Far above yours head, constellation of satellites are constantly working to provide positioning, navigation and timing systems that quietly lead a modern life. Known as the Global Navigation Satellite System, or GNSS, the signals from these satellites are the foundation for cellular networks, energy networks, the Internet, and GPS. And their reliability is increasingly threatened.
GPS signals can be stuck—deliberately dampened by other powerful radio signals—and spoofed, where false signals are released to fool positioning systems. GPS interference is documented in Ukrainethe The Middle Eastand South China Sea.
But startup SandboxAQ believes that artificial intelligence, combined with navigation systems that read the Earth’s magnetic field, known as MagNav, could mitigate these threats to GNSS. “Our technology does not replace [GNSS]but it can enrich existing navigation systems to improve safety and serve as an alternative primary source of navigation in the event of GPS failure,” says Luca Ferrara, General Manager SandboxAQ navigation section.
SandboxAQ’s navigation technology, called AQNav, uses quantum magnetometers – devices that can detect changes in magnetic fields very precisely by measuring subatomic particles – to produce a reading of the Earth’s magnetic field. “We’re looking for a unique imprint of magnetized rock formations in the Earth’s crust,” says Ferrara.
Artificial intelligence is then used to pinpoint the aircraft’s position by comparing it to known magnetic field maps. The AI also eliminates any external disturbances created by the aircraft, such as sudden movements or signals from its electrical systems; individual spacecraft have unique characteristics when it comes to introducing magnetic interference.
So far, the US Air Force, Boeing and Airbus have done this they all made test flights using the system. “Since May 2023, we have implemented and tested many iterations of our hardware and software,” Ferrara explains. “AQNav has flown hundreds of kilometers in various types of aircraft, from single-engine to large military transports. It has been tested in real flight scenarios, including two major US Air Force military exercises.”
The SandboxAQ team — and the inspiration for the idea — originated at Google’s parent company, Alphabet, between 2016 and 2022. The initial idea was to find applications for artificial intelligence and quantum technologies developed inside Google’s moonshot factory.