Q-CTRL
Australian company Q-CTRL has demonstrated its own secure quantum navigation system, that can work independently of GPS.
It is noted that the system, called «Ironstone Opal», cannot be jammed and is 50 times more accurate than GPS. According to the developers, jamming GPS signals is a big problem, as it leads to disruptions in the operation of vehicles that rely on it to determine their own location data. This is especially noticeable in the context of military conflicts and cyberattacks.
Q-CTRL engineers emphasize that jamming GPS signals causes about a thousand flights to be canceled every day in the world. This, in turn, causes daily losses to the global economy of about $1 billion.
With this in mind, Q-CTRL has developed a system that uses quantum sensors for navigation. The system has demonstrated high accuracy, and most importantly — it does not emit signals that can be detected and intercepted or jammed. «Ironstone Opal» uses the Earth’s magnetic field, which changes slightly as the planet rotates. By measuring these changes with magnetometers, the system is able to determine the location of a specific object.
«Ironstone Opal» In addition to quantum sensors, the system includes special software based on artificial intelligence that filters out interference, including vibrations and electromagnetic noise. The system is compact and can theoretically be installed on drones, cars, and even airplanes.
Q-CTRL developers have conducted a number of tests on the ground and in the air. It has been demonstrated that the system is able to operate completely independently of GPS. The company claims that «Ironstone Opal is 50 times more accurate than GPS. Even on board an airplane, the system’s equipment proved to be 11 times more efficient than traditional navigation systems.
The technology is very attractive to the military. However, it can also prove valuable for commercial aviation companies, autonomous vehicles, and drones It is also able to significantly improve the situation with navigation in adverse conditions, areas with no GPS coverage, or in deep water/mountainous areas where GPS does not work correctly.
The results of the study are published on the preprint server arXiv
Source: Interesting Engineering