Q-CTRL wins DARPA awards to develop quantum sensors for navigation
Under the DARPA Robust Quantum Sensors (RoQS) program, Q-CTRL has been awarded contracts valued at A$38M (US$24.4M) to augment its field-validated quantum sensing technologies for demanding real-world use cases in high-performance military vehicles.
Navigational technology that is resilient to denial, jamming, spoofing, and other forms of interference in the environment has become increasingly critical to defence applications, ranging from battlefield operations to intelligence and surveillance. As conflict zones expand, the risks to crewed and uncrewed defence missions are increasing daily. Quantum sensing offers a complementary technology to GPS, providing resilience against external interference while filling coverage gaps.
Q-CTRL will develop next-generation quantum sensors for navigation, building on their success in field trials of airborne, maritime, and ground-based quantum navigation, augmented by their proprietary AI-powered software for ruggedisation. This technology enables sensors to operate reliably on moving defence platforms subject to challenging real-world conditions, without the need for traditional shielding or isolation. Q-CTRL will be joined by Lockheed Martin as a subcontractor on one aspect of the RoQS program, leveraging its expertise in GPS and quantum technology.
Real-world quantum sensors
DARPA established RoQS to accelerate the development, testing, and validation of quantum sensors for real-world defence applications, which include maintaining stability against environmental interference, mechanical vibrations, and heavy g-forces.
“DARPA has an incredible track record of delivering innovations that change the face of society, from the internet and mobile phones to night vision and stealth,” said Michael J Biercuk, CEO and Founder of Q-CTRL. “Our recent demonstrations and new ideas earned Q-CTRL’s selection to deliver a new generation of software-ruggedised quantum sensors for the most challenging defence missions.”
“This award signifies the priority defence agencies are placing on the potential for quantum navigation to deliver transformational national security capabilities that complement GPS,” said Thomas Loftus, Senior Fellow at Lockheed Martin.
Some sectors and organisations are fast-maturing quantum navigation for use on land, sea, in space, and in the air. The aerospace industry is actively exploring the potential for magnetic navigation technologies, with companies like aircraft manufacturer Airbus pursuing their development.
Additionally, Q-CTRL is also involved in the geophysical mapping of gravity and magnetic fields, as well as positioning based on matching detected signals to the pre-generated maps. This approach offers significant advantages in navigational missions and provides new insights into mineral prospecting and underground target detection.
“USGS, NASA, and other Federal Agencies are exploring how to use the emerging generation of highly capable, mobile quantum sensors to detect and assess mineral deposits, and to map out detailed subsurface patterns for GNSS-denied navigation,” said Jonathan Stock, Chief Scientist for Innovation, NASA Ames Intelligent Systems Division. “DARPA’s awards to Q-CTRL illustrate the potential for impactful new use of this technology.”
Software-ruggedised quantum gravimeter
Ironstone Opal, the company’s quantum-assured navigation system, recently outperformed a high-end inertial navigation system (INS) in flight for the first time, achieving up to 111 times greater positioning accuracy when GPS was unavailable — a significant step forward for real-world applications of quantum sensing in defence missions. In these tests, proprietary AI-driven software innovation was the key to removing platform interference.
Ironstone Opal was also recently validated in maritime trials on board the Royal Australian Naval vessel, MV Sycamore.
In March, Lockheed Martin and Q-CTRL were awarded a contract by the U.S. DoD Innovation Unit (DIU) to prototype a quantum-enabled Inertial Navigation System (INS).
https://q-ctrl.com/ironstone-opal
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