The Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) has announced a partnership with Quantum Computing Inc., a Virginia-based quantum software and hardware company, to determine optimal trajectories for unmanned aerial vehicle flight using QCI’s Path to Quantum consulting, Qatalyst software and Quantum Photonic Systems hardware.
The Federal Aviation Administration has highlighted risk-based decision-making as a primary strategic focus. With this awareness, QCI will use its quantum photonic systems for risk-management use cases involving the choice of flight paths for automated aerial vehicles.
“Our partnership with Virginia-based company QCI is designed to test and discover the impact of quantum computing solutions on complex problems. Emerging technology will require faster, more efficient quantum computing solutions. We are working to ensure Virginia is prepared for safe and efficient technology integration.”
VIPC’s VP for Strategic Initiatives and CTO, David Ihrie
Using the Entropy Quantum Computing (EQC) technology, QCI will find the ideal time, speed, and route for drone aircraft to transit between destinations while fulfilling airspace limits and avoiding hazards caused by the weather, obstructions, and other aircraft. EQC systems are well-suited to address complicated optimization problems and can discover optimum flight routes to reduce costs and in-flight dangers.
VIPC is the nonprofit commercialization and seed-stage economic development engine in the Commonwealth, leading financing, infrastructure, and policy efforts to assist Virginia’s innovators, entrepreneurs, startups, and market development strategies.
They work with local, regional, state, and federal partners to support Virginia’s economic expansion and diversification. They also develop emerging technologies, such as quantum computing within the Commonwealth of Virginia, to improve competitiveness and attract more commercial opportunities.
QCI and VIPC want to integrate sensor and micro-weather data gathered by the Virginia Flight Information Exchange (VA-FIX). VA-FIX is an information centre focused on delivering official state and local data supporting the automated aerial systems part of this project. These components, according to VIPC, are critical, cutting-edge technology for enhanced air transportation in Virginia.
“VIPC and the Commonwealth of Virginia have demonstrated their technology leadership with this project, focusing on real-world problems involving quantum computing. QCI is excited about the opportunity to partner with VIPC on this project,” “QCI is eager to demonstrate that quantum computing offers business solutions for today’s problems, not just in the sense of computing power, but in other applications including LiDAR and quantum networks.”
Robert Liscouski, CEO of QCI.