The tests, conducted at MoD Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, involved the collaboration of QinetiQ with Infleqtion and BAE Systems. The final test flight, which took place on Thursday, May 9, included Science Minister Andrew Griffith, demonstrating the system's capabilities in real-time.
"From passenger flights to shipping, we all depend on navigation systems that are accurate, safe, and secure," stated Griffith. "The scientific research we are supporting here could well provide the resilience to protect our interests. 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."
During the trials, two quantum technologies were showcased: the Tiqker optical atomic clock and an ultra-cold-atom-based quantum system. These technologies were tested aboard QinetiQ's RJ100 Airborne Technology Demonstrator, a specially modified aircraft.
These systems are part of a broader effort under the UK's National Quantum Strategy, which, along with the National Quantum Technologies Programme, aims to bolster the UK's position as a quantum-enabled economy. The government has invested nearly Pounds 8 million in this project, further supported by a Pounds 2.5 billion funding initiative for quantum research.
The quantum inertial navigation system (Q-INS), highlighted during these trials, offers potential revolutionary benefits in Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) by providing unparalleled accuracy and resilience, independent of GPS satellites.
The series of tests aligns with Mission 4 of the UK's National Quantum Strategy, aiming to deploy quantum navigation systems on aircraft by 2030 to provide next-generation accuracy and resilience independent of satellite signals.
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