Q-CTRL Demonstrates GPS-Free Quantum Gravimetric Navigation Demonstration in Maritime Field Trial

Insider Brief

• Q-CTRL demonstrated GPS-free maritime navigation using a quantum gravimeter, maintaining positioning accuracy within one nautical mile during trials in Australia’s Coral Sea.
• The Ironstone Opal system maps small variations in Earth’s gravity and uses AI-powered software to operate under heavy-sea conditions without specialized stabilization or frequent recalibration.
• Q-CTRL said the passive navigation technology does not rely on external radio signals, making it resistant to GPS jamming and spoofing.

PRESS RELEASE — Q-CTRL, the global leader in quantum infrastructure software, today announced a major milestone in real-world quantum sensing deployments. In a world-first field demonstration, the company successfully navigated a maritime vessel without GPS using a new form of software-ruggedized quantum gravimeter. Through a series of trials in the Coral Sea off the East Coast of Australia, Q-CTRL performed autonomous gravity mapping and GPS-free quantum-gravimetric navigation, achieving the key metric of one nautical mile positioning accuracy.

This demonstration of Q-CTRL’s new maritime quantum navigation system comes as the race intensifies to develop secure capabilities for missions where GPS is unavailable or compromised. This year, electronic warfare took center stage as conflict in the Strait of Hormuz became a flashpoint for deliberate GPS jamming and spoofing, causing major disruption to maritime operations across the entire region. In Q1 of 2026 alone, approximately 978,000 GPS jamming events were recorded globally, with 98% concentrated in the Middle East, affecting more than 1,100 vessels.