Quantum Technology Startup Q-CTRL Announces Global R&D Partnership with Advanced Navigation
LOS ANGELES, July 9, 2020 - Q-CTRL, a startup that applies the principles of control engineering to accelerate the development of quantum technology, today announced a global research and technology development partnership with Advanced Navigation, a leader in AI-based navigational hardware.
Q-CTRL and Advanced Navigation entered the partnership in early 2020 in support of their collaborative research and development in quantum-enabled sensing. The two organizations will now be conducting joint technical development in support of both the civilian and defense markets focused on quantum-enhanced precision navigation and timing (PNT).
Quantum sensing is considered one of the most promising areas in the global research effort to leverage the exotic properties of quantum physics for real-world benefit. It is expected to revolutionize PNT through an ability to detect very weak accelerations while maintaining accuracy over long times. Quantum-enabled PNT can therefore enable highly precise navigation in commercial and military applications where GPS is unavailable.
Q-CTRL is a pioneer in the field of quantum control engineering which applies the lessons of classical control engineering to stabilize quantum systems against disturbances in their environment, a critical component in bringing quantum sensing to market. The firm is a trusted provider of quantum control solutions across all applications of quantum technology, and has a growing practice in quantum sensing for aerospace and defense.
Advanced Navigation builds ultra-precise, AI-based navigational technologies and robotics for sea, air, land and space across commercial and defense domains. Their team has specialized expertise across a broad range of fields including optical and MEMS-based inertial sensors, GNSS, inertial navigation, RF technologies, acoustics, robotics, AI and algorithms.
“We are excited to enter into a partnership with Q-CTRL who has the world’s largest and most capable specialist team of quantum control engineers,” said Chris Shaw co-CEO and co-founder of Advanced Navigation. “Combining our expertise and manufacturing capability in precision navigation technologies, along with Q-CTRL's expertise in the design and operation of advanced quantum hardware, will allow us to bring next-generation quantum PNT solutions to market.”
“The team at Q-CTRL is thrilled to have entered a commercial engagement with Advanced Navigation,” said Q-CTRL CEO and founder Prof. Michael J. Biercuk. “Our shared affinity for the role of control and machine learning in improving hardware performance make for a perfect match, and we’re exceptionally excited to deploy our team’s expertise in quantum sensing for production quantum-enhanced PNT systems.”
The Institute for Defense Analysis has highlighted precision navigation in GPS-denied environments as a key application for quantum technology, with the potential to support maritime systems, UAVs, and aircraft. With improvements in system size and performance, IDA forecasts a quantum PNT market exceeding $200 million annually by 2024.
Q-CTRL and Advanced Navigation hope to dramatically expand this opportunity through the development of ultra-high-performance software-enabled hybrid quantum PNT systems for autonomous vehicles, defense, and space applications.
About Advanced Navigation
Advanced Navigation was founded in Sydney in 2012 by engineers Xavier Orr and Chris Shaw to commercialize thesis research into AI neural network-based inertial navigation. The first product met the market with great success and the company expanded rapidly adding a portfolio of navigation offerings and moving into a diverse range of deep-tech fields such as underwater acoustics, GPS, radio frequency systems, sensors and robotics. Today Advanced Navigation is a supplier to some of the biggest companies in the world, including NASA, Airbus, Boeing, Tesla, Google, Apple and General Motors. Advanced Navigation is headquartered in Sydney, Australia with a large research facility in Perth, Australia and sales offices around the world. Advanced Navigation is an Australian manufacturer exporting globally while maintaining carbon neutral operations.
About Q-CTRL
Q-CTRL was founded in November 2017 and is a venture-capital-backed company that provides control-engineering software solutions to help customers harness the power of quantum physics in next-generation technologies.
Q-CTRL has assembled the world’s foremost team of expert quantum-control engineers, providing solutions to many of the most advanced quantum computing teams globally. The company is built on Professor Michael J. Biercuk’s research leading the Quantum Control Lab at the University of Sydney, where he is a Professor of Quantum Physics and Quantum Technology. The team’s expertise led Q-CTRL to be selected as an inaugural member of the IBM Q startup network in 2018.
Q-CTRL is funded by SquarePeg Capital, Sierra Ventures, Sequoia Capital China, Data Collective, Horizons Ventures, Main Sequence Ventures, and InQTel. Q-CTRL has international headquarters in Sydney and Los Angeles.
