SBQuantum has been awarded two defense procurement contracts totaling $3 million CAD ($2.2 million USD) to deliver and validate its proprietary quantum diamond magnetometers in operational military environments. Funded through the Government of Canada’s primary defense innovation initiatives, the dual awards support the deployment of localized quantum-sensing platforms to assist the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces. The targeted contracts aim to establish infrastructure-free, jam-resistant positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) alternatives to standard GPS networks within electronically contested combat zones.
Technical Architecture & Specifications / Operational Implementation
The technical framework integrates SBQuantum’s nitrogen-vacancy (NV) diamond quantum sensors with a specialized magnetic intelligence software platform. Unlike conventional scalar magnetometers, these sensors perform high-sensitivity vector analysis to map Earth’s localized crustal magnetic anomalies and identify hidden ferromagnetic targets. The hardware architecture incorporates advanced signal-processing and noise-cancellation algorithms to separate external environmental interference from real-time classification indicators, functioning reliably without requiring precise physical orientation. The deployment splits technical implementation across two specific operational pathways:
- Field-Deployable Arrays ($1.05 Million CAD): Awarded through the DND’s Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) program under the Test Drive funding track, this contract covers multiple portable, multi-sensor magnetometer systems. These hand-portable units will be distributed to active field operators to gather end-user performance telemetry and algorithm training inputs under real-world conditions.
- UAV Hardware Integration ($1.95 Million CAD): Administered via the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) program, this project mounts the miniaturized quantum sensor suite onto an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The drone configuration facilitates autonomous, airborne detection of buried structural objects and surface landmark coordinates across rugged or restricted areas.
Strategic Positioning & Ecosystem Integration
The defense awards transition SBQuantum’s hardware from aerospace research validation into active edge-node tactical operations. Based in the quantum industrial hub of Sherbrooke, Quebec, the company’s nitrogen-vacancy diamond architecture was previously space-validated after being launched into low-Earth orbit as part of the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) MagQuest challenge to update the World Magnetic Model. The localized scaling matches Canada’s broader Defence Industrial Strategy, which explicitly categorizes quantum-sensing systems as a critical sovereign capability. To scale its commercial go-to-market footprint among international prime contractors, SBQuantum will showcase these active testing configurations at the CANSEC 2026 defense exposition and exhibit at the upcoming DND IDEaS Marketplace in Ottawa.
You can review the official press release detailing the dual defense contracts here.
May 21, 2026
