Fast Optimal Engineering

What Fast Optimal Engineering does

Fast Optimal Engineering (F O Engineering) is a privately-held electrical engineering and systems integration company founded in 1994 and headquartered in Santa Clarita, California. The company designs and manufactures control systems, actuator control electronics, and power management solutions for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets, with a portfolio that includes Power Distribution Units (PDU), Actuator Control Units (ACU), Common Subsystem Controllers (CSC), and the HeliSAS Autopilot and Stability Augmentation System for helicopters. Their underlying technology stack spans analog signal conditioning, digital logic (FPGA/EPLD), microcontrollers, digital signal processing, power electronics, and EMI filter design, with software developed to DO-178B Level A certification standards for safety-critical flight applications. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100:D certifications, operates an AS9100-certified production facility, and serves as Design Authority on multiple major platforms including the Boeing KC-46A tanker, Boeing P-8 Poseidon, Boeing A-160 Hummingbird, Stratolaunch, Bell 429, Dassault Falcon 900, the 5GAT 5th Generation Aerial Target drone, and the Genesys Aerosystems HeliSAS product line.

The company operates a hybrid business model combining engineering design services (concept through detail design and qualification) with in-house AS9100-certified manufacturing of proprietary products and build-to-print production for customer-supplied designs. Revenue is generated through professional services engagements, hardware sales of proprietary products, and one-time licensing/manufacturing contracts, with project-based quote pricing rather than published rates. Distribution is exclusively direct to enterprise and government customers (Boeing, Bell, Stratolaunch, Dassault, Sierra Technical Services, Genesys Aerosystems), pursued through prime contractor relationships rather than channel partners or consumer distribution. Marketing relies on a corporate website and occasional blog content highlighting program milestones. The company maintains a complementary operational relationship with its sister company Federal Industries, Inc., which provides hydraulic actuation, fuel, and pneumatic flow control manufacturing capabilities.

Name

Fast Optimal Engineering

Legal name

Fast Optimal Engineering

Website

https://foengineering.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fast Optimal Engineering (F O Engineering) is a privately-held Santa Clarita-based electrical engineering and systems integration firm that designs and manufactures control systems, actuator electronics, and power management products for aerospace, defense, and industrial customers including Boeing, Bell, Stratolaunch, and Genesys Aerosystems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace and Defense Control Electronics

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641)

SIC

Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Aircraft & Parts (3720)

akta.pro primary industry

Ruggedized/Harsh-Environment Electronics Manufacturing (IP-rated, shock/vibration, wide-temp) (IMAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Modifications, STC & Retrofit Integration (IMABALAM)

Keywords

• Aerospace control systems
• Defense electronics engineering
• Actuator control units
• Power distribution systems
• Flight control computers

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Clarita

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, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Engineering Design Services: Complete engineering services from initial design concepts through detail design. Includes system design, electronic circuit design, software development and qualification, and hardware qualification for aerospace, defense, and industrial applications.
2. Manufacturing and Production: AS9100-certified production facility in Santa Clarita, California. Manufacturing of designed products including electromechanical systems, actuator controls, and electronic assemblies.
3. Product Sales: Sale of proprietary products including Power Distribution Units, Actuator Control Units, Common Subsystem Controllers, HeliSAS Autopilot systems, and various subsystem controllers for aerospace and defense applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Fast Optimal Engineering (F O Engineering) is an electrical engineering and systems integration company that designs, develops, and manufactures electronic control systems and subsystems for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. The company serves as Design Authority for major programs including HeliSAS Autopilot (Genesys Aerosystems), KC-46A aerial refueling (Boeing), Stratolaunch actuation, and the 5GAT drone (Sierra Technical Services), delivering proprietary products such as Power Distribution Units, Actuator Control Units, Common Subsystem Controllers, HeliSAS Autopilot Systems, and program-specific subsystem controllers at their ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100:D certified facility in Santa Clarita, California.

Product overview

F O Engineering is an electrical engineering and systems integration company offering a portfolio of control systems, actuator controls, and power management solutions. The product portfolio centers on aerospace and defense-grade electronic control units including the Power Distribution Unit (PDU), Actuator Control Unit (ACU), and Common Subsystem Controller (CSC), along with specialized HeliSAS Autopilot systems (VFR and IFR variants) for helicopter stability augmentation. The company provides industrial motor controllers (Low Inductance Controller, Intelligent Integrated Motor Controller), thermal regulation systems (EETRS), and application-specific subsystems for aircraft programs including KC-46, P-8 Poseidon, A-160 Hummingbird, Falcon 900, and Stratolaunch. Products range from simple analog electromechanical actuator controls to high-performance redundant digital system controls, all designed to withstand harsh aerospace, defense, and industrial environments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Power Distribution Unit (PDU)

Quantifiable outcome

• Genesys Aerosystems delivered 1,000th HeliSAS stability augmentation system (F O Engineering as Design Authority)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Federal Industries, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company relationship with Federal Industries, Inc., which designs and manufactures aerial refueling digital hydraulic actuation system components, fuel, hydraulic, and pneumatic flow controls, and various products licensed by major U.S. Aerospace companies. Federal Industries operates as a complementary manufacturing entity to F O Engineering's electrical engineering and systems integration capabilities.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Woodward, Inc. Supplier of energy control and optimization solutions, including motor controllers and power electronics, for aerospace and industrial markets. Comparable in motor controller and power conversion engineering depth, though at much larger scale and broader platform coverage.
• BAE Systems Electronic Systems: Major defense electronics supplier with flight control, navigation, and electronic warfare subsystems across military platforms. Comparable as a DO-178-certified flight-safety electronics supplier to defense primes, though at much greater scale and program breadth than F O Engineering.
• Triumph Group: Tier-1 aerospace components and subsystems supplier to commercial and military OEMs, including actuation, hydraulics, and structural components. Comparable as a build-to-print and design-authority supplier to major aerospace primes, though at significantly larger scale than F O Engineering.
• AeroVironment: Specialized unmanned aircraft systems and tactical missile supplier to DoD, with growing need for miniaturized flight control and power electronics. While AeroVironment is primarily an airframe/integrator, its demand profile for SWaP-constrained control electronics overlaps with F O Engineering's core competency.
• Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions: Established supplier of ruggedized electronics, flight control computers, and mission-critical subsystems to defense and aerospace primes. Comparable in DO-178-certified flight control and harsh-environment electronics, but operates as a multi-billion-dollar diversified incumbent.
• Kaman Aerospace: Aerospace components and systems supplier with actuation, bearings, and safety-critical subsystems for rotorcraft and fixed-wing platforms. Comparable as a niche aerospace supplier to defense primes with overlapping flight control and actuation adjacencies.
• Moog Inc. Aerospace incumbent with broad motion control, actuation, and flight control electronics offerings across commercial and military aircraft. Overlaps directly with F O Engineering's actuation control units and electromechanical actuation subsystems, though Moog operates at substantially greater scale and product breadth.
• Parker Hannifin Aerospace: Broad aerospace motion and control systems incumbent supplying actuation, hydraulic, and electromechanical subsystems to commercial and military aircraft. Overlaps with F O Engineering's actuation control and electromechanical actuator work, particularly on commercial platforms.

Direct peers

• Genesys Aerosystems: Partner and customer of F O Engineering on the HeliSAS Flight Control Computer. Genesys Aerosystems markets certified helicopter avionics (autopilot, stability augmentation, EFIS) and directly depends on F O Engineering's design and production — comparable size, vertical, and product overlap in rotorcraft flight control electronics.
• Sierra Technical Services (STS): Customer and program lead on the 5GAT 5th Generation Aerial Target drone for which F O Engineering is subsystem design authority. STS operates in the same niche of unmanned aerial target system integration and partners with F O Engineering on flight controls, hydraulics, electrical power, and landing gear subsystems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fo-engineering-inc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Fast Optimal Engineering