NERC Advancing Atmospheric and Aerial Autonomy

Funding for proof-of-concept projects that advance innovative autonomous aerial solutions for atmospheric science and environmental applications.

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Advancing Atmospheric and Aerial Autonomy call aims to support proof-of-concept projects that advance innovative autonomous solutions for atmospheric science and environmental applications through autonomous aerial systems. Successful projects will demonstrate operational capability, produce robust environmental data, and establish opportunities for scaling and broader adoption.

This funding opportunity seeks to enhance the UK’s future environmental observing capability by supporting the development, integration, deployment and demonstration of innovative technologies in autonomy, sensing, instrumentation and measurement.

A key priority is the advancement of atmospheric observation capabilities. Emerging approaches to atmospheric science, particularly those involving autonomous technologies, offer significant potential to deliver environmental research and monitoring in more flexible, efficient and sustainable ways. This investment seeks to accelerate the progression of promising technologies from development into operational capability, enabling improved atmospheric observations, environmental monitoring and scientific research.

The opportunity also builds on the outcomes and opportunities identified through the Net Zero Aerial Capability (NZArC) programme. It supports the advancement and deployment of autonomous aerial systems and related technologies for a wider range of environmental applications.

NERC is looking for projects that can rapidly transform existing technologies, platforms, sensors, instrumentation, measurement systems and specialist expertise into deployable solutions that provide long-term value to the environmental science community.

Applications are welcomed from across the UK’s research and innovation landscape. Particularly encouraged are multidisciplinary collaborations that combine environmental science with expertise in engineering, robotics, autonomous systems, sensing technologies, instrumentation, software development, data science, operations or commercialisation where these skills strengthen the proposed capability.

Through this funding opportunity, NERC will support projects that develop and demonstrate:

• Innovative autonomous sensing, instrumentation and measurement technologies that enhance atmospheric science capabilities (approximately 50% of available funding).
• Autonomous aerial systems (UAS), together with associated sensing technologies, instrumentation and measurement solutions for environmental applications (approximately 50% of available funding).

Projects may contribute to one or both areas and are not required to align exclusively with a single category.

Projects may involve the development, integration, deployment or demonstration of platforms, sensors, instrumentation, measurement technologies, autonomous systems, software, data infrastructure or combinations of these elements where they contribute to strengthening environmental observation capabilities. 

Given the accelerated nature of this funding opportunity, projects must be capable of mobilising rapidly following award and commence activity immediately upon project start.