ANELLO Photonics has entered a strategic collaboration with Q-CTRL to advance resilient navigation solutions for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) operating in GPS-denied and contested environments.
The collaboration will combine ANELLO’s SiPhOG™ inertial navigation and measurement technology with Q-CTRL’s Ironstone Opal quantum magnetic navigation system to deliver a multi-layered Quantum Navigation Solution (QNS). This integrated approach is designed to maintain accurate positioning even when GPS signals are degraded, jammed, or completely unavailable.
Satellite navigation underpins modern land, air, and maritime operations across both commercial and defense sectors. However, increasing vulnerabilities in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are becoming a significant concern. Disruptions caused by deliberate interference, such as jamming and spoofing, are estimated to pose up to $1 billion per day risk in the U.S. alone, affecting defense missions as well as global transport and logistics. These threats have become particularly evident in regions such as the Persian Gulf, where GPS interference is increasingly impacting both military activity and commercial shipping.
This collaboration brings together two advanced technologies, combining silicon photonics-based inertial sensing with quantum-enabled magnetic map matching in a novel integrated approach, and supporting the scalable development of Quantum Navigation Solutions (QNS).
This layered architecture provides a robust GNSS backup by delivering continuous, bounded positioning estimates that remain stable over extended mission durations. Together, these capabilities position the combined solution at the forefront of resilient navigation for autonomous and mission-critical platforms operating in the most demanding environments.
Dr. Mario Paniccia, Co-Founder and CEO of ANELLO Photonics, commented, “Reliable navigation is fundamental to autonomy, safety, and mission assurance. By combining ANELLO’s proven SiPhOG-based inertial sensing with Q-CTRL’s groundbreaking Ironstone Opal quantum navigation technologies, we are exploring a powerful new architecture designed to deliver resilient positioning even when GPS is unavailable or compromised.“
Prof Michael J. Biercuk, CEO and Founder of Q-CTRL, added, “Our focus at Q-CTRL is on making quantum technologies useful in the real world. ANELLO has impressed us with their focus on enabling real-world missions for advanced autonomous platforms, and we’re excited to combine our technologies to deliver the most advanced capabilities to our customers and the warfighters who keep us safe.”
As electronic warfare capabilities evolve and autonomy expands across commercial and defense operations, resilient navigation is becoming a requirement for supporting the next generation of mobility.
