# Northrop flight-tests quantum navigation on Lumberjack drone

_Published Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 10:07 AM EDT · Robotics, Science · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![Launching Lumberjack — Primary](https://assets.newatlas.com/dims4/default/ec5c2ba/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5000x2625+0+355/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2Fcf%2F77%2Fac78f0e64011bd90306b2e19bc3d%2Flumberjack-image-9-9.jpg&na.image_optimisation=0)

Northrop Grumman said it flight-tested SandboxAQ's AQNav quantum navigation system aboard its Lumberjack drone. The system uses an optically pumped magnetometer to measure local variations in Earth's magnetic field, then matches those readings with a mapped database using an AI model to calculate position without satellite navigation.

Northrop said the test also showed the system operating alongside visual navigation and reaching operational flight testing less than a month after integration. The company says the passive system cannot be jammed or spoofed, a claim not independently verified in the report.

## Sources

- [New Atlas: Technology-Innovation-Outdoor News](https://newatlas.com/military/quantum-compass-flight-test-lumberjack-rone/)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/oSgDVKdXSdZ-Arl6MNzdOo
Published: 2026-09-20T14:07:23.625Z
Story chronology: 2026-09-20T12:03:00.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-09-20T15:48:54.093Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)