Overview

• Innovate UK, working with the Department for Transport, selected 14 initiatives under the Future Flight programme spanning strategic growth trials and regional demonstrators for drones, eVTOL and zero‑emission aircraft.
• London Health Bridge will expand its medical drone network from about 1,000 to 50,000 sample deliveries per month while adding new hospital sites in the capital.
• Beyond Restoration will use long‑range, heavy‑lift drones to deliver seeds and other materials across fragile peatland and woodland sites to support nature recovery.
• A Scottish Regional Offshore Cargo Drone Demonstrator will trial the UK’s first heavy‑lift logistics service tailored to offshore wind farm operations.
• Ministers linked the grants to long‑term R&D support, citing a £14.9 billion research pledge and £2.3 billion for the Aerospace Technology Institute to grow skilled jobs and cleaner aviation.