The UK Space Agency will back the development of future telecommunications technologies and aerial connectivity projects with £20 million in funding, it’s been announced today by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Chloe Smith.

Companies looking to develop applicable tech solutions can now apply for a share of the £20m funding pot.

“Projects could include developing connectivity for aerial platforms with hybrid capabilities that can seamlessly switch between satellite and terrestrial networks, or traffic management for innovative vehicles such as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, or ‘flying taxis’,” the UK Government said.

The call for project proposals is being run in coordination with the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of its Advanced Research in Telecommunications Services (ARTES) programme, of which the UK Government committed £190 million to in November 2022.

In addition to being evaluated against the inherent themed criteria of the call, proposals will be considered under five general assessment criteria.

This includes the approach and methodology of the project, its potential financial return for the UK space sector, how innovative it is, its part in the relevant supply chain, and the wider direct and indirect benefits of the project.

The deadline for submitting expressions of interest is set to close on 1 September 2023 at 11am, while the deadline for submission of proposals, if successful at presentation stage, is “midday” on 20 November.

The DSIT Secretary of State unveiled the support during a speech at the opening of the European Space Agency’s new conference centre at the Harwell Space Cluster in Oxfordshire.

“From using drones to quickly get medicines to hospitals, through to boosting mobile network access in remote areas, the benefits of aerial connectivity cut through many aspects of our lives,” said Smith.

“The Government’s £20 million investment will further strengthen the UK’s fast-growing satellite communications industry, which already contributes more than £10 billion to our economy and supports over 26,000 jobs. It will improve our health and security, too, and support our plan to level up every part of the UK.”

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Josef Aschbacher, the Director General of the ESA, further commented: “The UK has a strong track record for innovation in telecommunications and we are proud to work with our UK partners to develop innovative technologies that will support industries across the economy by boosting aerial connectivity.

“This activity demonstrates the excellent cooperation between the UK and ESA, and is a great example of how the seamless connectivity delivered by space-enabled 5G is set to transform society and industry.”

To read the application guide for the call, click here.