A quantum magnetic navigation system has been tested to guide an aircraft 鈥� and it outperformed standard backup systems that planes rely on when GPS signals are jammed.
GPS and other global navigation satellite systems use radio signals transmitted between space and Earth. But these radio waves are relatively weak and are vulnerable to intentional jamming, as we saw in 2024 when GPS jamming and spoofing affected transatlantic flights. Now, GPS backup systems are becoming increasingly important as planes face navigational challenges.
Instead of using satellites, quantum magnetic navigation relies on quantum sensor readings of Earth鈥檚 magnetic field. It uses an instrument called a quantum magnetometer, which contains trapped atoms that respond to Earth鈥檚 magnetic field. The atoms 鈥渟erve as tiny compass needles which can be read out by laser beams鈥�, says at Q-CTRL, an Australian quantum company.
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The company鈥檚 quantum magnetic navigation device, or MagNav 鈥� called Ironstone Opal 鈥� uses AI-powered software to compare readings against a magnetic field map and standard aircraft motion sensor readings. It simultaneously removes signal noise from magnetic interference caused by other electronics on board an aircraft while being 鈥渦ndetectable and unjammable鈥�, says Biercuk. And it鈥檚 small enough to fit aboard fixed-wing military drones and larger aircraft.
During test flights aboard a small aircraft in February, the MagNav system reported the position of the plane to within 22 metres in the best trial, and it consistently delivered accuracy measured within hundreds of metres.
Standard GPS still outperformed the quantum navigation device, usually providing location accuracy to within 3 to 5 metres. But MagNav had nearly 50 times better positional accuracy than standard GPS backup systems, which rely on motion sensors. It also outperformed Doppler radar and lidar systems, which help with aircraft navigation, by a factor of 10.
The MagNav system can provide consistent results on the plane鈥檚 location, while a standard GPS backup navigation system鈥檚 errors become larger over time, says at the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research.
However, quantum navigation devices rely on detailed magnetic field maps, which may not be publicly available for the entire Earth. Their accuracy also depends on having prominent magnetic features to use as wayfinding points. 鈥淣avigation on the map without strong magnetic features is very difficult,鈥� says Juki膰. 鈥淚t is like navigating on the open sea without any visual landmarks or a compass.鈥�
Next, Q-CTRL plans on testing MagNav in flight trials aboard fixed-wing military drones and commercial passenger aircraft in partnership with the Australian Department of Defence, the UK Royal Navy, the US Department of Defense and European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
arXiv
Article amended on 21 April 2025
We clarified that Q-CTRL is a quantum company and its MagNav system is called Ironstone Opal
