GPS-free quantum navigation

Access the world's only quantum-assured navigation system field validated to deliver advantage in real operating environments - air, land, and sea.

TIME Names Q-CTRL's Ironstone Opal One of the Best Inventions of 2025

Quantum-based navigation system ensures planes and ships stay on course during GPS attacks.

The problem

GPS denial is posing new economic and security risks: are your systems resilient enough?

GPS denial is happening now - explore a real-time map to see how significant the problem has become.

GPSJAM GPS/GNSS Interference Map

GPS is the gold standard but faces growing limits

Widespread disruptions are impacting aviation and transport

GPS denial has become rampant worldwide, disrupting commercial shipping, passenger aviation, and defense operations. Over 1,000 commercial flights per day are subject to GPS denial posing a new safety risk.

Overreliance on GPS threatens autonomy

Conflict zones have illustrated how a reliance on GPS can limit the utility of new autonomous systems. Realizing true autonomy across domains requires new solutions.

Introducing Ironstone Opal

Quantum navigation, anywhere

Ironstone Opal is a compact yet powerful quantum navigation system suitable for drones, autonomous cars, and commercial airliners. It delivers next-generation quantum-assured navigation, ready for deployment.

Accurate

Functional anywhere, in any conditions

Reliable

Software ruggedized for performance

Resilient

Unjammable, unspoofable

Ubiquitous

Small enough for any platform

Quantum advantage to overcome classical limitations

Ironstone Opal delivers bounded positioning uncertainty to transform commercial and defense operations.

Efficiency

Direct routing through denied environments.

Security

Avoid entering danger areas with resilient positioning.

Safety

Minimizing disruptions to onboard safety systems with unspoofable position data.

How it works

How quantum navigation works

Ironstone Opal leverages cutting-edge quantum sensors enhanced with our unique AI-powered software to see the unseen and position you accurately on a map.

Quantum navigation is built on ultrasensitive and ultrastable quantum sensors that serve as a new set of eyes to see otherwise hidden features of the earth. Ironstone Opal uses these new eyes to compare measured variations in Earth's magnetic and gravitational fields against a map, just as you would navigate on a hiking trip by matching hills and valleys to your map.

This approach to quantum-assured navigation is totally passive, involves no emitted signals, and works in any conditions - day or night.

Gain a validated quantum advantage in real fielded environments with the Q-CTRL difference

100X

Quantum advantage over a strategic-grade classical INS.

0.3 NMi

Required Navigation Performance (RNP) with 95% confidence achieved in all flight phases.

20X

Enhanced resilience in motion due to proprietary software ruggedization.

Reliable navigation for GPS-denied flights

Whether fully integrated into a flight-management system, or accessible via an electronic flight bag, Ironstone Opal gives you the critical redundancy to ensure safe and efficient operations.

70% of pilots rated concern over GPS denial events “very high or extreme”

Ironstone Opal is easy to integrate into your fleet, and even easier to operate

• Deploy easily: Simple installation and strapdown operation. A single 12U rack, <100W of power, and limited IO requirements.
• Integrate seamlessly: Connect to existing avionics systems – no infrastructure changes required.
• Start immediately: No initial tuning flights required for training or calibration.
• Ensure cross-fleet compatibility: One solution is self-calibrating for any aircraft in any configuration. ‍
• Leverage existing workflows: Magnetic map data distributed through Navigation database and electronic flight bag providers.

Navigate reliably in contested environments

Geophysical map matching is unjammable, unspoofable, and undetectable. Missions previously limited by INS drift or the need for stealth can now be enabled with Ironstone Opal.

Operate securely anywhere, under any conditions, with a quantum advantage.

Extensively tested in harsh environments so you can rely on Ironstone Opal when it counts

Ironstone Opal outperforms strategic-grade GPS backups under comprehensive testing

>100X

Performance improvement compared to high-end conventional GPS alternatives.

Frequently asked questions

How does quantum navigation work?
Q-CTRL builds several complementary technologies based on trapped atoms. These atoms respond to external magnetic and gravitational fields as well as accelerations, and these tiny responses can be measured with laser beams. Because the response comes from the properties of the atoms, the hardware doesn't require any calibration and is very stable over long periods. With those measured signals, a navigation computer can either compare readings to a local map (map matching) or calculate position and velocity from measured accelerations (inertial navigation).

What are the benefits of quantum navigation?
The quantum navigation systems built by Q-CTRL cannot be jammed or spoofed by an adversary. They function in any weather or visibility conditions and are completely passive, ensuring stealthy operations. Overall quantum navigation provides a robust backup when GPS is untrusted or unavailable, and is a complement to other navigation solutions.

Can I test Q-CTRL technology on my platform?
Q-CTRL is currently engaging select partners for additional field trails and system-integration demonstrations. Please contact the Q-CTRL team for further details.

What validation of quantum technology’s relevance is there for defense applications?
Q-CTRL is the first and only company in the world to deliver field validation of quantum sensing technology for navigation. This includes real field trials on airborne, ground-based, and maritime platforms. Contact the Q-CTRL team for further details.

Does Q-CTRL sell hardware systems?
Q-CTRL produces infrastructure software for quantum computing and full-stack quantum-assured navigation systems including its own quantum sensing hardware. Q-CTRL does not sell sensor components, but the Ironstone Opal quantum-assured navigation system is now available for presale. Contact the Q-CTRL team for further details.

Why do I need quantum sensors?
Quantum sensors operate differently from conventional sensors, making them:

• More reliable
• Less vulnerable to signal jamming
• Less affected by electromagnetic interference

This gives quantum sensors an advantage over current sound and light-based sensors, which are increasingly susceptible to interference issues.