CfI: counter UAS demonstrations in prison environments
CfI: counter UAS demonstrations in prison environments supports organisations developing and testing low-cost counter-drone technologies to detect and track drones and alert UK prison staff.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: October 28, 2026, 11:00am UK time (Application) | December 15, 2026 (Notification) | February 1–March 31, 2027 (Project)
Funding Amounts: £40,000–£80,000 per contract, inclusive of VAT, for two months; total budget up to £900,000
Summary: Supports demonstration and testing of low-cost counter-drone technologies that detect and track drones within UK prison estates.
Key Information: Solutions must be autonomous, at TRL 6 or above, and compatible with SAPIENT architecture.
Description
This Contracts for Innovation competition funds demonstration and testing of innovative, low-cost counter uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) technologies for UK prison estates. Innovate UK operates the competition on behalf of UKRI’s R&D Missions Accelerator Programme, with funding from the Safer Streets Mission. It procures research and development services through contracts rather than conventional research grants.
Solutions should autonomously detect and track a wide range of drones at, or shortly before, the prison perimeter and alert prison staff in real time. Technologies must be affordable to purchase and operate, with robust working prototypes ready for independent trials in March 2027. Drone identification and integrated non-kinetic countermeasures are particularly encouraged. The competition funds development and testing, not purchase of solutions; subsequent adoption would require a separate, possibly competitive, procurement exercise.
