Field validation of GNSS-independent positioning enhancement using a wearable ultra-stable quantum magnetometer

Stirling Scholes; Dominic Hunter; Courtney Dyer; Marcin Mrozowski; Allan McWilliam; Phoebe Utting; David Burt; Paul F. Griffin; James McGilligan; Erling Riis; Stuart J. Ingleby

arXiv · 2606.24612

Field validation of GNSS-independent positioning enhancement using a wearable ultra-stable quantum magnetometer

Stirling Scholes·Dominic Hunter·Courtney Dyer·Marcin Mrozowski·Allan McWilliam·Phoebe Utting·David Burt·Paul F. Griffin·James McGilligan·Erling Riis·Stuart J. Ingleby

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Abstract

Increasing the resilience of positioning systems that currently rely on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals can be achieved by incorporating stable and sensitive measurements of the permanent crustal anomalies in the Earth's magnetic field. We have realised this concept using an in-house-developed, wearable, Free-Induction-Decay Optically Pumped Magnetometer (FID-OPM) to carry out precise and stable measurements of the geomagnetic field in a walking trial. We present an end-to-end validation, including qualification of FID-OPM performance, alongside quantification of improvement in accuracy when data from this sensor is added to a dead-reckoning estimation of position. Using our wearable sensor system we achieve a Beckmann-distributed radial positioning error of 2.24 m over a route exceeding 500 m in length and spanning approximately 360 s.

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Stirling Scholes, Dominic Hunter, Courtney Dyer, Marcin Mrozowski, Allan McWilliam, Phoebe Utting, David Burt, Paul F. Griffin, James McGilligan, Erling Riis, Stuart J. Ingleby. 2026-06-23. Field validation of GNSS-independent positioning enhancement using a wearable ultra-stable quantum magnetometer. https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.24612

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