Infleqtion, a quantum information company building quantum sensors and other devices that maintain quantum data, networks, and software solutions that are quantum-enabled has in partnership with aerospace firms BAE Systems and QinetiQ, successfully completed the flight trials for an advanced quantum navigation system that prevents GPS jamming from ever happening on any flight in the UK.

The trials were concluded at MoD Boscombe Down in Wiltshire and Science Minister Andrew Griffith joined the final test flight on Thursday, May 9th, 2024.

The new ground-breaking quantum technology-based Position, Navigation, and Time (PNT) system offers great promise in the future of navigation for air flights. With this, the potential for permanently stopping spoofing practices by bad actors within the space is enormous and the application for numerous challenges in aviation can be handled easily.

Infleqtion's Role In Technology Development

Infleqtion developed two major quantum technologies to make this test a reality. Firstly, a compact Tiqker optical atomic clock and a tightly confined ultra-cold-atom-based quantum system. With the PNT, the goal is to know the location of an aircraft, its navigation, and time-tracking capabilities at every instance. With these new technologies deployed on QinetiQ’s RJ100 Airborne Technology Demonstrator, which is a specially modified aircraft, these are tracked without network jamming at any time.

For PNT to be perfectly accurate, an understanding of the atomic structures of the measurement devices at near-absolute zero temperatures has to be achieved. This is possible in an ideal state, however, in the real world, a new system is required.

This is why the technology undergoing flight testing will contribute to a Quantum Inertial Navigation System (Q-INS), poised to transform PNT (Positioning, Navigation, and Timing). This system promises outstanding precision and reliability, operating autonomously from conventional satellite navigation systems such as GPS.

Collaboration and Government Money

This project led by Infleqtion UK in collaboration with industry partners and academic researchers has received almost £8 Million from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the largest public funder of research and innovation in the UK. The purpose of funding this project is to relieve the UK from heavy reliance on GNSS/GPS technology by developing quantum sensors for location, navigation, and timing data. Overall, the outcome should be the removal of vulnerabilities such as jamming and/or spoofing that could disrupt economic, security, and strategic activities for which there is significant progress due to the success of the test flight.

Science Minister, Andrew Griffith reported the following after the test flight “From passenger flights to shipping, we all depend on navigation systems that are accurate, safe, and secure. The scientific research we are supporting here on quantum technology could well provide the resilience to protect our interests.” Andrew also said:  “The fact that this technology has flown for the first time in British skies, is further proof of the UK as one of the world leaders on quantum.”

On the subject, Dr. Timothy Ballance, Infleqtion UK’s President stated that this significant step is a great one for the development of quantum PNT solutions and the work done by the Infleqtion team reduces the critical need for the reliance on satellite navigation systems which poses risk vulnerabilities. It also shows the potential of quantum technology in overcoming navigation system challenges which can be a great addition to the future applications that will be built for the aerospace industry.