量子导航技术在英国铁路取得重大突破
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英国铁路在量子导航技术研发领域迈出关键一步，专为铁路网研发、可超高精度定位列车位置的新型导航系统取得重要进展。
量子惯性导航技术采用超高灵敏度传感器，能够捕捉运动与旋转中的极细微变化。与GPS等卫星导航系统不同，该技术不依赖外部信号，即便在隧道、密集建筑区域或信号受干扰的环境中，仍可提供高稳定性定位。
现有轨道旁固定定位设施安装与维护成本高昂，且易受环境破坏、设备故障影响。量子导航技术有望成为其未来替代方案，建成后将实现更低成本、更可靠、更抗干扰的定位系统。
在该研发项目中，用于铁路系统的量子惯性导航系统（RQINS）在全球范围内首次完成实车测试。
2026年3月3日，该系统搭载于英国GTR的运营列车上，在伦敦市中心与韦林花园市之间线路运行，获取真实运营数据，用于评估量子定位技术在国家铁路网实际环境中的表现，为后续研发提供支撑。
这一里程碑成果基于英国国防部及伦敦交通局此前的相关研究，标志着铁路量子传感技术研发走出了一大步。
该研发项目由专业联盟推进，MoniRail牵头，联合伦敦帝国理工学院、萨塞克斯大学、英国奎奈蒂克集团（QinetiQ）、博敦咨询（PA Consulting）及英国国家物理实验室共同开展，并获得英国创新署与英国科学、创新与技术部（DSIT）支持。项目由英国铁路集团战略创新技术机构GBRX牵头统筹，旨在加速战略性技术落地应用，提升客运与货运铁路的服务水平。
GBRX董事总经理图菲克·马克努克表示：
1、在复杂的铁路网络中研发新技术，是推动前沿技术转化为实际运营能力的关键。
2、量子传感是英国政府重点布局的前沿技术领域。铁路作为国内最复杂的运营系统之一，为这类技术的研发与规模化应用提供了绝佳平台，其成果不仅服务铁路，还可向外拓展。
3、该项目正式开启量子定位技术对铁路运行模式的颠覆性重塑研究。未来，它可降低对高成本轨道旁定位系统的依赖，同时为信号控制、运营效率提升、路网规划、设备状态监测及更智能化的铁路运营提供全新能力。
4、本次测试是研发进程中早期但至关重要的一步，也彰显了政府、学界与产业界协同合作，能够有效加速量子通信这一前沿技术的发展。
原文=>
Step forward taken in quantum navigation technology for rail
Britain’s railway has taken a major step in the development of quantum navigation technologies, with new systems designed to measure train position with extreme precision now being advanced for the national rail network.
Quantum inertial navigation uses ultra-sensitive sensors capable of detecting minute changes in motion and rotation. Unlike satellite-based navigation systems such as GPS, it does not rely on external signals, meaning it could provide highly resilient positioning even in environments where satellite signals are unavailable, including tunnels, dense infrastructure or areas affected by interference.
The technology is being developed as a potential future alternative to fixed trackside positioning infrastructure, which can be costly to install and maintain and are vulnerable to environmental disruption or equipment failures. Once developed, quantum will enable a lower cost, more reliable, more resilient system.
As part of this development programme, a Rail Quantum Inertial Navigation System (RQINS) has now been tested on a mainline railway for the first time anywhere in the world. The system was carried on a Great Northern train operated by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) between central London and Welwyn Garden City on Tuesday 3 March, providing real-world data to help understand how quantum positioning technologies perform within the operational environment of a national railway network to inform its development.
This milestone builds on work undertaken by the Ministry of Defence and on Transport for London’s network and represents the next step in developing quantum sensing technologies for use on heavy rail.
The development programme is being progressed through a specialist consortium led by MoniRail, working with Imperial College London, the University of Sussex, QinetiQ, PA Consulting and the National Physical Laboratory, with support from Innovate UK and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
This development is convened by GBRX, the strategic innovation and technology body for Great British Railways, to accelerate the adoption of strategic technologies that improve the railway for passengers and freight.
Toufic Machnouk, managing director of GBRX, commented: “Developing new technologies within the complexity of a railway network is essential to understanding how frontier technologies can be translated into operational capability.
“Quantum sensing is one of the UK Government’s frontier technological priorities. Railways, as one of the country’s most complex operational systems, provide a powerful platform for developing and scaling these capabilities for rail and beyond.
“This programme begins the process of understanding how quantum positioning could fundamentally reshape how railways work. In the future, it could reduce reliance on costly trackside positioning systems while enabling new capabilities for signalling, improved operational performance, network planning, enhanced condition monitoring and more intelligent railway operations.
“This test represents an early but important step in that development journey and demonstrates how collaboration between government, academia and industry can accelerate the development of frontier technologies.”
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