Quantum navigation solution undergoes defence trials at sea

Quantum infrastructure software company Q-CTRL has revealed its latest advancements in quantum sensing for navigation through a major field trial on board the Royal Australian Navy’s Multi-role Aviation Training Vessel (MATV), MV Sycamore, demonstrating the company’s expansion into the maritime space.

GPS denial has become one of the most pressing strategic challenges in both defence and commercial settings, especially in contested maritime environments. Instances of ‘spoofed’ signals have resulted in significant disruptions to ships in the Middle East waterways as recently as 23 June 2025, not only causing critical logistical issues but also impacting collision avoidance efforts. Quantum navigation offers a robust and reliable GPS backup that cannot be jammed or spoofed; but while Q-CTRL has already validated the performance of its magnetic navigation solution in airborne field trials, this technique can be less effective in maritime vessels.

The new trial saw Q-CTRL make use of a quantum dual gravimeter, which measures tiny variations in Earth’s gravity as part of a next-generation quantum-assured positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) system. The quantum gravimeter continuously ‘sees’ the otherwise invisible hills and valleys in Earth’s gravity, allowing a navigation computer to compare its observations against known gravity maps. This is similar to orienteering, where one can position oneself on a map by identifying landmarks like valleys, mountains, rivers or roads. GPS is therefore not needed, making this a robust backup in contested regions.

Q-CTRL’s demonstration with the Royal Australian Navy departed from most previous quantum sensing field trials in that these tests mandated peak performance with full autonomy and without the addition of any special infrastructure. The sensor had to operate just as a real navigation system would operate during a defence mission.

Quantum sensing leverages the physics of light and matter on the smallest scales to enable the detection of tiny signals. Because these devices work based on the fundamental laws of physics and are not affected by drift like other GPS alternatives, their outputs do not change over time, making them useful where long-term stability is essential. Generally, however, these devices are significantly degraded when taken from a research laboratory into the real world — an issue addressed by Q-CTRL’s software-ruggedisation technology.

“Quantum sensors provide a near-term opportunity to achieve transformational defence capabilities, but previous deployments in the field have struggled to deliver defence-relevant performance,” said Q-CTRL CEO and founder Michael J Biercuk. “Operating on a real moving vehicle is just not the same as conducting a science experiment; at Q-CTRL, we’ve taken a different approach to getting quantum sensors out of the lab, focusing on software as the critical enabler of performance in the real world.”

The dual gravimeter was installed in a ‘strapdown’ configuration (bolted to the floor) in the space of a single server rack in a communications room onboard MV Sycamore. The ship’s motion and engine vibrations were sufficient to cause total loss of signal using conventional operating techniques typically employed in research experiments — but Q-CTRL’s software-ruggedisation strategies recovered operation at near-record levels even while MV Sycamore was underway.

The trial saw over 144 hours of continuous operation and successful data collection with no human intervention during real maritime operations. Furthermore, the sensor consumed only 180 W of power — about 10 times less than a household toaster.

“We expect the quantum sensing market to reach $3bn–5bn by 2030,” said Jean-Francois Bobier, Partner & Vice President, Deep Tech, at Boston Consulting Group. “Especially amid heightened cases of GPS denial, field-validated quantum sensors are more important than ever for navigational safety. With clear use cases and early adopters in the defence industry, Q-CTRL’s achievements pave the way for future economies of scale and broader adoption.”

Image caption: The maritime deployment of a quantum dual gravimeter, part of Q-CTRL’s assured navigation solution for when GPS is unavailable or untrusted.