Ultra-Compact Wireless Mesh for Robots and UGVs
Callsign: Cardinal
Cardinal is Rajant’s ultra-compact, lightweight wireless mesh node, purpose-built to extend secure communications to the furthest tactical edge, where size, weight, power, and mobility are critical to mission success. UGV’s are not just users of the network; they become part of the network.
Designed for embedded and mobile platforms, Cardinal enables resilient mesh connectivity on unmanned systems, small vehicles, sensors, and dismounted assets operating beyond the reach of fixed infrastructure. With no dependency on centralized controllers or line-of-sight links, Cardinal keeps data moving wherever the mission pushes forward.
Powered by Rajant’s patented InstaMesh® networking software, Cardinal delivers self-forming, self-healing communications in environments where traditional Wi-Fi and fixed radios fail.
When missions demand connectivity without adding weight, Cardinal answers the call.
Product Overview
Forward Edge Connectivity in a Minimal Footprint
Cardinal is engineered for defense operations that require maximum network reach with minimal weight. Its compact form factor and low power draw make it ideal for integration into unmanned platforms, mobile sensors, and space-constrained tactical systems.
Despite its size, Cardinal operates as a full participant in Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh® network routing traffic, adapting to movement, and maintaining secure links as nodes relocate or drop from the network.
Built for Embedded and Mobile Platforms
- Ultra-small, lightweight design supports SWaP-constrained deployments
- Software Selectable Radio: enables software switching between 2.4GHz and 5GHz
- Dual-transceiver architecture enables resilient mesh performance
- Extends connectivity beyond fixed infrastructure and line-of-sight limitations
Powered by InstaMesh®
- Automatically forms peer-to-peer mesh links
- Continuously optimizes routes as assets move
- Maintains connectivity without controllers or single points of failure
Cardinal pushes the network outward, placing secure mesh communications directly on the assets that need it most.
Features & Applications
Designed for Tactical Edge Integration
Cardinal is purpose-built for environments where traditional networking hardware is too large, too power-hungry, or too fragile. Its rugged design and adaptive mesh behavior make it ideal for forward-deployed, unmanned, and mobile use cases.
Forward Edge Applications
- Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and robotic platforms
- Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) payload integration
- Mobile sensors and ISR nodes
- Dismounted and small-unit operations
- Vehicle-mounted subsystems and embedded platforms
Operational Advantages
- Extends secure mesh connectivity to SWaP-constrained assets
- Operates in cluttered, obstructed, and NLOS environments
- Supports machine-to-machine and peer-to-peer communications
- Integrates seamlessly with larger BreadCrumb® nodes for layered networks
Whether mounted on a robot, sensor, or mobile platform, Cardinal enables resilient communications at the point of action—not just at the network core.
Specifications
Download the Cardinal Spec Sheet
- Software Selectable Radio: enables software switching between 2.4GHz and 5GHz
- Mission-Focused Performance
- Cardinal delivers forward-edge capability without unnecessary complexity.
- Form factor: ultra-compact and lightweight for embedded deployments
- Wireless: dual-band 2.4/5 GHz and 5 GHz 2×2 MIMO radios
- Throughput: combined data rates exceeding 1.7 Gbps
- Security: per-hop, per-packet authentication with strong cryptographic options
- Networking: Layer-2 InstaMesh® operation with self-forming and self-healing behavior
- Power: low power consumption with flexible DC and passive PoE options
- Environmental: rugged design supporting operation in harsh conditions
Cardinal is engineered to deliver secure mesh connectivity at the forward edge—without adding weight, complexity, or fragility to the mission.
Why Choose Cardinal
Forward Edge Advantage.
| Advantage | What It Delivers |
|---|---|
| Ultra-Compact Design | Enables mesh networking on SWaP-constrained platforms |
| Dual Band Radio | Allows simultaneous use of multiple channels |
| Embedded Flexibility | Integrates directly into unmanned, robotic, and sensor systems |
| Adaptive Mesh Behavior | Maintains connectivity as assets move or links degrade |
| Secure by Design | Strong encryption and authentication at every hop |
| Seamless Interoperability | Operates natively with all Rajant BreadCrumb® nodes |
Cardinal is the node that places the network exactly where the mission needs it, at the forward edge, on the smallest and most mobile assets.
Place Your Order Today
Please fill out the form to be connected with the appropriate Rajant representative for purchasing. We’ll show you how to utilize the our products to your advantage to build a fully mobile, mission-critical mesh infrastructure with high throughput for virtually any automated industrial environment.
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Assisting the entire team with the validation of the installation, configuration, and ramp-up of the testing phase was a highly rewarding experience. Through this project, I gained valuable insights into rail operations, which became a key learning opportunity for me. Additionally, I contributed to the delivery of training during the implementation phase, as part of the Sales Engineering team’s responsibilities.
Daniel Souza
Sales Engineer, LATAM – Rajant
You can’t drive video through a hill. There’s just not enough bandwidth. By putting up a Rajant network, it allows us to attach cameras to each of those Rajant nodes. The more we have, the more bandwidth we get.
Andy Stein
Think Vertical Now
The Rajant network is so reliable that you’re going to see an ROI almost immediately. We were able to see a $1M ROI in a year. We paid for the network within six months.
Brian Hunt
JR Simplot Company
The Kinetic Mesh is quite unique. The flexibility of the Rajant hardware is what’s critical.
Dale Birt
FTP Solutions
Open architecture enables interoperability between systems. Rajant is always looking ahead.
Ale Walker
Gray Solutions
For the Royal Wedding, it became quite apparent during the design process that using conventional point-to-point/multipoint would not suffice in the urban environment of Windsor, making Rajant’s mesh network a superior solution.
Thames Valley Police Member | Great Britain
Other wireless technologies, including the latest 5G, all have the same physical limitation: Wireless cannot pass through large, metal container stacks. Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh M2M technology allows the vehicles to talk to each other, which is critical to communicating fleet directions between container stacks.
Matthias Krause
DGWorld
Downtime is really the critical factor in our business. We just cannot afford interruptions, and with Rajant’s technology, we have virtually none.
Ed Darcy
President, Mealey’s Furniture
Our engineering team’s proposal to address this problem only worked because we used Rajant and its unique mesh feature, which is designed for this challenging environment.
Francisco Casals
CTO of Mining Tag Chile
You’ve got to be able to maintain connectivity and access your key performance indicators. Whether it’s sensors, people, or tablets, Rajant enables us to provide not only bandwidth and low latency but also support the needed applications.
Dustin Jurman
Rapid Systems
Using Rajant mesh technology, Kinross has reduced the need for technical staff to deploy repeaters in the network, while improving security and decreasing the number of personnel inside the mine.
Cleiton Arruda
Business Consultant, SITECH/Grupo Sotreq
We found Rajant’s solid track record in military operations reassuring. Its mesh networks have delivered many benefits in those rugged, dynamic environments.
Bob Wingle
Senior Technology Engineer | ASARCO Ray Mine
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rajant Kinetic Mesh® technology?
Rajant Kinetic Mesh® is an Intelligent Edge networking technology designed for dynamic, mobile environments where traditional fixed infrastructure falls short.
Unlike conventional wireless systems, it enables continuous, adaptive connectivity across moving assets, people, and devices. Powering Industrial AI applications that demand resilience, low latency, and real-time decision-making.
How do Rajant’s BreadCrumb® wireless nodes enhance network connectivity?
Rajant’s BreadCrumb® nodes are the building blocks of a self-forming, self-healing Kinetic Mesh® network.
Each node communicates directly with every other, creating a web of redundant, high-throughput connections that ensure uninterrupted communication, even when conditions change or assets move.
This decentralized design eliminates single points of failure, maximizing uptime and mobility.
InstaMesh® vs. conventional point-to-point connections.
Conventional point-to-point networks depend on fixed links that can break under motion or interference.
Rajant’s InstaMesh® routing protocol dynamically reroutes traffic in real time, automatically choosing the fastest, most reliable path.
The result: continuous, mobile, and intelligent connectivity for operations that never stop moving.
What are the benefits of Rajant’s InstaMesh® for IIoT applications?
For Industrial IoT environments, InstaMesh® provides the low-latency, adaptive communication required to keep machines, sensors, and AI systems synchronized.
It delivers instant data exchange, self-healing reliability, and scalable capacity, empowering predictive maintenance, automation, and autonomous decision-making at the edge.
How can Rajant Kinetic Mesh support real-time tele-operations in mines?
Mining operations depend on remote visibility and control where connectivity is often limited.
Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh® delivers real-time communication and video streaming for tele-remote equipment and autonomous vehicles, even underground.
Its multi-radio BreadCrumb® nodes maintain reliable signal and low latency. Keeping operators safely in control from any distance.
Rajant Kinetic Mesh network vs. traditional WiFi solutions.
Traditional WiFi networks are static, fragile, and reliant on centralized infrastructure.
Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh® replaces those limits with a dynamic, peer-to-peer architecture, where every node acts as both transmitter and receiver.
This ensures continuous, adaptive coverage, ideal for moving assets and mission-critical applications where downtime is not an option.
Discover Rajant’s solutions for tunnel communications.
Tunnels and underground environments are notoriously difficult for wireless communication.
Rajant’s BreadCrumb® nodes create a linear, mobile mesh network that maintains signal integrity through long corridors, curves, and obstructions.
This allows real-time monitoring, voice, and video for mining, utilities, and public safety teams.
How does Rajant’s technology enhance machine-to-machine communication?
Rajant’s InstaMesh® routing enables machines to communicate directly and continuously, without depending on static access points.
This machine-to-machine (M2M) intelligence ensures critical data is shared instantly, fueling automation, robotics coordination, and AI-driven optimization across industrial environments.
Cost of implementing a Rajant Kinetic Mesh network.
Implementation costs vary based on network size, environment, and application.
However, Rajant’s decentralized design significantly reduces the need for fixed infrastructure, cabling, or complex configuration.
Resulting in a lower total cost of ownership and faster ROI compared to traditional networking systems.
How do BreadCrumb® nodes work in enhancing network resilience?
Each BreadCrumb® acts as a multi-radio, multi-frequency transceiver that maintains multiple simultaneous connections.
If one path is interrupted, InstaMesh® instantly reroutes data through another, creating always-on resilience that keeps communications live even under extreme conditions.
Maximize network uptime with Rajant’s solutions.
Rajant eliminates the single points of failure found in traditional networks.
Its multi-path, self-healing mesh keeps assets connected, even as they move, ensuring maximum uptime and operational continuity in industries where every second counts.
What industries benefit most from Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh technology?
Rajant’s Intelligent Edge networks power operations across mining, ports, logistics, defense, manufacturing, public safety, agriculture, and energy.
Wherever mobile assets, automation, and Industrial AI intersect, Rajant delivers real-time, reliable communication to keep data flowing and decisions immediate.
Comparing Rajant Kinetic Mesh with LTE solutions.
LTE depends on centralized infrastructure and licensed spectrum, creating latency and coverage limits.
Rajant’s Kinetic Mesh® offers a private, infrastructure-free alternative with ultra-low latency, flexible frequency use, and no dependency on towers or carriers. It’s built for mobility, autonomy, and data sovereignty.
Rajant Kinetic Mesh network integration with existing infrastructure.
Rajant networks are designed for seamless integration.
BreadCrumb® nodes connect easily with existing Ethernet, LTE, and satellite systems extending coverage, strengthening resilience, and modernizing legacy networks without disruption.
Do you sell direct?
Rajant primarily sells through our authorized partners and distributors, who bring deep expertise in deploying Intelligent Edge networking solutions across a range of industries.
This collaborative approach ensures customers receive tailored integration, local support, and end-to-end service from network design to deployment.
To find a Rajant distributor near you, visit our distributor page.