The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has issued a call for cutting-edge robotics innovations that could revolutionise the UK's multi-domain defence autonomy. With £1 million in funding, the competition seeks to identify disruptive science and technology with potential military applications across land, sea, and air.
Dstl is particularly interested in proposals introducing entirely new scientific approaches or adapting technologies from other sectors for defence purposes. The focus is on speculative, high-risk research grounded in scientific theory, aiming to create new capabilities or anticipate future threats.
The initiative features a two-stage evaluation process. Stage 1 assesses the potential of new ideas, rather than requiring fully developed systems, with £600,000 (excluding VAT) allocated for successful proposals. This initial phase has individual funding ceilings of up to £60,000 per project. Successful candidates will then proceed to Stage 2, which is estimated to have another £600,000 in funding for further concept development.
The competition presents an opportunity for UK businesses and academic institutions with groundbreaking theoretical work to secure funding for cutting-edge research and contribute to national defence capabilities. With a focus on low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) ideas, smaller start-ups could find a pathway to development and application.
Proposals for Stage 1 must be submitted by midday on 11 August 2026 (BST), with interested parties invited to attend a launch webinar on 20 July 2026 from 2pm to 3:30pm (BST). This event will provide crucial insights into the competition's objectives and problem space, allowing potential innovators to ask questions and understand Dstl's specific requirements for defence robotics and autonomous systems.