UK drone sector gets £46.5m boost to support deliveries, air taxis and emergency services
- Perry Richardson
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
The UK Government has awarded £46.5 million to support growth in the drone and advanced air mobility sector, including work aimed at bringing drone deliveries, electric flying taxis and smarter emergency services closer to routine use in UK skies.
Delivered through the Civil Aviation Authority, the funding will support regulatory, digital and security systems intended to make drone operations easier to approve while maintaining safety standards. The package includes £26.5 million to support smarter regulation and reduce administrative barriers for operators.
A key part of the programme is the development of the UK’s first bespoke drone identification system, designed to help police identify illegal or nuisance drone users. The Government said the measure would help tackle “faceless” drones used in suspicious or unlawful activity while giving clearer operating conditions to legitimate users.
The Hybrid Remote ID system will broadcast a drone’s identity and location during flight, share flight information through a secure online system for authorised users, and record historic data. The approach is expected to support enforcement while giving regulators and operators better visibility of activity in shared airspace.
Funding delivered through the CAA will support drone ID, faster approvals and advanced air mobility regulation ahead of flying taxi ambitions from 2028.
The funding is also intended to speed up approvals for drone use in emergency response, medical logistics and infrastructure inspection. Drone operators are set to benefit from a streamlined digital application process, reducing the time needed to prepare and navigate regulatory submissions.
The announcement forms part of the government’s wider aviation strategy, which includes airspace modernisation, £2.3 billion for green aircraft development and £63 million of support for sustainable aviation fuel.
Sophie O’Sullivan, Director Future Safety and Innovation at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “Our work going on right now is laying the foundations for commercial operation in the future, unlocking routine drone deliveries, long-range inspections and hospital logistics.
“This vital funding supports the next generation of aerospace, strengthening safety and bringing economic growth for the UK.”
Keir Mather, Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister, said: “We’re backing the next generation of British aviation innovators with nearly £50 million to drive drone regulation reforms and unlock barriers to growth that will create jobs, lower emissions and further the UK’s world-leading aviation reputation.
“Innovation must go hand in hand with strong security – that’s why over half of our investment will develop a new ID system to track drones in real-time, supporting emergency services and building public confidence in an industry that could be worth up to £103 billion by 2050.”
