Europe’s largest drone test centre opened in Swindon

Above: Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis MBE MP being briefed on new drone technology. 
Courtesy MoD

Britain’s Armed Forces will be strengthened with the latest drone technology after the opening of Europe’s largest drone centre in Swindon last Friday.

As the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine show, drones are rapidly reshaping warfare, with cheap systems destroying high value targets and innovation cycles measured in weeks, not years. Ukraine uses roughly 200,000 drones a month and there were 700 drones launched per day at the height of conflict in Iran.  

The new Uncrewed Systems Centre (USC), based at the DroneTEX facility in Swindon, will help the UK’s Armed Forces stay at the leading edge of innovation and take advantage of constantly evolving technologies.

It will be the UK’s focal point for the development and testing of the latest drone technology and drive collaboration with industry, allies and partners. At 545,000 sq ft, DroneTEX is the size of more than 10 football pitches and will rapidly develop and field new capabilities.  

The Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis MP met defence industry leaders, investors and military specialists as he toured the facility.

At the opening of the USC, Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis MP said: "The character of warfare is changing and it is changing fast. From Ukraine to the Middle East, we are seeing right now how uncrewed systems are rapidly evolving and reshaping conflicts – on land, in the air and at sea

"Our new DroneTEX facility at the heart of our Uncrewed Systems Centre is Europe’s largest drone test and development facility, and will help us ensure the UK embraces technologies that are redefining warfare.

"Where once new technology could take years from inception to reaching our Armed Forces, we will now be able to develop and field new tech in a matter of weeks – because in this new era, those who innovate fastest will win."

This state-of-the-art centre will work with British companies, supporting SMEs, unlocking exports and creating high-skilled jobs.

It will harness the power of data and digital integration as the UK embraces AI and autonomy, including through our new Task Force RAID (Rapid AI Delivery) which the Prime Minister and Chief of the Defence Staff announced earlier this week. 

The Strategic Defence Review announced a major increase in autonomy investment of £2 billion in this parliament, taking total defence investment in autonomous systems to £4 billion.

The MoD has spent over £450 million on uncrewed systems, including £300 million on their research and development since July 2024. In the last year, UK Defence Innovation has injected over £142 million in rapid investment to scale up production of drones and anti-drone weapons.

UKDI is the focal point for innovation within the Ministry of Defence, backed by a ringfenced annual budget of at least £400 million, enabling UK companies to scale up innovative prototypes rapidly.