SBQuantum wins $3 million in new DND contracts

By AI, Created 4:35 PM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – SBQuantum has secured two Canada government contracts worth $3 million CAD to test and integrate its quantum magnetometer systems for defence use. The work expands the Sherbrooke company’s ties to the Department of National Defence and could support navigation and detection in contested or hard-to-reach environments.

Why it matters: - The contracts give SBQuantum a path to test its quantum sensing technology in real-world defence settings. - The projects could support navigation, detection of metallic objects and operations in environments where GPS can be jammed or spoofed. - The work adds to Canada’s effort to move emerging sensing tools from the lab into operational use.

What happened: - SBQuantum announced two new contracts totaling $3 million CAD with Canada’s defence innovation programs. - The company will deliver arrays of proprietary quantum magnetometers for testing and validation in defence-relevant environments. - One contract is worth $1.05 million and comes through the Department of National Defence’s Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security program under the Test Drive funding pathway. - The second contract is worth $1.95 million and comes through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Innovative Solutions Canada program after a competitive selection process. - SBQuantum is based in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.

The details: - The IDEaS-funded project will provide numerous portable sensor systems with arrays of multiple magnetometers. - Field operators will use those systems and provide structured feedback. - SBQuantum will use the feedback to iterate on hardware and algorithms with end users. - The Innovative Solutions Canada contract will support integration of SBQuantum’s sensor technology into an unmanned aerial vehicle. - The drone-mounted setup is intended to extend the platform’s reach for airborne detection of crustal landmarks, subsurface objects and concealed metallic objects. - The company’s magnetic intelligence platform combines noise-cancellation algorithms with real-time classification capabilities. - The technology is aimed at magnetic navigation, detection of ferromagnetic metallic objects and covert operations. - SBQuantum says its magnetic navigation tools provide position and direction information that cannot be blocked or distorted and require zero infrastructure. - SBQuantum said its sensors are designed to deliver continuous, reliable and accurate information even in conflict zones and contested environments.

Between the lines: - The contracts suggest growing confidence in magnetic sensing as a backup or alternative to satellite-based navigation. - The drone integration points to a broader military use case for sensing from the air when ground access is risky or impractical. - SBQuantum’s focus on defence contracts also signals a shift from emerging technology toward procurement-minded validation. - Eric Giroux, SBQuantum’s CEO, said the contracts mark an important milestone in the company’s expanding collaboration with the Department of National Defence and that the systems are drawing interest from other countries and defence contractors.

What’s next: - SBQuantum will build and deliver the sensor arrays for field testing under the first contract. - The company will integrate its technology into a UAV under the second contract. - SBQuantum said it will continue working with defence and commercial partners as it advances its sensing systems. - The company will attend CANSEC 2026 in Ottawa on May 27-28 and exhibit at the Department of National Defence’s IDEaS Marketplace on May 29. - More information is available on SBQuantum’s website.

The bottom line: - SBQuantum is turning quantum magnetometer technology into funded defence pilots, with $3 million CAD in new government contracts aimed at proving the systems in the field.