Crossing the Value Rubicon – Quantum Sensors Have Arrived

Crossing the Value Rubicon – Quantum Sensors Have Arrived

“Quantum needs a win,” a senior executive in the community told me earlier this year. While tremendous progress is being made in quantum computing and quantum networking, one quantum-based solution is leading the way.

Quantum sensors are delivering value now.

As the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology winds down, we finally have a win.

Years of research and experimentation have moved quantum sensing out of the lab and into real-world commercial applications, making it arguably the first quantum technology to demonstrate a clear, measurable advantage over classical systems. Applicability is being shown across biomedical, geophysical, industrial, and defense domains. Companies like Q-CTRL, SBQuantum, QuantumDiamonds, and SandboxAQ are transforming experimental prototypes into rugged, scalable products.

Here are sectors where quantum sensing gained traction in 2025.

Navigation & Defense

Heightened concerns over GPS jamming and spoofing are accelerating the shift toward quantum-based navigation and detection.

• Q-CTRL has delivered AI-powered quantum magnetometers offering 50× better navigation accuracy than leading classical inertial systems. Their "Ironstone Opal" solution measures subtle variations in the Earth's magnetic field, enabling navigation in environments where GPS is unreliable, jammed, or unavailable. Q-CTRL’s system has been flight-tested and validated on various aircraft, and DARPA is now funding the development of an ultra-ruggedized version suitable for demanding military and commercial operations.

• Aquark & the British Navy are trialing AQLock, which uses cold-atom atomic clocks to strengthen Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), enabling navigation and synchronization in environments where satellite signals are unavailable or compromised, such as underwater or in conflict zones.

• SandboxAQ joined the DoW’s DIU Transition of Quantum Sensing (TQS) program, advancing magnetic anomaly navigation. Their efforts focus on rapidly developing and testing advanced Magnetic Anomaly Navigation (MagNav) technologies for the U.S. military’s use in autonomous systems.

• Lockheed Martin & Q-CTRL are building QuINS, a quantum-enabled inertial navigation system that leverages the combined strengths of Q-CTRL and AOSense, using high-performance quantum sensors in Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) applications. 

Space & Geophysical Applications

Quantum sensors are unlocking new ways to observe Earth and space.

• NASA is building a Quantum Gravity Gradiometer for a planned space test in 2030. It will provide ultra-precise gravity maps for observing petroleum reserves, fresh water supplies, and even help better understand fundamental physics.

• SBQuantum secured several contracts from the European Space Agency (ESA) to deploy diamond magnetometers on small satellites to detect subsurface anomalies, such as tunnels or submarines.

• Q-CTRL & USGS are collaborating on quantum gravity sensing for monitoring underground water and other resources.

• Delta g has developed a gravity-sensing platform for subsurface imaging and environmental monitoring, including detecting sinkholes and mapping old mining locations. They are building “Google Maps for the Underground.”

Semiconductor & Industrial Applications

Quantum metrology is beginning to reshape semiconductor fabrication and materials inspection.

• QuantumDiamonds has created a diamond-based quantum microscope capable of ultra-high-resolution for defect detection—vital for both current chip fabs and future quantum-chip manufacturing.

• Bosch Quantum Sensing and Element Six are focused on making quantum sensors so small they could fit on a chip, creating compact, robust devices suitable for mass production. Diamond quantum sensors have potential applications in automotive, industrial, and consumer markets.

• PROMISE is developing NV-center imaging sensors for industrial inspection that operate without vacuum systems, cryogenics, or magnetic shielding. Companies exploring relevant use cases include Graphenea Semiconductor, Airbus, and MagnetFab.

• Qnami’s ProteusQ is the first scanning NV (nitrogen-vacancy) microscope for analyzing magnetic materials at the atomic scale. Researchers can directly observe the most subtle properties of samples and the effects of microscopic changes in the design and fabrication processes.

Medical & Healthcare Advances

Quantum sensors are delivering breakthroughs in brain imaging, diagnostics, and biomarker detection.

• Cerca Magnetics developed a wearable, 3D-printable quantum MEG device that improves childhood epilepsy detection and could be applied to help identify dementia and Alzheimer’s.

• Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia’s national science and innovation agency, is using a patented quantum sensing technology to detect ferritin in blood serum and for concussion diagnostics. Early deployments will support the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

Across a range of applications and settings, quantum sensing has become the first quantum technology to deliver broad, immediate commercial impact. As this technology is more widely deployed and learnings are incorporated, it has the potential to deliver even greater value.

I am excited to see how applications of quantum sensors will evolve in 2026!