The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has launched a new competition seeking cutting-edge, early-stage science and technology ideas to advance the UK’s military use of autonomous and robotic systems across land, sea, and air environments.
Run through UK Defence Innovation (UKDI), the Novel Autonomy and Robotics competition offers over £1 million in funding across two stages and is open to innovators with genuinely novel, disruptive concepts that could radically reshape how autonomous systems are developed and deployed in defence.
What Dstl is Looking For
The competition is deliberately focused on the earliest stages of innovation. Dstl is not seeking mature products or proven systems. It wants ideas at Technology Readiness Levels 1 and 2 – speculative, high-risk, high-reward science and technology that has the potential to generate new capabilities or counter new threats in ways that are not yet imaginable through conventional development pathways.
Eligible proposals should offer novel scientific approaches, including ideas proven in other sectors but not yet applied in defence, and must be grounded in scientific theory even where outcomes are uncertain. The ambition is to fund research that could fundamentally alter how autonomous systems are conceived, not merely improve what already exists.
Funding and Timeline
The competition runs across two stages. Stage 1 offers £600,000 in total funding, with individual proposals capped at £60,000. Successful Stage 1 applicants will be invited to proceed to Stage 2, for which a further estimated £600,000 is available.
The deadline for Stage 1 proposals is midday on 11 August 2026. A launch webinar will be held on 20 July 2026 from 2pm to 3:30pm BST for interested applicants to learn more about the competition and ask questions before submitting.
Multi-Domain Autonomy as a Strategic Priority
The competition sits within Dstl’s Autonomy Programme Incubator and reflects the growing strategic priority placed on autonomous and robotic systems across all warfighting domains. From uncrewed underwater vehicles to autonomous aerial platforms and ground-based robotics, the ability to operate effectively at machine speed and scale is increasingly central to UK defence capability planning.
UKDI sits within the National Armaments Director Group, the part of UK defence responsible for developing, delivering, and sustaining the UK’s national arsenal, as well as managing the defence estate including housing and harbour infrastructure.
What This Means for Industry and Innovators
For SMEs, startups, academics, and non-traditional defence suppliers, this competition represents a direct and accessible route into Dstl funding with a relatively low barrier to entry at Stage 1. The two-stage process has been specifically designed to help innovators assess early whether their idea is a strong fit, reducing the time and resource investment required before a full proposal is committed.
Organisations with relevant science and technology capabilities are encouraged to review the full competition document on GOV.UK and register for the launch webinar on 20 July.
The closing date for Stage 1 submissions is midday, 11 August 2026.
Post written by: Vicky Maggiani
Vicky has worked in media for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.
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