Jul 18 2006
The British Government has announced investment of £16 million to support a national programme aimed at ensuring the safe operation of unmanned aviation vehicles in civil airspace without the need for restrictive or specialised operational conditions.
The investment through the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) led Technology Programme forms part of the £32 million ASTRAEA, (Autonomous Systems Technology Related Airborne Evaluation and Assessment) programme, that will collectively strengthen further the UK's pedigree in UAV technology.
ASTRAEA is a highly collaborative programme that will result in regions strengthening their aerospace expertise and individual companies benefiting from participating in a major programme addressing a wide range of issues related to UAV development and operation.
Unmanned craft could revolutionise police and fire service surveillance, coastal surveillance, power and pipeline inspections and mobile phone and broadband services, which currently rely on manned aircraft. However in the future, these tasks could be undertaken by unmanned aircraft with the technology to sense and avoid other objects.
Secretary of State for Trade & Industry Alistair Darling said:
'ASTRAEA is a significant programme for the UK in establishing our credentials in the rapidly growing field of UAV development. It will strengthen collaboration across industry, universities, and regulatory authorities, positioning the UK amongst the world's leaders in UAV technology.
'This programme is an example of how leading private sector businesses and universities can work with government to deliver projects, which will lead to developments offering real economic and cost-effective solutions in areas such as environmental monitoring and security.
'ASTRAEA also represents a good example of collaboration between DTI and the regional bodies supporting technology programmes which will provide knowledge transfer and employment opportunities in the regions.'
The consortium is made up of Agent Oriented Software, BAE Systems, EADS UK, Flight Refuelling, QinetiQ, Rolls-Royce and Thales UK together with the Universities of Bath, Cranfield, Lancaster, Leicester, Loughborough, Aberystwyth, West of England and Sheffield, and a number of specialist small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
In addition to receiving £5 million support from the DTI, ASTRAEA has also received £11 million funding from the Regional Development Agencies in the South West, South East and North West, and Devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales, reinforcing the Government's commitment to supporting a world class research base across the UK.
Pam Alexander, Chief Executive of SEEDA, lead for the UK regions on Innovation, said:
"The English Regions and Devolved Administrations are delighted to be working together to support this exciting programme. In a development of this scale, it is vital for regions and government departments to align their resources to help the UK as a whole to take a lead in important technology developments. We clearly have a focus on regional competitiveness, but in a global industry like aerospace, that will need the best partnerships we can build to keep us at the cutting edge.
Simon Jewell, Chairman of the Steering Board for the consortium, added:
"Today is an important milestone for ASTRAEA as it marks the transition from planning to implementation. The team has developed a vision for UAV operations in UK airspace that can now be realised through ASTRAEA and other follow-on activities. Success will open the way for the innovative deployment of UAVs and to a new era of aerospace."