Key Features
Organisations can apply for a share of £900,000, inclusive of VAT, to demonstrate and test low-cost counter uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) technologies that are able to detect and track drones within UK prison estates.
Programme: Innovate UK
Award: Share of up to £900,000
Opens: 5th Oct 2026
Closes: 28th Oct 2026
Innovate UK alongside the UKRI R&D Missions Accelerator Programme, will invest up to £900,000 from the Streets Mission in this Contracts for Innovation competition.
The aim of this competition is to demonstrate and test an innovative, high technology readiness level, low cost, counter uncrewed aerial system that can detect and track uncrewed aerial vehicles to deter or defeat drone flights within UK prison estates.
To be eligible for this competition projects must have total eligible project costs of between £40,000 and £80,000 inclusive of VAT. Projects must start on 1st February 2027 and end by 31st March 2027 and last for 2 months.
Applicant: To lead a project, you can be an organisation of any size based in the UK, EU. EEA or internationally. You can work alone or with subcontracted skills and expertise of others from business, research organisations, research and technology organisations, charities, social enterprises or voluntary organisations.
Contracts will be awarded to single legal entities only. The majority of the project work and key deliverables must be completed by the applicant and carried out in the UK. The majority of the funding must be spent in the UK.
Subcontractors: Subcontractors can be used, but only for specialist skills.
Innovate UK will not fund the following projects:
Innovate UK are offering up to £900,000 inclusive of VAT to fund innovation projects in this research and development competition. Funding will be in the form of a contact between £40,000 and £80,000, inclusive of VAT. Innovate UK expect to fund between 11 and 22 projects.
The contract is completed at the end of the competition, and the successful organisation is expected to pursue commercialisation of their solution.
Value Added Tax (VAT)
You must select whether you are VAT registered before entering your eligible project costs.
VAT is the responsibility of the invoicing business. We will not provide any further advice and suggest you seek independent advice from HMRC.
VAT registered
If you select you are VAT registered, you must enter your eligible project costs exclusive of VAT. As part of the application process VAT will be automatically calculated and added to your project cost total. Your total eligible project costs inclusive of VAT must not exceed £80,000.
Not VAT registered
If you select you are not VAT registered, you must enter your eligible project costs exclusive of VAT and no VAT will be added. You will not be able to increase total project costs to cover VAT later should you become VAT registered. Your total project costs must not exceed £80,000.
Research and development (R&D)
Your application must have at least 50% of the contract value attributed directly and exclusively to R&D services, including solution exploration and design. R&D can also include prototyping and field-testing the product or service. This lets you incorporate the results of your exploration and design and demonstrate that you can produce in quantity to acceptable quality standards.
R&D does not include:
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