Advanced quantum systems are integral to both scientific research and modern technology enabling a wide range of emerging applications. Nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers, optically active atomic defects in diamond, are directly relevant in this context due to their single-spin sensitivity and remarkable functionality over a broad temperature range. Many of these advantages derive from their quantum-mechanical nature of NV centers that are endowed by excellent quantum coherence, controllable entanglement, and high fidelity of operations, enabling opportunities for outperforming their classical counterpart. In this talk, I will present our recent efforts on developing NV-based quantum sensing and imaging techniques and their potential to address the challenges in both condensed matter physics and quantum science and technologies. Specifically, we have achieved: 1) electrical control of coherent spin rotations of NV spin qubits in NV-magnon based hybrid systems, 2) nanoscale imaging of magnetic flux and magnetization of a topological superconductor by NV wide-field microscopy, and 3) local non-invasive measurements of the intrinsic spin transport properties of antiferromagnetic insulators by NV centers. Our results illustrate the unique capability enabled by NV centers in exploring the exotic spin, heat, and charge transport in emergent quantum materials. The demonstrated coupling between NV centers and magnons in hybrid quantum devices further points to the possibility to establish macroscale entanglement between distant spin qubits and paves the way for developing transformative NV-based quantum computer.