UK Research and Innovation (NERC)

Advancing atmospheric and aerial autonomy

NERC proof-of-concept funding to develop, deploy and demonstrate autonomous systems for atmospheric science, or autonomous aerial systems (drones) for wider environmental science, delivering demonstrator capability and high-quality environmental data. It is for teams led from UK research organisations eligible for NERC funding, ideally working with industry and other partners. Projects can cost £300,000 to £1 million full economic cost, funded at 100%, last 3 to 12 months and must start by 1 February 2027. About half the funding is expected to go to each of the two strands.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: £300,000 – £1,000,000
Closes in: 3 days left; 21 October
Effort: Heavy; budgets, references, often several stages

Who can apply

The project lead must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for NERC funding (standard UKRI eligibility)
This includes academic researchers at any career stage, research and technical staff such as engineers, technicians and specialists, and multidisciplinary teams combining environmental science, engineering, robotics, data science or related fields
Projects should show meaningful collaboration with organisations that develop, deploy or apply autonomous systems and sensing technologies; industry and other non-academic organisations are strongly encouraged as project partners but cannot lead
International researchers and organisations can take part as project partners, or as a zero-cost project co-lead (international)

What it funds

Projects that develop, integrate, deploy and demonstrate innovative autonomous environmental observing capability, in two strands:

Autonomous solutions for atmospheric science (not necessarily aerial): autonomous observational systems, distributed sensing networks, mobile or fixed monitoring platforms, autonomous measurement approaches, sensing technologies, scientific instrumentation, measurement systems and architectures, calibration and validation approaches, technologies that improve the collection, processing or exploitation of atmospheric data, and systems that strengthen future atmospheric observing capability
Autonomous aerial systems (UAS) for environmental applications, with UAS central to the approach: environmental monitoring and assessment, ecosystem observation, environmental forecasting and prediction, natural hazard monitoring, atmospheric observations, and terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine environments
Eligible costs: equipment and component costs directly associated with capability development
Integration, installation, testing, benchmarking and validation activities
Technical staff effort directly associated with capability development
Software, digital and data system development that contributes to the creation of new capability
Activities required to bring an asset or capability into a usable operational state

all costs go under Exceptions Equipment on the Funding Service. Projects must be able to mobilise immediately, with a substantial share of spending through major procurement soon after the start.

What it will not fund

Projects not led from a UK research organisation eligible for NERC funding
International project co-lead costs: international organisations support their own participation

How to apply

Make sure your organisation is registered on the UKRI Funding Service (Je-S is not used)
Start an application on the UKRI Funding Service and answer the questions, including vision, approach and delivery, team capability (Résumé for Research and Innovation format), data management and facilities
Your research organisation submits it by 4pm on 21 October 2026
Applications are checked for eligibility, then assessed by an expert panel, which recommends projects to NERC

NERC may add a shortlisting stage if applications greatly exceed capacity, and takes a portfolio approach to balance the two strands.

Have ready

Data management plan, written in the application
Delivery and mobilisation plan identifying dependencies such as procurement, recruitment, regulatory approvals and access arrangements, written in the application

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