Korean firms debut quantum-secured patrol robot control

Recap

Source: 로봇신문, report of Oct. 6, 2026

According to the report, Floregen Robotics, a robot control company based in Gunsan, South Jeolla, announced on October 6 that it has integrated quantum security technology into its patrol robot control system in collaboration with IDQ. This is described as the first instance in Korea where quantum security has been applied to robot control communications and verified through certified testing.

The system, called FLOW, links IDQ's quantum random number generator (QRNG) to the control platform. The QRNG uses the quantum properties of light to generate unpredictable random numbers, which are used to create new encryption keys for each communication session. Data, including location, movement paths, camera feeds, and control commands, is encrypted using the AES-256-GCM standard. Keys are discarded immediately after each session.

Performance was verified by KOLAS-accredited testing body Wistone in August 2026. Results showed a 100% success rate for control command responses (target 95%), simultaneous control of three robots, and average encryption time of approximately 0.09 ms and decryption time of 0.02 ms. The round-trip communication delay between the control center and the robot averaged 299 ms, well below the 500 ms target, confirming that encryption does not hinder real-time control.

The project was funded under Seoul City's 2025 Quantum Technology Development Support Program, running from September 2025 for one year. Beams on Top Engineering led the project, with IDQ and Gunsan National University as co-performers. Floregen Robotics, working with the Construction Robotics Lab at Gunsan National University, handled robot integration and control system development. The team verified outdoor operation of a quadruped patrol robot on a pedestrian walkway in Seoul and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Construction Technology Institute for digital twin integration with aging buildings.

Context

Patrol robots, often described as "moving CCTV," operate in parks, residential complexes, and public facilities, capturing real-time video that includes citizens' faces, license plates, and movement patterns. If this communication is compromised, sensitive personal data could leak, and hijacked control commands could turn the robot into a hazard to pedestrians. South Korea's Personal Information Protection Act added a specific provision (Article 25-2) in 2023 for mobile video information processing devices, imposing separate obligations for their operation and data management.

IDQ, founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2001, is a quantum security company that has supplied QRNG chips to Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Quantum smartphone series. It established a Korean subsidiary in 2018 with investment from SK Telecom and was acquired by U.S. quantum computing firm IonQ in 2025. Until now, quantum security in Korea has been primarily applied to communication networks, finance, and smartphones, with no prior cases of it being used for mobile robots.

Robot's take

This development addresses a genuine security gap in mobile robotics, where the physical mobility of the device expands the attack surface for both data interception and command hijacking. The verified low-latency performance is a strong signal that quantum-secured communication can be practical for real-time control, not just a theoretical safeguard.

However, the scope is currently limited to the control link. The company plans to expand protection to camera video and map data and to add post-quantum cryptography (PQC) for authentication and key exchange, which would be a significant step toward future-proofing against quantum computing threats. It remains to be seen how this solution will scale across diverse urban environments and whether the cost of QRNG integration will be prohibitive for smaller operators. The next milestone will be the planned pilot in the Seomangeum new industrial zone, where the density of facilities and security needs could provide a real-world test of the system's viability.