A Dual-Mode Neuromorphic Magnetic Navigation Device Inspired by Biological Long-Distance Migration

Magnetic navigation devices, with their strong resistance to interference and high concealment, have been widely applied in military equipment such as precision-guided weapons, unmanned aerial vehicles, and unmanned underwater vehicles. A magnetic navigation device that combines fast response with high precision can effectively enhance the operational capability of unmanned military systems. Here, inspired by the dual-mode synergistic biological navigation mechanism of migratory organisms—"magnetic compass + magnetic map"—we develop a dual-mode neuromorphic magnetic navigation device with biological-level sensitivity and response speed. In the "magnetic compass" mode, three Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) center sensing units selectively sense the axial magnetic information of a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system, enabling rapid acquisition of magnetic field direction navigation cues. In the "magnetic map" mode, the adjustable responsivity of the NV center sensing unit array is used to simulate the synaptic weight matrix of an artificial neural network, executing an artificial neural network recognition algorithm based on the neuromorphic in-sensor computing architecture, thereby achieving rapid acquisition of spatial magnetic map information and precise navigation commands. The sensitivity of the magnetic navigation device is 412.3 pT·Hz –1/2 , and the detection and analysis time for navigation cues is 158.8 ns. We verified the dual-mode high-precision navigation capability of the device on a drone flight experimental platform. The vector error of the magnetic field direction navigation cue was less than 6.35%, and the command accuracy of the magnetic map navigation cue was 97.88% (Noise level 0.5), demonstrating a fast, high-precision, and intelligent magnetic navigation technology (controlled magnetic field environment).