense UAS; competes with Applied Navigation's combined Quattro + Vigilant Spirit offering.
- Threod Systems: Specialist in small tactical UAS and associated autopilot/flight management subsystems for defense customers — overlapping niche with Applied Navigation's military UAS focus.
Broad incumbents
- Honeywell Aerospace: Large aerospace avionics supplier with broader flight management and autopilot portfolios across commercial and military aircraft; competes indirectly as a non-specialized incumbent for high-end UAS programs.
- Garmin: Established avionics manufacturer providing autopilots and avionics for general aviation and increasingly for UAS; broader portfolio with overlapping flight management functionality.
Others
- Silvus Technologies: Supplier of mesh radio and C2 datalinks for unmanned systems; an ecosystem partner/adjacent competitor in the BVLOS communications stack that complements or competes with Applied Navigation's datalink strategy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Applied Navigation social profiles
Digital presenceApplied Navigation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Applied Navigation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Applied Navigation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Applied Navigation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Applied Navigation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Applied Navigation
What does Applied Navigation do?
Applied Navigation designs, manufactures, and supports the Quattro Flight Management System (FMS), a next-generation autopilot/flight management system for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The Quattro FMS is sold as integrated hardware (and optional variants such as sans-radio and SOM) along with complementary modules including the Quattro Node sensor/actuator expansion unit and the Vigilant Spirit ground control station software, primarily for integration into defense and commercial UAS platforms.
Is Applied Navigation a public or private company?
Applied Navigation is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Applied Navigation founded?
Applied Navigation was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Applied Navigation based?
Applied Navigation is headquartered in Bothell, United States, in the North America region.
How does Applied Navigation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Hardware Sales - Quattro FMS are the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales - Quattro Node, software Licensing - Vigilant Spirit and professional Services - Support and Training.
Who are Applied Navigation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cloud Cap Technology (L3Harris), UAV Navigation, Auterion and Embention. Emerging players are ModalAI, Sky-Drones and Threod Systems. Broad incumbents are Honeywell Aerospace and Garmin. Silvus Technologies is listed as an others.
Does Applied Navigation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Applied Navigation.
What industry is Applied Navigation in?
Applied Navigation's product category is UAV Autopilot and Flight Management Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAFAF, Flight Management Systems (FMS), with a secondary code of IMABAFAA, Flight Control Computers & Autopilot Systems. Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 3812.