Overview
- The Ministry of Defence announced £240,000 in seed funding for a three-year autonomous-robotics degree at NMITE during a visit by Armed Forces Minister Al Carns.
- The programme will train 15 civilian students and up to five serving soldiers each year as drone technology specialists.
- Expressions of interest are open, with the first cohort scheduled to start in September 2026 in Hereford.
- The accelerated MEng covers the design, build and testing of uncrewed systems and finishes a year sooner than standard university degrees.
- Officials position the degree within the Strategic Defence Review and new Armed Forces Bill powers on drones, alongside plans to produce low-cost 'Octopus' interceptor drones for Ukraine.