At embedded world 2026 on the DigiKey booth, Lucy Barnard spoke with Chris Miller, President at VersaLogic about the Raptor, the company’s brand new product, and the innovation behind the compact device.
Miller presented the Raptor as a solution designed for environments where size, weight, and power are critical, particularly in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
VersaLogic has been in the embedded computing sector for 50 years, focusing on high-reliability, rugged designs that operate under extended temperatures. “Most of our products are available for seven to ten years, which is not necessarily the norm in the electronics industry,” Miller noted, underlining the company’s commitment to long-term availability and support.
The Raptor is roughly the size of a deck of cards, yet it incorporates Intel’s latest processors and can support up to 64GB of memory. The design prioritises essential IO, including USB4 and 2.5GB Ethernet, while mini and M.2 sockets allow users to add AI accelerators or additional Ethernet ports. Miller explained that the approach was to “refine the IO, getting to the point where it was the IO that they absolutely needed for the applications,” rather than overloading the board with every available feature.
Ruggedisation was a key focus. The board operates across a temperature range of -40 to +85°C, has undergone MIL-202H shock and vibration testing, and is rated for altitudes up to 50,000ft. Miller described the thermal design: “We’ve actually brought all the heat to this one heat plate… and on top of that, we offer a heat pipe adapter that allows people to bring that heat even further away from the system.” These features ensure that the Raptor delivers consistent performance even in harsh operational conditions.
Reliability is embedded into the design process from the start. VersaLogic follows ISO 9001 and AS9100 standards and backs its products with a five-year warranty and low RMA rates. “Our quality management system is designed from the get-go so that we deliver a highly reliable system,” Miller said.
Although the Raptor is new to the market, VersaLogic anticipates it will be used for Edge computing and AI applications, particularly where deployment occurs in remote or rugged locations. The modular IO design enables customers to integrate AI processing tailored to their needs without preselecting specific accelerators.
Looking ahead, Miller outlined plans for continued evolution of the Raptor line, including customised modifications for medical and heavy industrial applications. “Smaller, faster, less power – that’s always the drive,” he said, highlighting VersaLogic’s approach to creating adaptable embedded solutions. The Raptor positions the company at the intersection of compact performance, reliability, and edge computing innovation.
Find out more in the interview below.
