Q-CTRL’s quantum navigation named to TIME’s best invention list

A software-ruggedized quantum navigation system was chosen as one of The Best Inventions of 2025 by TIME magazine.

Ironstone Opal by Q-CTRL has been field-validated in air, land and maritime trials. It provides a solution to GPS denial, which has become an increasing danger in conflict zones and recently threatened a plane carrying European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. Q-CTRL is based in Sydney, Australia.

Ironstone Opal leverages quantum sensors – stabilized using software – to provide navigation immune to the kinds of interference plaguing commercial aviation, shipping and defense operations.

In airborne trials, Ironstone Opal enabled GPS-free navigation with an accuracy up to 111 times better than the best conventional GPS alternative, even under highly dynamic maneuvers. It delivered GPS-like positioning accuracy down to just 4 meters over flights up to 700 kilometers long.

Most recently, Ironstone Opal operated continuously for more than 144 hours on an Australian Navy vessel, the MV Sycamore, trialling gravimetric navigation capabilities. 

“In today’s sophisticated threat environment — marked by jamming, GPS denial, and spoofing — quantum sensing offers a strategic advantage delivering resilient and precise capabilities where traditional systems fall short,” said Jonathan Green, Chief Technology Officer, Northrop Grumman Mission Systems. “As a leader in quantum technology, Northrop Grumman supports innovators like Q-CTRL in advancing the quantum industry to enhance national security through cutting edge innovation.”

Each year, TIME recognizes 300 products, software and services that are changing the world, including scientific or technological breakthroughs and innovations that make life easier and more sustainable. Ironstone Opal was identified through research from TIME’s global network of reporters and expert contributors based on key evaluation factors like originality, efficacy, ambition and impact.

The Key to Ironstone Opal

Ironstone Opal’s quantum sensors detect tiny, otherwise imperceptible signals from Earth’s structure that serve as gravimetric or magnetic “landmarks” for navigation, which are then compared with geophysical maps for precise positioning. Q-CTRL’s proprietary software-ruggedization hardens these quantum sensors for operation in the real world, allowing resilient performance in demanding environments.

The system can function as a robust backup for GPS on both crewed and uncrewed defense platforms, as well as in commercial settings. More than 1,000 commercial flights per day are affected by GPS denial, and many key players in the aerospace industry, including Airbus, are looking into quantum-assured navigation technologies as a solution.

TIME’s recognition of Ironstone Opal follows August’s news that DARPA awarded Q-CTRL two contracts totalling $24.4 million USD to develop quantum sensors for navigation on defense platforms. Also, in March, the Department of Defense’s Innovation Unit (DIU) awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin and Q-CTRL to develop a quantum-enabled inertial navigation system.