Above: Paratroopers from Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Platoon, 2nd Battalion.
Courtesy Defence Imagery / Photographer:Cpl Aaron J Stone / UK MoD © Crown copyright 2025
 
Attended by Al Carns DSO OBE MC MP, Minister for the Armed Forces, the event was hosted by NMITE’s James Newby, President and Chief Executive Officer, Jesse Norman, Chair and Professor Alexandru (Alex) Stancu who is the Academic Lead for this degree with current NMITE students and their examples of real-world autonomous systems, drone technologies and robotics drones on display. Brigadier Mike Cornwell Head of Future Force Development, Army Command represented the Army and also present were Members of the Army’s Experimentation and Trials Group  who are the types of soldiers who could also be potential students of this degree. 

 
James Newby, President and Chief Executive Officer at NMITE said: “This degree reflects the scale of the opportunity in front of us - to equip the next generation of engineers with skills that matter now and to quickly deliver positive impacts in terms of skills, defence and a security capability and regional growth. The fact that we expect many local young people to take on the degree and build their futures with us, is incredibly exciting.” 
 
Talking about the progress that has been made since the December announcement, Professor Alexandru (Alex) Stancu, Academic Lead for this degree said: “The curriculum has been designed from the ground up to combine rigorous engineering fundamentals with hands-on experience in autonomous systems, ensuring students engage with the technologies and challenges facing the country today. I am incredibly excited to be involved and can’t wait to start working with students on this exciting project.” 
 
Also present was Ollie Holt who was one of the first NMITE graduates in Integrated Engineering, finishing his studies in 2024 and is now working at a Hereford-based drones company alongside representatives from companies such as Hereford-based Level Peaks, a great example of a defence and security partner and the kind of company with which students on the course would interact.   
 
A spokesperson for Level Peaks said: “We have a long-standing relationship with NMITE and strongly believe in the value the university brings to the local area and the industries we operate within. Our partnership is built on meaningful collaboration - from investing in students through financial support, to sharing knowledge, expertise and direct industry insight. As NMITE enters the next stage of its journey with the introduction of the MEng degrees in Autonomous Robotics, it clearly demonstrates the institute’s modern, forward-thinking and industry-relevant academic approach. This development is particularly exciting and will prove invaluable to the industry, creating new opportunities for collaboration while significantly enhancing student futures.” 
 
Built on NMITE’s pioneering, hands-on pedagogy, the new degree will lead to a Master's in Engineering (MEng) in three years, rather than the normal four years in traditional universities and will prepare students to be broadly trained, highly effective engineers with a specialised focus on drone technologies. The programme will place a strong emphasis on the dual-use potential of drone technologies. Just as many technologies originally developed for defence are now commonplace in civilian life, from GPS to the internet, NMITE’s Autonomous Robotics degree will equip graduates to drive innovation for civilian, commercial and humanitarian applications as well as for defence. 
 
People interested in joining the programme should get in touch to express an interest in applying for a place here: https://nmite.ac.uk/form/register-your-interest-in-autosy