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Game-changing ideas for civil aerospace: apply for funding

Organisations can get a grant to work on collaborative innovation projects that will benefit the UK aerospace industry.

We are looking for projects that lead to game-changing civil aerospace technologies.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, working through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and Innovate UK, has a total of £8 million to develop world-leading civil aerospace technologies.

Organisations can now submit their interest in 2 competitions. These are for:

  • fast-track collaborative research and development projects
  • longer collaborative research and development projects

A further competition for feasibility studies will be run in 2019. The £8 million will be shared across the 3 competitions.

All projects must be in line with the UK aerospace technology strategy, Raising Ambition. This strategy is supported by an annual investment of £150 million by the UK government in research and technology development.

Fast-track collaborative research and development

Exploit technology within 3 to 5 years

The first competition is for fast-track R&D projects that could be exploited within 3 to 5 years.

Projects could look at:

  • sensing for harsh environments and integrated vehicle health monitoring
  • coping with extreme conditions
  • creating secure, smart, connected and efficient sub-systems
  • technologies to improve factory efficiency

Fast-track competition information

  • the competition opens on 24 September 2018, and the deadline for expressions of interest is midday on 5 December 2018
  • projects that meet the quality threshold will be invited to make a full funding application
  • an SME can lead a project, working with other businesses or research organisations
  • we expect projects to range in size from £425,000 to £1 million and to last between 1 and 2 years
  • businesses could attract up to 50% of their project costs
  • you will need to sign up to the ATI framework agreement to be eligible to apply
  • you can register for a briefing event in London on 2 October 2018 to find out more about the competition and how to make a successful application

Collaborative research and development

Longer-term returns

The second competition is for longer-term collaborations, the results of which could be exploited in 5 years or more.

Themes include:

  • how to enable single crew operations
  • machines and electronics that allow for more electric aircraft
  • supporting the next generation of materials and processes
  • preliminary design and trade tools for future aircraft and systems

Competition information

  • the competition opens on 24 September 2018, and the deadline for expressions of interest is midday on 5 December 2018
  • projects that meet the quality threshold will be invited to make a full funding application
  • a business must lead the project, working with other businesses or research organisations
  • we expect projects to range in size from £425,000 to £1.5 million and to last up to 3 years
  • businesses could attract up to 50% of their project costs
  • you will need to sign up to the ATI framework agreement to be eligible to apply
  • you can register for a briefing event in London on 2 October 2018 to find out more about the competition and how to make a successful application