The government has announced that organisations can apply for a share of up to £30 million to develop ways to support safe operations of novel modes of air transportation – minimising the environmental footprint and improving connectivity.

Flying taxis, drones delivering medical supplies, small electric aircraft, vertical take-off and landing vehicles and autonomous aircraft are some of the innovations that Innovate UK hopes could transform aviation and broader transportation in the future.

The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Future Flight Challenge has set aside £125 million 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.

Specifically, up to £30 million from the fund is going to support projects that develop and demonstrate integrated aviation systems for new electric and autonomous aircraft.

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; and
• 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.

The strand one projects must be led by a small business working with at least one other business, research organisation, public sector organisation or charity. Innovate UK expects projects to range in size between £150,000 and £500,000 and to last between six and 18 months.

As for strand two, projects can be led by businesses of any size, but must include at least one small business as a project partner. Projects should range in size between £500,000 and £10 million and to last between six and 18 months.

The competition is open, with a closing date of 1 July. A briefing event will be held on 19 May.

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