Crydon Defense Systems Inc. · St. Petersburg, FL UEI ER13XF6JSQ64 · CAGE 15L43 · U.S.-owned · No FOCI
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U.S.-owned · Nontraditional defense contractor

Secure autonomy.Tactical advantage.

Crydon Defense Systems Inc. delivers mission-oriented R&D, autonomy integration, communications architectures and payload integration for U.S. defense programs — with a test-first workflow and predictable delivery artifacts.

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  • 100% U.S.-owned U.S.-controlled, no FOCI
  • 10 U.S.C. §4022 Nontraditional defense contractor
  • SAM.gov registered CAGE 15L43 · UEI ER13XF6JSQ64
  • Small business NAICS 541715 primary
01 Capabilities

The full engineering loop, from requirements to test-ready prototypes

We support defense and aerospace teams across UAS research, autonomy, communications and payload integration — with test evidence at every step.

01

UAS R&D and rapid prototyping

Baseline platforms and rapid iterations aligned to program constraints, schedules and test events.

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02

Autonomy and flight-control integration

Behavior integration, safety constraints and interfaces to autopilot and mission software.

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03

LOS/BLOS communications

Reference architectures and integration planning for resilient connectivity, within program constraints.

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04

Payload integration

Mechanical, electrical and software integration patterns that reduce interface and integration risk.

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05

Test campaigns and iteration loops

Test planning, instrumentation, evidence capture, reporting and follow-on improvements.

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06

Transition support

Documentation, baselines and handoff artifacts for downstream teams and production readiness.

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02 Flagship offering

APX — one autonomy core across every airframe

A proprietary, distributed flight-control and autonomy architecture, flight-demonstrated from compact UAS to stratospheric aircraft — offered to U.S. programs through Crydon's contracting, integration and sustainment pathway.

  • Distributed mission, guidance and stabilization tiers — fault isolation and safe degraded states
  • Proprietary, controlled firmware — not open-source, not Pixhawk-derived
  • Multi-constellation GNSS with GNSS-independent AHRS for degraded and denied navigation
  • AES-256 encrypted command and telemetry over frequency-hopping links
  • Onboard mission scripting, isolated from flight-critical code
Explore APX
The wing of the HiDRON stratospheric glider above the curvature of the Earth ALT 111,434 FT REC ●
HiDRON at altitude — a controlled return from a 111,434 ft release. UAVOS engineering heritage.
03 Engineering heritage

Proven across MALE, VTOL and stratospheric classes

The founder's prior work with UAVOS produced fielded unmanned aircraft across every major class. That lineage informs how Crydon designs, integrates and tests — as U.S.-owned, U.S.-controlled know-how.

The S1-V300 MALE unmanned aircraft on the apron in front of a hangar Fixed-wing

S1-V300

Medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAS

endurance
28+ h
external payload
300 kg
maximum speed
220 km/h
ALBATROSS 2.2 parked on a desert airfield apron Fixed-wing

ALBATROSS 2.2

Medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) fixed-wing UAS

maximum endurance
20 h
range
2,255 km
maximum payload
250 kg
The UVH-500 unmanned helicopter with an underslung cargo pod and a sensor gimbal Rotary-wing

UVH-500

Long-range heavy-lift VTOL unmanned helicopter

maximum range
840 km
payload, fuel included
160 kg
flight time with 20 kg
7 h
Aerial view of the ApusDuo tandem-wing solar aircraft on a grass field with its ground crew Stratospheric

ApusDuo / ApusNeo HAPS

Solar high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS)

ApusDuo flight altitude, 2023
16,686 m
continuous flight, ApusNeo 18
48 h
carbon-fibre airframe
43 kg
The HiDRON wing at stratospheric altitude above the curvature of the Earth Stratospheric

HiDRON

Balloon-launched stratospheric glider

release altitude, Canadian record
111,434 ft
controlled return flight
~4 h
operating temperature
−60 °C
 05 platforms The full engineering heritage Developed through the founder's prior work with UAVOS and shown as engineering heritage and design lineage. Not a product of Crydon Defense Systems Inc. View heritage
04 Mission applications

Built around operational realities

Autonomy and integration mapped to the missions programs actually fly.

All mission applications

Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance

Platform and payload integration support for ISR workflows — persistent coverage, the right sensors and timely dissemination.

Maritime monitoring

Long-range mission concepts, resilient connectivity planning and sensor integration patterns for wide-area maritime awareness.

Border security

Persistent monitoring concepts and scalable unmanned solutions for long, remote borders.

Disaster response

Rapidly deployable capabilities for mapping, monitoring and coordination support when infrastructure is down.

Communications relay

Airborne and stratospheric relay that extends networks beyond line of sight, where terrain or distance breaks the link.

GNSS-degraded operations

Navigation and control that keep the mission going when GNSS is degraded, denied or spoofed.

05 How we work

Engineering discipline. Delivery clarity.

Every engagement runs the same loop, and every loop leaves evidence.

  1. 01

    Requirements

    Mission constraints, interfaces and what "done" means — defined before design starts.

  2. 02

    Integration

    Flight controls, communications and payloads brought together with interface discipline.

  3. 03

    Test evidence

    Lab, SITL/HITL and field events planned as we design, with instrumentation and evidence capture.

  4. 04

    Improvement

    Short build-test-learn loops tuned through operator feedback and baselined for transition.

06 Contracting

Structured for rapid prototyping and transition

A nontraditional defense contractor under 10 U.S.C. §4022, registered in SAM.gov and organized for Other Transaction prototype agreements and follow-on production.

Contracting details Capability statement
UEI
ER13XF6JSQ64
CAGE
15L43
NAICS, primary
541715
Business size
Small business (SBA)
  • U.S.-owned and controlled by a U.S. person
  • No foreign ownership, control or influence (no FOCI)
  • Nontraditional defense contractor eligible under 10 U.S.C. §4022
News

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Video

Video: Autonomy integration for complex platforms

A six-minute overview of APX — one autonomy core integrated across fixed-wing, rotary-wing and stratospheric platforms — and how Crydon brings it to U.S. programs.

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Next step

Ready to discuss a program need?

Share your platform context, constraints and schedule. We'll propose a clear integration and test approach aligned to your objectives.

Start a conversation sales@crydon.us