Currently, aircraft use Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo to determine their location in space. The reliability of these systems depends on the stability of the signal, which can be affected by external factors such as interference, jamming, and space phenomena such as solar flares.
When satellite navigation is lost, aircraft use built-in inertial navigation systems (INS), which perform the process of calculating the course based on speed, direction, and acceleration data. But these systems depend on the class and can maintain the required navigation accuracy from several seconds to several hours or days.
Due to the increasing need for signal accuracy and continuity to determine location, there is a need for an alternative navigation technology that will not depend on external signals, be they satellite or radio signals. The solution to this problem is the creation and implementation of a Quantum Navigation System.
The main advantage of these systems is the exceptional accuracy of quantum sensors and systems based on this technology can operate without the need for frequent recalibration. Another significant advantage of quantum navigation is its resistance to external interference. In conditions where GNSS may be subject to jamming or signal substitution (spoofing), quantum sensors, independent of external signals, can provide safe and reliable navigation.
So how does this technology work? Let's figure it out. These systems are based on quantum mechanics. This is a section of physics that studies the behavior of particles at the subatomic level. One of the key principles of quantum mechanics is the wave nature of particles. This means that particles can behave like waves, which is the basis of quantum mechanics. This also applies to atoms. Even a very weak impact on an atom - for example, a change in gravity or acceleration - can affect its state. These changes are so insignificant that they cannot be recorded by conventional methods. But quantum mechanics allows you to notice such small deviations and use them for very accurate measurements. One of the striking examples of the application of quantum physics is an atomic clock. It works on the basis of the quantum properties of atoms and allows you to measure time with incredible accuracy. These are the principles on which the quantum navigation system is also built.
What about practice? According to the official UK government website, the UK has successfully conducted commercial flight tests of advanced navigation systems based on quantum technology that cannot be jammed. Quantum technology company Infleqtion, in collaboration with BAE Systems and QinetiQ, conducted the tests at the UK Ministry of Defence’s Boscombe Down facility in Wiltshire. Science Minister Andrew Griffith attended the final test flight on 9 May. The tests were the first time such pioneering technologies have been tested in the UK in the air, and the first publicly confirmed test flights of their kind in the world.
During a series of test flights, the Infleqtion team demonstrated two cutting-edge quantum solutions: the Tiqker compact optical atomic clock and a high-precision quantum device based on ultra-cold atoms, installed on board a modified QinetiQ RJ100 Airborne Technology Demonstrator.
Also, the results of the research of the quantum navigation system “Ironstone Opal” by Q-CTRL were published on the Arxiv.org website. According to the company
Q-CTRL, the Ironstone Opal system is a passive navigation technology that does not emit signals and, therefore, cannot be intercepted or jammed. Instead of relying on satellite navigation, it uses natural fluctuations in the Earth’s magnetic field, which varies slightly depending on the geographic location. By detecting these changes with sensitive magnetometers, the system is able to accurately determine coordinates. The creation of such an innovative technology was made possible by the patented quantum sensors developed by Q-CTRL.
There is a high probability that with the high rate of technological development, quantum navigation systems will replace GNSS systems by 2030. However, we should not forget that despite the high accuracy, stability and high technology of these systems, traditional ground-based aircraft navigation systems (DVOR, DME, NDB) will also be used as backup navigation systems.