UK conducts first flights using GPS free quantum navigation tech
Increasingly malicious states are jamming and spoofing GPS signals affecting civilian and military operations so now the UK is trying to eliminate the need for GPS entirely.
Key takeaways
- Quantum technology company Infleqtion led the trial at military testing site Boscome Down in Wiltshire, England alongside BAE Systems and QinetiQ.
- A group of government and industry representatives, including the UK’s Science Minister Andrew Griffith, were onboard the BAE Systems RJ100 tech demonstrator flight.
- Finnair recently temporarily cancelled flights to Tartu, Estonia after two GPS jamming incidents occurred on flights approaching the airport, forcing them to abandon their landings with no back-up navigation tech at the airport.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2024) 'UK conducts first flights using GPS free quantum navigation tech', 311 Institute, 8 December. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/uk-conducts-first-flights-using-gps-free-quantum-navigation-tech/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
As we continue to see GPS jamming and spoofing affecting commercial aviation as well as shipping it’s becoming more important than ever that we have an alternative to the GPS systems we’ve all been relying on for decades now for accurate navigation. One of these alternatives is the development of Quantum Compasses – and the UK has carried out its first trial of quantum-based navigation systems for commercial flight, conducting the first publicly reported tests of the technology designed to stop GPS jamming.
Quantum technology company Infleqtion led the trial at military testing site Boscome Down in Wiltshire, England alongside BAE Systems and QinetiQ. A group of government and industry representatives, including the UK’s Science Minister Andrew Griffith, were onboard the BAE Systems RJ100 tech demonstrator flight.
Griffith said: “From passenger flights to shipping, we all depend on navigation systems that are accurate, safe and secure. The scientific research we are supporting here on quantum technology could well provide the resilience to protect our interests.”
The Infleqtion project has been backed by almost £8m in funding from the government as part of its National Quantum Strategy and includes two technologies: a compact optical atomic clock and a tightly confined ultra-cold-atom-based quantum system.
While aircraft affected by GPS jamming are usually able to move to back-up navigation systems, quantum-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems are being developed to improve the resilience of navigation technology and avoid disruption completely.
Dr Timothy Ballance, UK President for Infleqtion, said: “The work we have done directly addresses the critical need to reduce our reliance on satellite navigation systems, which are vulnerable to various risks.
“The successful flight trials demonstrate the potential of quantum technology in overcoming navigation system challenges, which is an exciting development for future applications in the aerospace industry and beyond.”
Technology tested on the flight will form part of a Quantum Inertial Navigation System which will be able to operate independent of traditional satellite GPS navigation.
Development of the technology comes amid a rise in jamming incidents around Eastern Europe, with UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps travelling on board an aircraft affected by the issue in March, which some blamed on Russian interference.
Finnair recently temporarily cancelled flights to Tartu, Estonia after two GPS jamming incidents occurred on flights approaching the airport, forcing them to abandon their landings with no back-up navigation tech at the airport.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Increasingly malicious states are jamming and spoofing GPS signals affecting civilian and military operations so now the UK is trying to eliminate the need for GPS entirely.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
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Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 8 December 2024. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2024). UK conducts first flights using GPS free quantum navigation tech. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/uk-conducts-first-flights-using-gps-free-quantum-navigation-tech/
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