R Cubed Engineering, Llc
R Cubed Engineering is an SBA-certified Woman-Owned Small Business that designs miniaturized IFF transponders, ADS-B systems, and collision avoidance avionics for U.S. military, NASA, and select commercial and international aerospace customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersPalmetto, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What R Cubed Engineering, Llc does
R Cubed Engineering, LLC is a privately held, SBA-certified Woman-Owned Small Business founded in 2004 that designs miniaturized avionics for military and commercial aerospace applications, with headquarters in Palmetto, Florida and a manufacturing/innovation division in Bangor, Maine established in 2026. The company's core products center on the RT-2087 ZPX family of IFF transponders (under 4 oz and under 4 cubic inches, with 500W peak power and GPS integration), the KIV 79 Mode 5 ECU for cryptographic key management, the ZPR ADS-B receiver, the Trusted Time Loader, and the AWSAS (All Weather Sense and Avoid System) for autonomous UAS collision avoidance. Technology emphasis is on extreme Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) minimization to enable integration on tactical unmanned platforms such as the RQ-21A Blackjack and Shadow RQ-7, while supporting Modes 1-5, S, and ADS-B.
The company monetizes primarily through Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts and follow-on Phase III production awards with the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, and NASA, supplemented by authorized-reseller revenue from uAvionix avionics products. R Cubed has accumulated 15+ SBIR awards and 20+ certified and deployed systems over 20+ years, including 50 Micro IFF units installed on RQ-21A aircraft and the world's first autonomous collision avoidance demonstration between two RQ-23 UAS at Yuma Proving Ground. Distribution is direct to government program offices and select commercial/international customers (BNSF Railway, DRDC/NRC Canada), with a marketing approach limited to its own website, direct email, and phone contact rather than broad consumer channels. R Cubed holds CMMC Level 2 compliance, SAM registration, SBA WOSB certification, and an approved accounting system, positioning it as a credentialed small-business prime for DoD avionics and trusted airspace integration programs.
R Cubed Engineering, Llc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- R Cubed Engineering, Llc
- Legal name
- R Cubed Engineering, LLC
- Website
- https://rcubedengineering.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- R Cubed Engineering is an SBA-certified Woman-Owned Small Business that designs miniaturized IFF transponders, ADS-B systems, and collision avoidance avionics for U.S. military, NASA, and select commercial and international aerospace customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
R Cubed Engineering, Llc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Military and Aerospace Avionics
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413), Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing (33641)
- SIC
- Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment, Nec (3728)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Surveillance & Identification Avionics (ADS-B/Transponders/TCAS) (IMABAFAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Avionics Communication Systems (VHF/UHF/SATCOM/Data Link) (IMABAFAG), Avionics Software, Certification & Safety-Critical Systems (DO-178/DO-254) (IMABAFAK), Avionics Test, Simulation & Calibration Equipment (IMABAFAN)
Keywords
Where R Cubed Engineering, Llc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palmetto
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
R Cubed Engineering, Llc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- SBIR Contract Research: Small Business Innovation Research contracts with Navy, Army, Air Force, and NASA for development of avionics and UAS technology. Includes Phase I, II, II.5, and III SBIR awards.
- Production Contracts: IDIQ contracts and production awards for manufacturing and installing Micro IFF systems. Includes $248.5M Army IDIQ contract for APX-128 production through partner Sagetech Avionics.
- Reseller Revenue: Authorized reseller of uAvionix avionics products.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
R Cubed Engineering, Llc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
R Cubed Engineering designs, develops, and manufactures miniaturized avionics hardware for unmanned and manned aircraft, centered on the RT-2087 ZPX family of IFF transponders, the KIV 79 Mode 5 ECU, ADS-B transponders/transceivers and receivers, and the All Weather Sense and Avoid System (AWSAS). The company fulfills these offerings through SBIR-funded R&D with the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, and NASA, and produces units for DoD programs and authorized resale of uAvionix commercial avionics.
Product overview
R Cubed Engineering offers a portfolio of miniaturized avionics systems centered on Mode 5 IFF transponders and ADS-B integration for military and commercial aerospace applications. The core product line centers on the RT-2087 ZPX transponder family (including ZPX-1 and ZPX variants) paired with the KIV 79 Mode 5 ECU for crypto management, supported by accessories including the ZPR receiver, KIV 79 emulator, fill cable, and Trusted Time Loader. The company also commercializes the NASA-backed ADS-B authentication technology through dedicated transponders (ZPX-A Civil), and provides the All Weather Sense and Avoid System (AWSAS) for collision avoidance. Products are designed for minimal SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) envelopes to support integration on tactical UAS platforms including RQ-21A and Shadow RQ-7, as well as manned military aircraft.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- RT-2087 ZPX-1 Transponder Ultra-compact IFF transponder weighing under 4oz and under 4 cubic inches, with full Mode capability, 500W peak power, and integrated GPS, designed for military unmanned and manned aircraft platforms.
- RT-2087 ZPX Transponder Miniaturized IFF transponder supporting Modes 1-5, S, and ADS-B, designed for integration onto tactical UAS platforms including the RQ-21A BlackJack and Shadow RQ-7.
- ZPX-A Civil Transponder Civil aviation transponder for commercial unmanned systems requiring ADS-B Out compliance and certified airspace integration.
- KIV 79 Mode 5 ECU Embedded Control Unit for Mode 5 IFF crypto key loading and management, designed to complement the RT-2087 transponder family in miniaturized SWaP-constrained installations.
- KIV 79 Emulator Standalone emulation device for testing and development of KIV 79 Mode 5 ECU functionality without requiring fielded cryptographic equipment.
- ZPR Receiver Dedicated ADS-B receiver providing situational awareness and real-time traffic data for UAS collision avoidance operations.
- KIV 79 Fill Cable Key fill cable for transferring cryptographic keys to Mode 5 IFF transponders and ECUs in the KIV 79 product family.
- Trusted Time Loader Secure time loading device for synchronized GPS and timing functions across avionics systems.
- AWSAS (All Weather Sense and Avoid System) All-weather collision avoidance system enabling UAS operations in the National Airspace System through autonomous sense-and-avoid capabilities, developed with ONR and tested with NRL.
Quantifiable outcome
- Ultra-compact IFF transponder under 4oz and under 4 cubic inches with full mode capability and 500W peak power
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use R Cubed Engineering, Llc
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
R Cubed Engineering, Llc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
R Cubed Engineering, Llc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Sagetech AvionicscoreR Cubed Engineering developed the AN/APX-128 advanced IFF transponder under a separate SBIR contract. Sagetech Avionics was awarded a 10-year, $248.5 million IDIQ contract by the U.S. Army for production of the APX-128 transponder, which enables rapid replacement of obsolete IFF systems while providing upgrade options for both legacy and future aircraft platforms.
- uAvionixminorR Cubed Engineering is an authorized reseller of uAvionix avionics products, offering their transponder and ADS-B solutions alongside their own proprietary systems.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
R Cubed Engineering, Llc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris is the largest U.S. provider of Mode 5 IFF systems and a broad incumbent in military avionics. R Cubed competes in a miniaturized niche but faces L3Harris as the entrenched prime for larger-platform IFF.
- Leonardo DRS: Leonardo DRS produces IFF systems and avionics across multiple DoD platforms. As a broad incumbent, it competes with R Cubed wherever miniaturized Mode 5 solutions are evaluated for new platforms.
- Garmin: Garmin is a broad incumbent avionics provider with Mode S / ADS-B transponder products across general aviation. R Cubed competes in the commercial / civil ADS-B segment adjacent to Garmin's portfolio.
- BAE Systems: BAE Systems produces IFF transponders and is the incumbent producer of the APX-118 / APX-119 family that the APX-128 is positioned to replace. R Cubed's miniaturization wedge competes against BAE's deep DoD integration footprint.
- Honeywell Aerospace: Honeywell Aerospace is a broad incumbent in military and commercial avionics, including transponder and surveillance products. R Cubed's miniaturized offerings address a SWaP segment Honeywell largely does not target.
- Thales Group: Thales is a major non-U.S. IFF and avionics prime and a global incumbent in Mode 5 / Mode S transponders. R Cubed competes where smaller, lighter alternatives are needed for small UAS.
Emerging players
- SRC Inc. SRC Inc. is a mid-sized U.S. defense research and engineering firm working on IFF, counter-UAS, and radar. Comparable to R Cubed in scale and SBIR-driven DoD business model.
- FreeFlight Systems: FreeFlight Systems produces ADS-B and transponder equipment for general aviation and special-mission UAS, overlapping with R Cubed's commercial ADS-B / IFF product focus.
Direct peers
- Sagetech Avionics: Sagetech Avionics manufactures miniature Mode 5 / ADS-B transponders and is R Cubed's strategic partner — Sagetech holds the $248.5M Army IDIQ for the APX-128 transponder originally developed by R Cubed, putting both firms in the same UAS IFF product niche.
- uAvionix: uAvionix is a small-form-factor ADS-B and transponder specialist for UAS and general aviation — R Cubed is an authorized reseller of uAvionix products, and both companies target the same SWaP-constrained UAS avionics customer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
R Cubed Engineering, Llc social profiles
Digital presenceR Cubed Engineering, Llc compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
R Cubed Engineering, Llc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
R Cubed Engineering, Llc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
R Cubed Engineering, Llc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
R Cubed Engineering, Llc 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 R Cubed Engineering, Llc
What does R Cubed Engineering, Llc do?
R Cubed Engineering designs, develops, and manufactures miniaturized avionics hardware for unmanned and manned aircraft, centered on the RT-2087 ZPX family of IFF transponders, the KIV 79 Mode 5 ECU, ADS-B transponders/transceivers and receivers, and the All Weather Sense and Avoid System (AWSAS). The company fulfills these offerings through SBIR-funded R&D with the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, and NASA, and produces units for DoD programs and authorized resale of uAvionix commercial avionics.
Is R Cubed Engineering, Llc a public or private company?
R Cubed Engineering, Llc is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was R Cubed Engineering, Llc founded?
R Cubed Engineering, Llc was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is R Cubed Engineering, Llc based?
R Cubed Engineering, Llc is headquartered in Palmetto, United States, in the North America region.
How does R Cubed Engineering, Llc make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. SBIR Contract Research is the primary driver. The others are production Contracts and reseller Revenue.
Who are R Cubed Engineering, Llc's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are L3Harris Technologies, Leonardo DRS, Garmin, BAE Systems, Honeywell Aerospace and Thales Group. Emerging players are SRC Inc. and FreeFlight Systems. Direct peers are Sagetech Avionics and uAvionix.
Does R Cubed Engineering, Llc have an API?
No public API is recorded for R Cubed Engineering, Llc.
What industry is R Cubed Engineering, Llc in?
R Cubed Engineering, Llc's product category is Military and Aerospace Avionics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAFAM, Surveillance & Identification Avionics (ADS-B/Transponders/TCAS), with a secondary code of IMABAFAG, Avionics Communication Systems (VHF/UHF/SATCOM/Data Link). Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 3812.