Demonstrator for robotics and AI in extreme and challenging environments: phase 2

Overview

Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation, will invest up to £6 million of funding. This is to support the development of robotics and AI (RAI) systems in extreme environments by demonstrating robotic system capabilities and their operational benefits through rigorous testing in test facilities and/or realistic extreme environments.

This is the second phase of the ‘Demonstrator for RAI in extreme and challenging environments’ programme.

Scope

This competition is for projects that will carry out industrial research and experimental development of integrated robotic systems – systems complete with payloads that are capable of demonstrating a useful function or service.

Your proposal must identify:

• the operational scenario for extreme and challenging environments and potential operational benefits
• how the proposal builds on the work in phase 1
• how the systems will be tested and demonstrated, including the test facilities you plan to use, why these have been selected and what relationship you have with the testing facility provider

Some phase 1 feasibility studies currently funded are not due to be completed by January 2019. In this case, your proposal for phase 2 must outline how any remaining phase 1 work will differ from the overlapping phase 2 project work during grant funding.

Eligibility

To be eligible for funding, you must:

• be a UK based business of any size
• carry out your project work in the UK
• have the same project lead, as in Phase 1, unless there is a mutual agreement to change the lead to a collaborator involved in Phase 1

All UK based businesses and academic organisations can collaborate on projects, whether involved in phase 1 projects or not.

Projects can last between 12 and 24 months starting between January 2019 and March 2019, and ending before March 2021.

Funding Costs

Total project costs should be between £500,000 and £1 million.

For industrial research, you could get funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 70% if you are a small business
• up to 60% if you are a medium-sized business
• up to 50% if you are a large business

For experimental development projects which are nearer to market, you could get funding for your eligible project costs of:

• up to 45% if you are a small business
• up to 35% if you are a medium-sized business
• up to 25% if you are a large business