Dual-use Aviation Systems and Autonomy
Funds UK organisations up to £1.25 million to build aviation tech for both civil and military use.
Dual-use Aviation Systems and Autonomy is an Innovate UK competition that funds UK organisations up to £1.25 million to build aviation systems usable in both civilian and military contexts — uncrewed aircraft systems, hybrid-electric eVTOL and eCTOL aircraft, and other swarming, collaborative or autonomous aviation systems. Projects must sit at Technology Readiness Level 5 or above and show a clea…
The competition backs UK-led projects developing aviation systems usable in both civilian and military contexts: uncrewed aircraft systems, hybrid-electric eVTOL and eCTOL aircraft, and other swarming, collaborative or autonomous aviation systems. Projects must sit at TRL 5 or above and show a clear path to commercialisation across both civil and defence markets.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see how to apply
Sign up free to see what you submit
Sign up free to see how they score you
Sign up free to see the timeline
Sign up free to see where teams trip up
Guides for this application
All guides →Innovate UK Grants for Deeptech Startups
How UK deeptech startups should approach Innovate UK grants, including competition fit, R&D categories, collaboration, eligibility, budgets, and strategy.
Where to applyGrants for Robotics Startups: SBIR, Defense, NSF, and Pilot Funding
A practical guide to grants for robotics startups, including SBIR/STTR, NSF, DoD, NASA, field validation, TRL, pilot evidence, budgets, and commercialization strategy.
Start hereTRL Levels Explained for Deeptech Founders
Learn what TRL levels mean, how to estimate technology readiness, and how TRL affects grants, EIC Accelerator, SBIR/STTR, funding stage, and application evidence.
DocumentsGrant Work Plan Template: Work Packages, Gantt, Milestones, and Risks
Use this grant work plan template to structure work packages, tasks, owners, deliverables, Gantt timing, dependencies, and risk registers.
More from Innovate UK
All grants from this funder →Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP): 2026 – 2027 Round 3
🇬🇧Innovate UK · United Kingdom
A university and a business share a graduate for a project neither could run alone.
Advancing innovation in accelerated cancer diagnosis
🇬🇧Innovate UK · United Kingdom
Supporting clinical validation of early cancer diagnostic technologies
National Materials Innovation Programme: CR&D Rd1
🇬🇧Innovate UK · United Kingdom
Funds UK-registered businesses collaborating on industrial research into advanced materials, covering up to 70% of project costs from a £12 million pool.
DRIVE35 Scale-up Fund drawdown five
🇬🇧Innovate UK · United Kingdom
Build the UK plant that makes zero emission vehicle technology at real volume.
UK-Singapore CRD 2026
🇬🇧Innovate UK · United Kingdom
Funding for UK-Singapore industrial research collaborations.
BridgeAI
🇬🇧Innovate UK · United Kingdom
Supports artificial intelligence adoption in agriculture, construction, creative, and transport sectors.
Similar grants
Browse the directory →
SPIN: Rise
🇪🇺28DIGITAL · European Union
Offers early-career deep-tech researchers a free venture-creation and pre-incubation programme with training, coaching and a European bootcamp.
Defence Rapid Impact
UKDI / DASA · United Kingdom
Funds innovators from any country developing near-term defence technology prototypes at TRL 6 or 7 through the MOD Defence Innovation Fund.
NATO DIANA Challenge Programme
NATO DIANA · Global / Multinational
Funds for-profit deep-tech companies from any NATO member nation that are developing dual-use solutions to critical defence and security challenges, through competitive annual and dynamic challenge calls.
Defence IDEaS — Competitive Projects
🇨🇦DND Canada · Canada
Offers research teams and institutions for Defence IDEaS Competitive Projects in defense innovation, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
INNOFENSE — Dual-Use Defense Innovation Grant
🇮🇱MAFAT · Israel
Helps Continuous defensetech startup grant co-funded by MAFAT and IIA for dual-use through the INNOFENSE DualUse Defense Innovation Grant.
Advancing autonomous systems and robotics for high-risk disaster response in conflict-afflicted crisis zones
🇪🇺European Commission · European Union
Funds autonomous robots and remote-sensing tools that let first responders search, assess and support disaster zones made too dangerous by conflict.