CPI Electron Device Business – TMD Technologies Division has successfully completed sea trials of its cquantum-hybrid inertial navigation system (INS) aboard the THV Galatea, operated by Trinity House, the General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar.
<p>This milestone shows that quantum-enabled sensing hardware can operate stably in maritime conditions, with the potential to provide resilient positioning without continuous reliance on GNSS.</p> <p>Research indicates that a 24-hour GNSS outage could cost the UK economy £1.4 billion through cascading effects on logistics, transportation and critical infrastructure, underscoring the need for GNSS-independent solutions. By proving that quantum sensors can operate in operational conditions aboard a working vessel, CPI TMD is advancing technologies that reduce reliance on satellite navigation and improve resilience across maritime, defense and commercial sectors.</p> <p><strong>The Harlequin System: Quantum-Enhanced INS</strong></p> <p>The Harlequin system is a quantum-classical hybrid INS designed to extend GNSS holdover — the ability to maintain accurate position when satellite signals are unavailable or unreliable. Developed under an Innovate UK funded project, with partners from industry and academia, including the University of Strathclyde, and Joseph Cotter’s group at Imperial College London, Harlequin integrates classic INS components (a precise clock, a ring laser gyroscope, and a MEMS accelerometer) with CPI TMD’s <a href="https://edge.prnewswire.com/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4582956-1&h=1865409462&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cpi-edb.com%2Fproducts%2Fquantum-technology%2Fgmot-3%2F&a=gMOT" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gMOT</a>-based quantum accelerometer.</p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="682" src="https://coordinates.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Onboard_team_1-1-1024x682-1.jpg" alt="Onboard team for the sea trial. (Photo: CPI TMD)" class="wp-image-113624"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Onboard team for the sea trial. (Photo: CPI TMD)</figcaption></figure> <p>The gMOT cold atom source, developed by CPI TMD, the University of Strathclyde and Kelvin Nanotechnology, is a grating-based magneto-optical trap that provides a source of ultra-cold atoms that forms the basis of a portable, rugged quantum sensor.</p> <p>Conventional INS technology accumulates errors over time, causing position estimates to drift. By integrating its cold-atom accelerometer technology with classical INS technology, Harlequin leverages quantum-enhanced sensing to perform periodic drift corrections, extending the period over which a vessel can maintain accurate position in the absence of satellite-derived timing and positioning.</p> <p><strong>Real-world trials: Operating around a working vessel</strong></p> <p>The Harlequin trial demonstrates that quantum sensors can operate reliably outside the lab, functioning in the harsh conditions of real-world maritime operations—a crucial validation step toward field-deployable systems.</p> <p>The sea trial took place aboard the THV Galatea, which is not a scientific test vessel but an operational ship with a demanding day job: keeping shipping routes safe by ensuring buoys and lights are correctly placed and maintained, surveying the seabed for hazards, marking wrecks, and supporting marine-infrastructure projects such as cables and pipelines.</p> <p>The Harlequin system had to be loaded, tested and unloaded around the Galatea’s regular operational schedule, adding complexity to the trial and underscoring the system’s ability to integrate into real-world maritime workflows.</p> <p><strong>Next Steps: System Upgrades and Second Trial</strong></p> <p>Data gathered during the trial will inform a program of system upgrades aimed at improving performance and enhancing suitability for long-term shipboard operation. A second field trial is planned for the end of 2026 to validate improvements and bring it closer to operational readiness.</p> <p><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.gpsworld.com/cpi-tmd-demonstrates-quantum-navigation-at-sea-for-uk/">CPI TMD demonstrates quantum navigation at sea for UK</a> first appeared on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.gpsworld.com">GPS World</a>.</p></p>