Built by the sector. For the sector.
Autonomous UK is the UK's trade association for companies developing and deploying defence-grade autonomous systems — from uncrewed aerial and ground platforms to counter-UAS, mission software, and the enabling technologies that make autonomous operations possible.
We were founded on a simple premise: that the companies building this technology should have a unified, credible voice in the decisions that shape its future. Procurement structures, regulatory frameworks, export controls, operational doctrine — these are not abstract policy questions. They determine which companies win contracts, which technologies get approved, and which markets are accessible.
Autonomous UK is the vehicle through which member companies engage those processes — collectively, strategically, and with weight.
We work across the policy and regulatory areas that directly affect member companies:
Uncrewed systems procurement — MoD acquisition reform, the Defence Investment Plan, and UK-industry-first default positions
Airspace and seaspace regulation — the CAA's BVLOS Roadmap, the MCA's MASS Code, and UTM/VTMS architecture
Counter-UAS and maritime CNI — ending the fragmentation of C-UAS policy across MoD, Home Office, CAA, MCA, and NPSA
Export controls and ITAR exposure — collective engagement with DBT and DSIT as UK autonomous systems companies scale internationally
Sovereign industrial capability — the strategic case for a UK-based supply chain within NATO, Five Eyes, and allied frameworks