SerpApi.Org
Australian firm Q-CTRL will showcase the world’s first airworthiness-qualified quantum navigation system designed as a GPS backup at an airshow in the UK.
The system, Ironstone Opal, uses quantum sensors to provide precise positioning without relying on satellite navigation, enabling resilient navigation in GPS-denied environments.
Ironstone Opal has completed field validation across air, land, and maritime platforms and is the first quantum navigation technology to achieve RTCA DO-160 safety-of-flight qualification.
According to the company, the milestone demonstrates that quantum navigation is ready for commercial aviation and unmanned aerial vehicle deployment.
GPS alternative emerges
Q-CTRL will showcase its Ironstone Opal quantum navigation system at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK, where it says it will be the only dedicated quantum technology company exhibiting quantum navigation solutions. The system is designed as a GPS backup for aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles, providing navigation even when satellite signals are unavailable or compromised.
The technology addresses a growing challenge for both commercial and defense aviation as disruptions to satellite navigation become more frequent. A navigation system that operates independently of GPS can improve operational resilience and reduce the impact of signal interference on aircraft and autonomous platforms.
Q-CTRL said it has rapidly advanced quantum navigation from a laboratory technology to a commercially deployable GPS backup for aviation. Following extensive flight trials involving crewed aircraft, helicopters, and drones, the company said Ironstone Opal is now safety-of-flight qualified to the RTCA DO-160 standard and ready for deployment.
“With the economic impact of widespread GPS denial estimated to cost £1 billion per day for the UK, the timing couldn’t be better for the aviation sector to have access to this critical technology,” said Michael J. Biercuk, CEO and Founder of Q-CTRL, in a statement.
Resilient flight navigation
Q-CTRL says its Ironstone Opal quantum navigation system is designed to operate independently of satellite signals, allowing it to continue providing navigation data even when GPS is unavailable or affected by jamming or spoofing.
Instead of relying on external radio signals, the system combines quantum sensors with magnetic map matching technology to determine an aircraft’s position. By comparing local magnetic field measurements with stored magnetic maps, it can estimate location without GPS input.
The company says the system delivers drift-free positioning, reducing the navigation errors that typically accumulate in conventional inertial navigation systems over time. During flight testing, Ironstone Opal demonstrated the ability to maintain the aviation industry’s Required Navigation Performance (RNP 0.3) standard, keeping its positioning accuracy within 0.3 nautical miles for 95 percent of a flight. This level of performance meets navigation requirements for critical phases of commercial aviation.
Q-CTRL has also developed the technology in multiple compact configurations for different platforms. In addition to versions for crewed aircraft, the company has introduced a lightweight variant weighing less than one kilogram for unmanned aerial vehicles. The sensors can be integrated inside an aircraft’s fuselage or mounted on the wings of larger surveillance drones.
According to the company, the technology is being evaluated through collaborations with commercial aircraft manufacturers, defense contractors, and government organizations as interest grows in resilient navigation systems that can operate without satellite-based positioning.
