Magnetic Navigation at Scale: Advancing Resilient Flight Through Quantum Sensing
As threats to aircraft GPS reliability continue to grow due to jamming and spoofing, Acubed is testing alternative navigation systems that do not rely on satellite signals. One promising approach? Magnetic anomaly-aided navigation enabled by quantum sensing.
In collaboration with SandboxAQ, a quantum technology company founded as a Google spinout, Acubed recently completed a nationwide flight test campaign using our Baron Flight Lab to evaluate the system’s real-world performance. The effort, recently featured in The Wall Street Journal, represents a significant step toward developing resilient navigation systems.
Validating Quantum Technology in the Field
To understand if magnetic anomaly-aided navigation could support real-world flight operations and broadly meet commercial aircraft navigation requirements, Acubed and SandboxAQ designed a large-scale flight test campaign focused on real situations. The working team equipped our Beechcraft Baron, a standard general aviation aircraft, with AQNav instrumentation and collected performance data across a wide range of terrains and geographies.
The aircraft used for testing was modified to incorporate AQNav sensors and components within the cabin, without the need for specialized shielding or electromagnetic isolation. This allowed the system to be evaluated under true-to-life conditions, including vibration, onboard interference and varying magnetic gradients.
Over the course of 150 flight hours, the team flew routes between 200 airports across the continental United States. From mountainous regions to open plains, each route was selected to reflect the complexity of real-world operations. In every scenario, AQNav met Required Navigation Performance (RNP) standards for en-route travel. During a flight over rugged California terrain, the system achieved a best-observed accuracy of less than 74 meters.
This kind of performance demonstrates that quantum magnetic navigation isn’t just a lab breakthrough—it’s showing real promise in mission-relevant environments.
Accelerating Scalable, Autonomy-Enabling Solutions
Acubed’s Flight Lab was built to help bridge early innovation with real-world validation. By supporting rapid iteration and system-level feedback, we’re making significant strides in transitioning from concept to a scalable solution.
The ability to quickly evaluate new technologies in realistic settings is crucial. It provides deeper insight into where systems thrive, where they struggle, and how to engineer for global deployment. Our role in this campaign exemplifies how flight testing can shape the future of smart automation.
A Resilient Navigation Future
This campaign reflects our continued commitment to explore technologies that reduce aviation’s reliance on vulnerable infrastructure. Magnetic anomaly-aided navigation, powered by quantum sensing, offers a promising complement to other navigation systems and has the potential to serve as a cornerstone for the future of flight.
If you’re interested in joining our team, check out our job postings here.