With GPS jamming rising, Airbus and SandboxAQ are testing a new quantum-sensing device. Learn how this technology uses Earth’s magnetic field for unjammable navigation.
Satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS) have long been the cornerstone of aerospace navigation. However, with the growing threat of GPS jamming and spoofing, the industry is urgently seeking alternatives. Enter Acubed, Airbus’s Silicon Valley innovation hub, and SandboxAQ, a Google spinout specializing in artificial intelligence and quantum technology. Together, they’re pioneering a new approach to navigation using quantum sensing—a cutting-edge technology that leverages the Earth’s magnetic field.
At the heart of this innovation is MagNav, a compact, toaster-sized device equipped with lasers, a single GPU chip, and advanced AI algorithms. Quantum sensing, which has been in development for decades, is now edging closer to real-world applications in aerospace. Acubed recently tested MagNav extensively, logging over 150 flight hours across the continental U.S. in its “flight lab,” a general aviation aircraft. The results were promising: MagNav successfully determined the plane’s location by analyzing the Earth’s unique magnetic signatures, offering a potential alternative to GPS.
“The challenge was proving the technology works,” said SandboxAQ CEO Jack Hidary, noting that further testing and certifications are needed before commercialization. Initially targeting defense applications, the technology could eventually support commercial aviation, addressing the urgent need for backup navigation systems as GPS tampering becomes more prevalent.
GPS jamming, which blocks location signals, and spoofing, which falsifies them, are increasingly common in conflict zones like the Middle East and areas near Ukraine and Russia. While militaries often use these tactics to disrupt enemy operations, they can also jeopardize civilian flights. Unlike GPS, which relies on satellite signals vulnerable to interference, MagNav operates entirely analog, making it immune to jamming and spoofing. The device generates location data independently, using the Earth’s magnetic field—a natural, unhackable resource.
Here’s how it works: Inside the device, a laser excites an electron, emitting a photon as it returns to its ground state. This photon carries a unique signature based on the Earth’s magnetic field at that location. Every square meter of the planet has a distinct magnetic signature, shaped by the way iron particles in the Earth’s core magnetize minerals in the crust. MagNav’s AI algorithm compares these signatures to pre-existing magnetic maps, pinpointing the exact location. During testing, MagNav met the Federal Aviation Administration’s requirement of determining location within 2 nautical miles 100% of the time and achieved even greater precision—within 550 meters—64% of the time.
“This is the first novel absolute navigation system in 50 years,” Hidary said.
Beyond aerospace, quantum sensing has vast potential. In defense, it could detect hidden submarines and tunnels. In healthcare, it might enable non-invasive diagnosis of neurological and cardiac conditions by detecting faint magnetic signals from the brain or heart. While the technology has been in development for decades, it’s now transitioning from the lab to real-world applications. Analysts predict the quantum sensing market could grow to $1–6 billion by 2040.
“This isn’t some far-off future,” said EY’s Global Chief Innovation Officer Joe Depa. “This is happening now.”
