Flying taxis, drones delivering medical supplies, small electric
aircraft, vertical take-off and landing vehicles and autonomous
aircraft are some of the innovations that could transform
aviation and broader transportation in the future.
New systems and technologies must be developed to allow them to
use existing airports and airspace to fly in and around rural and
urban environments. New business models must be created, and the
public must have confidence in new services.
The government has set aside £125 million as part of the
Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Future Flight Challenge to
make the UK a world leader in aviation systems, products and
markets. The funding supports development of capabilities to
enable safe operations of these new modes of air transportation.
Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, has up to £30
million from the fund to support projects that develop and
demonstrate integrated aviation systems for new electric and
autonomous aircraft.
Projects should help new aircraft to fly in and out
Projects should aim to develop and demonstrate integrated
aviation systems that allow drones, urban aircraft or electric
regional aircraft to fly in and out of airports, airspace, and
rural and urban environments. They should take a ‘system of
systems’ approach and could focus on several areas including:
- air traffic management and unmanned traffic management
systems
- physical and digital infrastructure to support future flight
- autonomy
- digital and communications systems
- new business models
- public acceptance
- transport integration
- vehicle technologies enabling integration to new aviation
systems
- simulation
- non-aerospace regulation
- viable, challenging, use cases
- total security systems
There are two strands to the competition, one for smaller
fast-track projects and the second for larger consortia
undertaking more ambitious projects.
Applications are sought from businesses that work in the aviation
sector and from businesses outside the sector that can bring in
new technologies.
Strand 1
- the competition is open, and the closing date is at midday on
1 July 2020
- projects must be led by an SME working with at least one
other business, research organisation, public sector organisation
or charity
- we expect projects to range in size between £150,000 and
£500,000 and to last between 6 and 18 months
- a briefing event will be held on 19 May 2020
Strand 2
- the competition is open, and the closing date is at midday on
1 July 2020
- projects can be led by businesses of any size but must
include at least 1 SME as a project partner
- we expect projects to range in size between £500,000 and £10
million and to last between 6 and 18 months
- a briefing event will be held on 19 May 2020
