Quantum geo-magnetometers – a UK sovereign commercial OPM for enhanced GNSS-denied navigation

该项目将研制出能够准确探测地球物理磁场变化的传感器。然后，这些将在一架小型无人驾驶飞行器上飞行。这些传感器将探测地球磁场的局部变化或异常，并将其与已知的这些变化的“地图”进行比较。这是在卫星导航不可能或受到损害时允许平台导航的重要启用步骤，并且适用于许多其他类型的平台。这些传感器将利用光学制备和对极化铯原子的探测，将其安置在一个紧凑的批量生产的电池中，以探测由地球物理磁场变化引起的这些原子量子态的变化。这些传感器在海上防御、国家安全和低频通信方面也有重要应用。该项目将为这些传感器建立一条英国主权商业化路线，这些传感器将比用于测量地球物理磁场的经典设备更加敏感。

This project will mature sensors that can accurately detect changes in geophysical magnetic fields. These will then be flown on a small unmanned air vehicle. The sensors will detect local variations, or anomalies, in the Earth's magnetic field and compare it to a known "map" of these variances. This is an important enabling step in allowing platform navigation when satellite navigation is not possible or compromised, and is applicable to numerous other types of platforms. The sensors will use optical preparation and interrogation of polarised caesium atoms, housed in a compact mass-produced cell, to detect changes in the quantum state of those atoms caused by changes of the geophysical magnetic field. These sensors also have important applications in maritime defence, national security and low-frequency communications. The project will establish a UK sovereign commercialisation route for these sensors which will are significantly more sensitive than competing classical devices for measurement of geophysical magnetic fields.