Sagetech Avionics receives DOD AIMS certification for Mode 5 Micro IFF Transponder for UAVs

WHITE SALMON, Wash., - Sagetech Avionics, an aerospace technology company providing situational awareness solutions for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), announced that on February 5th the DOD AIMS Program Office issued the world's first 17-1000 Mark XIIB certification to Sagetech for its MX12B micro Mode 5 Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) transponder. This newly certified transponder enables NATO and allied militaries to deploy Mode 5 IFF capability on small drones, protecting the warfighter against rapidly increasing unmanned threats from enemy forces.

"Around the world, enemy military drones are proliferating, and it is vital to distinguish between friendly or hostile drones. Mode 5 IFF provides the solution to this issue, but until now, manned aircraft transponders were too large for use on anything but the largest UAS," explained Tom Furey, CEO of Sagetech Avionics. "The MX12B combines Mode 5 IFF functionality with ADS-B situational awareness in a tiny SWaP unit that is fast and easy to integrate.

Sagetech has served the military with certified products that have flown millions of mission hours, so customers can feel comfortable they're receiving bullet-proof functionality built on a heritage of military program performance."

Over the past year, Sagetech has successfully performed live demonstrations of the MX12B interoperating with multiple crypto computers at the U.S. Navy IMPAX 2020 event, for the U.S Army, and for major OEM military UAS customers. With the new certification issued last week, the company has already delivered certified MX12B units to numerous customers to fulfill backlog purchase orders for new and ongoing programs.