Insider Brief
- SBQuantum secured two Canadian government contracts worth CAD $3 million to deploy and test its quantum magnetometer technology for defence applications.
- The contracts support development of portable and drone-mounted quantum sensing systems for magnetic navigation and metallic object detection in defence-relevant environments.
- The projects are funded through Canada’s IDEaS and Innovative Solutions Canada programs and align with Department of National Defence priorities.
PRESS RELEASE — SBQuantum, the first company delivering quantum diamond magnetometers capable of providing accurate and timely data for applications in public safety, navigation, and defence, today announces two new contracts totaling $3 million CAD. Supported through Government of Canada innovation programming and aligned with the Department of National Defence (DND) priorities, this work will enable SBQuantum to deliver arrays of its proprietary quantum magnetometers for testing and validation in defence-relevant environments. This reflects the company’s growing engagement with DND and the broader Canadian Armed Forces, helping advance next generation sensing capabilities toward operational use.
The company will be delivering arrays of its quantum sensors for use alongside its magnetic intelligence platform, combining advanced noise-cancellation algorithms with real-time classification capabilities. The technology will be deployed for a range of applications including magnetic navigation, detection of ferromagnetic metallic objects and covert operations.
“These contracts mark an important milestone in the company’s expanding collaboration with the Department of National Defence. These sensors and magnetic intelligence systems are the first of their kind and are designed to deliver continuous, reliable and accurate information about position and direction even in conflict zones and contested environments. This is why we are seeing interest from the defence departments of multiple countries, along with several prime defence contractors,” said Eric Giroux, CEO at SBQuantum.
The first contract, valued at $1.05 million, is provided through the Department of National Defence’s Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program under its Test Drive funding pathway, which supports real-world operational testing of emerging technologies. It will see SBQuantum deliver numerous portable sensor systems, each housing an array of multiple magnetometers. The systems will be deployed by operators in the field, who will provide structured feedback to enable SBQuantum to iterate on the hardware and algorithms in close collaboration with end users.
The second contract is valued at $1.95 million and has been awarded through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) program following a competitive selection process. The mandate will support integration of SBQuantum’s sensor technology into an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). This drone-mounted configuration will extend the platform’s reach, enabling airborne detection of crustal landmarks on the surface of the Earth, as well as subsurface and concealed metallic objects across remote Canadian terrain that is difficult or dangerous for ground forces to access directly.
SBQuantum’s magnetometer is an advanced magnetic sensing and navigation system for defence and commercial applications. This technology, along with the company’s sophisticated signal-processing algorithms, provides a reliable alternative to GPS navigation, which can easily be jammed or spoofed, especially in conflict zones such as Ukraine and the Persian Gulf. SBQuantum’s magnetic navigation solutions provide accurate and reliable positioning information which cannot be blocked or distorted, and which require zero infrastructure. The company is an active participant in Canada’s defence
innovation ecosystem and will be attending CANSEC 2026, May 27-28, and exhibiting at the Department of National Defence’s IDEaS Marketplace, May 29, in Ottawa.