Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Aerospace
  • /
  • Grants up to £65m available for Future Flight Challenge Phase 3

Aerospace

Grants up to £65m available for Future Flight Challenge Phase 3

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, are investing up to £65 million in innovation projects for Future Flight Challenge Phase 3.

Image AdobeStock / courtesy TBAT

Projects must demonstrate integrated aviation systems and vehicle technologies that enable new classes of electric or autonomous air vehicles.

The aim of this competition (which closes on 3rd November 2021) is to fund ambitious projects that will successfully integrate the technical, regulatory and social challenges necessary to prove new classes of electric or autonomous air vehicles. These projects can include:

Advertisement
ODU RT
  • Demonstrations of multiple drones, operating as a beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) service in a defined geographic area.
  • A multi‐modal demonstration of different aircraft types operating in parallel providing an end‐to‐end solution.
  • Advanced air mobility vehicle operation in a representative environment.
  • Scheduled sub‐regional electric flights over a representative route.

Your project must:

  • Focus on the enabling and cross‐cutting technologies essential to support the safe and effective operation of these new vehicle types.
  • Clearly demonstrate how the enabling technologies you are developing combine to support an overall aviation “system of systems” that supports the different classes of Future Flight aircraft.
  • Must have total eligible costs between £500,000 and £15 million.
  • Start on 1st April 2022 and end by 31st March 2024.
  • The project must last between 12 and 24 months, carry out it’s project work in the UK and intend to exploit the results from or in the UK.

To lead a project your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size, be or involve at least one UK registered SME, collaborate with other UK business academic institutions, charities, not‐for‐profit, public sector organisations or research and technology organisations (RTOs).

For strand one of the competition your project must include a means of demonstration of one or more of these classes of aircraft and enabling systems, operating in a representative environment.

Advertisement
ODU RT

For strand two of the competition your project must focus on the enabling and cross‐cutting technologies essential to support the safe and effective operation of these new vehicle types

Innovation is inherently risky, making the need for additional funds crucial to successfully commercialising a new technology. For UK organisations seeking innovation support services to finance Research and Development, TBAT is providing some salient advice and technical assistance. With some grant funding only available through a competitive process and R&D Tax needing to be claimed via HMRC, TBAT’s technical application writing knowledge and experience aims to help businesses secure the funds they need.

For further information on strand one and strand two of the competition:

www.tbat.co.uk/services/grant-funding-calls/future-flight-challenge-phase-3-strand-1

www.tbat.co.uk/services/grant-funding-calls/future-flight-challenge-phase-3-strand-2

 


 

Advertisement
FIA2026 animated banner
MGI conducts first TigerShark flights with Auterion

Aerospace Defence Security

MGI conducts first TigerShark flights with Auterion

2 April 2026

MGI Engineering Ltd (MGI) has announced the successful first flights of its TigerShark uncrewed deep strike platform, in partnership with Auterion.

Loganair, Royal Mail and BETA advance electric aviation operations

Aerospace

Loganair, Royal Mail and BETA advance electric aviation operations

1 April 2026

Loganair, Royal Mail and BETA Technologies, today announced the successful completion of the UK's first electric flight demonstration programme across Scotland's regional air network.

SYMCA grant unlocks Rolls-Royce investment in Rotherham ABCF

Aerospace

SYMCA grant unlocks Rolls-Royce investment in Rotherham ABCF

1 April 2026

Rolls-Royce has announced a £19.3 million investment in its highly specialised Advanced Blade Casting Facility (ABCF) in Rotherham, following a grant of £2 million from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA).

Rolls-Royce to advance UltraFan 30 demonstrator through UNIFIED

Aerospace

Rolls-Royce to advance UltraFan 30 demonstrator through UNIFIED

31 March 2026

Rolls-Royce has secured €64million in funding from the European Union’s Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU) to lead UNIFIED (Ultra Novel and Innovative Fully Integrated Engine Demonstrations), a collaborative research project supporting the development and planned ground testing of the UltraFan 30 demonstrator.

Advertisement
ODU RT
IATA sees strong air passenger and cargo demand growth for February

Aerospace

IATA sees strong air passenger and cargo demand growth for February

31 March 2026

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released data for February 2026 showing global passenger demand was up 6.1% and air cargo demand rose by 11.2%, compared to February 2025 levels.

CAA publishes Initial Proposals for Heathrow H8 price cap

Aerospace

CAA publishes Initial Proposals for Heathrow H8 price cap

31 March 2026

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has today published its Initial Proposals for the maximum fees that Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) can charge airlines for using the airport for the H8 regulatory period, which runs from January 2027 until the end of 2031.

Advertisement
ODU RT
Advertisement
Gulfstream banner