Advancing atmospheric and aerial autonomy
Advancing atmospheric and aerial autonomy supports researchers and technical teams to demonstrate autonomous observing systems that strengthen atmospheric science and wider environmental monitoring.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: October 21, 2026, 4:00pm UK time (Applications) | February 1, 2027 (Latest project start)
Funding Amounts: £300,000–£1 million per project at 100% full economic cost, for three to 12 months; £4 million total fund
Summary: Supports deployable autonomous observing demonstrators for atmospheric science and autonomous aerial systems for wider environmental applications.
Key Information: Project leads must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for NERC funding, and all requested costs must be capital costs.
Description
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), funds proof-of-concept projects that develop, integrate, deploy and demonstrate autonomous environmental observing capability. The programme aims to translate promising technologies into usable systems that strengthen UK atmospheric observations, environmental monitoring and scientific discovery. Atmospheric projects can involve sensing networks, instrumentation, fixed or mobile platforms, software and data systems without using aircraft. Wider environmental projects must place autonomous aerial systems (UAS) at the centre of their approach.
Projects should deliver demonstrator capability in realistic environments, high-quality observations or data products, and pathways to wider deployment, adoption or commercialisation. Priorities include calibration, validation, measurement uncertainty and bias, meaningful partnerships, and capabilities the environmental science community can use beyond the award. Projects must be sufficiently mature for rapid mobilisation rather than lengthy early-stage development.
