All items · UAS & autonomy

Brand-specified sole-source-style buy of Curtiss Wright MANTIS equipment, so the realistic route is distribution or support rather than competing product; relevant only to authorised resellers and naval deck-handling MRO firms in France. Do: If you are an authorised Curtiss Wright MANTIS distributor or French naval MRO provider, submit via the TED notice 457466-2026 procedure by 17 August 2026.

Military construction spend in Romania now explicitly includes UAV hangar infrastructure, indicating basing build-out for unmanned air systems. Relevant to Romanian/EU construction contractors and to suppliers of automated target systems, perimeter security and range electronics. Do: If you supply automated target/range systems or perimeter and low-current security kit, contact the Romanian construction bidders (or U.M. 02517 Craiova via SEAP/SICAP) immediately — the bid deadline is 17 August 2026.

A single buy of 16 ROVs by an Italian law-enforcement/military corps is a sizeable underwater-robotics order in a market usually served by a handful of suppliers. Relevant to ROV/UUV manufacturers and integrators able to bid in Italian and provide local training and maintenance support. Do: If you build inspection/light-work-class ROVs, download the tender pack from the Guardia di Finanza portal and submit an Italian-language bid with a local service partner by 24 August 2026.

UKDI is the main low-barrier UK entry point for single-company defence innovation funding, and the Defence-side route is being rebuilt after the Defence Investment Plan — meaning the Security Open Call is currently the only broad open door. Relevant to autonomy, space, sensing and security-tech scale-ups and SMEs able to bid alone without a consortium. Do: Submit to the Security Open Call 2026 Cycle 1 by 27 August 2026 or Innovation Support to Operations Cycle 8 by 22 September 2026 via the UKDI portal, and email accelerator@dstl.gov.uk for scope clarification; contact the UKDI Help Centre about Defence Innovation Loans while cycles are paused.

Rare chance to test prototypes against real national armed forces with live jamming and flight windows, plus €120k prizes and an EDA-coordinated follow-on track. Directly relevant to UAS/swarm autonomy, RF seeker and ground-sensor developers at TRL where hardware can fly in November. Do: Register for the 25 August info session and submit an application via the DG DEFIS BraveTechEU page before 6 September 2026, reviewing the Germany and Romania Rules of Contest to pick the right site.

Small money but the fastest path to Ukrainian battlefield validation and a Ukrainian partner — which is now the passkey for the larger EDIP USI calls (€180m MAB, €80m C-UxS).

A rare single-unit USV buy by the Spanish Navy at Rota under standard EU procurement rules rather than a defence-specific procedure, meaning non-incumbent bidders can compete directly. Relevant to USV builders and maritime autonomy integrators with modular payload architectures and Spanish delivery/training capacity. Do: Download the tender pack via the TED notice and submit a bid through Spain's Plataforma de Contratación del Sector Público by 7 September 2026, evidencing an already-validated modular USV plus Spanish-language training and support.

A small but concrete Spanish Navy buy of an armed/ASUW-capable USV, indicating operational procurement of surface drones at Rota rather than R&D. Relevant to USV builders and autonomy/remote-weapon integrators able to supply and support in Spain. Do: Download the full tender pack from the Spanish Plataforma de Contratación del Sector Público / TED notice 545084-2026 and submit a bid (or team with a Spanish agent) by 7 September 2026.

A €34.8m coast-guard UAS buy is one of the larger European maritime surveillance drone procurements open to direct bidding rather than defence-exempt routes. Relevant to UAS manufacturers and maritime ISR payload integrators able to offer certified BVLOS platforms plus training and maintenance services in Greece. Do: Download the full tender pack from ESIDIS/Greek national portal via the TED notice and line up a Greek in-country service/maintenance partner before the 7 September 2026 bid deadline.

Dstl is seeding low-TRL autonomy ideas with small, fast contracts and a signalled £600k Phase 2 follow-on, a low-barrier entry point into UK MOD autonomy work. Relevant to autonomy/robotics research teams and university-linked startups; note Stage 1 has already closed, so only invited applicants can now submit. Do: If invited at Stage 1, submit your Stage 2 proposal via the UKDI Online Submission Service before midday 17 September 2026; otherwise watch for the Phase 2 competition and the Dstl Autonomy Programme Incubator's next call.

Cheap, fast pipeline into the EUDIS accelerator and EDF SME calls for early-stage teams; for BD leads it is a scouting event for autonomy talent.

A fast, recurring MoD route to money that explicitly prioritises manufacturability and scale over lab demos, with seeker and C-UAS sensor work named as priorities. Relevant to UK-registered drone, seeker, EO/IR and maritime autonomy firms able to hit TRL 6 in four months. Do: Contact your local UKDI Innovation Partner now and submit via the UKDI Online Submission Service before 12:00 BST on 22 September 2026, with a credible manufacture-and-scale plan.

This is the EDF's most open, smallest-ticket door — EUR 3m per project, no thematic constraint, TRL4+, aimed at rapid time-to-market — making it the realistic entry point for deep-tech scale-ups without prime backing. Relevant to AI, autonomy, quantum, EW and novel-materials startups able to form a small cross-border consortium. Do: Assemble a lean consortium of eligible EU/Norway-based entities and prepare the lump-sum Detailed Budget Table plus ownership-control declaration for submission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before 29 September 2026.

A small, single-award EDF development topic where the technical core is UGV autonomy, EOD manipulation and ML-based object recognition rather than heavy platform integration — unusually accessible for specialist robotics teams. Relevant to UGV/EOD robotics firms, ML-based detection/classification developers and demilitarisation service SMEs in EDF-eligible states. Do: Line up an EDF-eligible consortium (or secure a work package with an EOD/UGV integrator) and submit via the Funding & Tenders Portal before 29 September 2026, preparing the ownership-control and co-financing declarations early.

A single large EDF award of up to EUR 90m continues an existing MSAS consortium lineage, so incumbents from EDF-2022-DA-NAVAL-MSAS are the likely core team. Relevant for USV autonomy-stack developers, naval sensor/mission-module and maritime comms suppliers in EU/Norway wanting a work package. Do: Identify the EDF-2022-DA-NAVAL-MSAS consortium leads and pitch a specific work package (autonomy, mission module, data management) before the 29 September 2026 submission deadline on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

A single EUR 125m award means one large prime-led consortium (following on from previous EU MBT work) will absorb the whole topic. Relevant for subsystem makers in active protection, EO/IR and long-range sensing, turret/autoloader, hybrid drives and crew-reduction autonomy software who need a work package rather than a lead role. Do: Identify the likely MBT consortium lead (existing EU MBT development action participants) and pitch a specific work package — armour, APS, sensors or autonomy — well before the 29 September 2026 submission deadline.

A single EUR 25m award for military IMA/defence air cloud avionics will likely go to a large air-primes consortium, making work packages the realistic entry point. Relevant to avionics software, modular computing, secure onboard networking and mission-system SMEs with EU/Norway-based, non-third-country-controlled entities. Do: Contact the likely lead air primes/avionics integrators forming the EDF-2026-DA-AIR-STFS consortium to secure a work package (modular avionics, onboard comms/AI) well before the 29 September 2026 deadline.

This is the SME-reserved, non-thematic EDF window — the rare EDF topic where a small consortium of SMEs can lead rather than sit under a prime, with a manageable EUR 6m ceiling. Relevant to defence-tech scale-ups and dual-use SMEs (drones, sensors, AI, energy, digital) with TRL 4+ prototypes seeking qualification/testing funding. Do: Download the call document from the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, confirm ownership-control and eligible-country conditions, and line up a cross-border SME consortium plus the harmonised capability and procurement-intent declarations from Member States before the 29 September 2026 deadline.

A fresh EDF topic for a light attack/ISR turboprop with an explicit counter-drone interception role, at research-action stage where no platform incumbent is locked in. Relevant to light aircraft OEMs, mission-system and EO/IR payload integrators, and gun/rocket pod or C-UAS effector suppliers in EDF-eligible states. Do: Contact likely EDF-2026-RA coordinators (European light turboprop OEMs and mission-system integrators) now to secure a work package on FMLA studies/design before the 29 September 2026 submission deadline.

A EUR 30m EDF topic explicitly requiring reuse of civil EU-funded results — unusual leverage for UUV, hydroacoustic sensor and subsea comms firms that have Horizon/EMFAF heritage. Relevant to UUV/AUV builders, sonar and fibre-sensing SMEs, and maritime C2 software houses in eligible EU/Norway entities. Do: Identify your prior civil EU project results and IP rights, then pitch a work package to seabed-protection consortium leads (naval primes/RTOs) well before the 29 September 2026 EDF deadline.

A dedicated EUR 20m research topic on automated air-to-air refuelling signals EU interest in enabling unmanned tanker/receiver operations, an area with few incumbents beyond Airbus and Boeing. Relevant to EO/IR and relative-navigation sensor makers, image-processing/AI firms and flight-control software SMEs in EDF-eligible states. Do: Secure a work-package in a forming consortium (approach likely EDF air-domain coordinators such as tanker or flight-control primes) and prepare your sensor-fusion/relative-navigation credentials before the 29 September 2026 submission.

A dedicated EUR 20m EDF line for a European small turbofan class currently dominated by non-EU suppliers, aimed squarely at the loyal wingman/UCAV segment. Relevant to aero-engine houses and their subsystem suppliers (turbomachinery, combustors, FADEC, generators, H2 fuel systems) able to join a multi-country consortium. Do: Contact EDF engine consortium leads (aero-propulsion primes and national MoD points of contact) now for a work-package slot on combustion, hydrogen fuel systems or embedded generation, and confirm your rights to reuse prior EU civil-project results before the 29 September 2026 deadline.

A rare EDF topic where multiple smaller consortia are funded (max €4.6m each) and compete in a common live test campaign, lowering the barrier versus mega-consortium topics. Relevant to swarm autonomy, sensor-fusion and AI-vision scale-ups plus ground-robot and small-drone makers in eligible EU/Norway entities. Do: Form or join a small EDF-eligible consortium and prepare the Part B proposal plus ownership-control declarations for submission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 29 September 2026.

This is the referee, not the competitor, slot: a single EUR 7m grant to set the European benchmark for swarm/AI situational-awareness evaluation, paired with the earlier AISAP-STEP topic. Relevant to test-range operators, simulation/benchmarking houses and autonomy labs with data-annotation and field-trial capability. Do: If you run test ranges, synthetic environments or benchmarking/data-annotation for autonomy, join or form a cross-border consortium and submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before 29 September 2026.

The largest open EU defence R&D deadline of 2026 — €1bn across DA+RA — closes 29 Sep; if you are not already in a consortium, the realistic play now is joining as a subcontractor or supplier of a specific capability (drone payloads, EW, seabed sensors).

The one EDF door that does not require fitting a prime's topic: SME-led, any subject, €5m cap — most relevant for start-ups with a TRL 4–6 product and 2–3 friendly SMEs in other Member States.

Best fit for deep-tech start-ups and labs with a genuinely new concept rather than a product roadmap; success rates on EDF were ~14% in 2025, so a strong consortium matters more than the idea.

Cyberagentur PCP calls fund early-stage R&D at up to 100% and are open to bidders from EU, Switzerland, NATO and NATO AP4 partners, which is unusually broad for a German defence-adjacent buyer. Relevant to autonomy-stack, swarm-control and resilient-navigation teams able to run GNSS-denied multi-robot experiments. Do: Register on www.evergabe-online.de and submit a participation request plus project sketch for IRIS by 06.10.2026 11:00, showing prior work on GNSS-denied swarm autonomy and human-swarm control.

This is a sizeable (~€16m) German government research tender on swarm robotics resilience to EW/GPS denial, run via Cyberagentur's competitive R&D procurement route rather than a classic prime-led contract. Relevant to autonomy/robotics and EW-resilient navigation specialists, including SMEs and research-heavy scale-ups without existing primes relationships. Do: Register interest via the TED notice and prepare a technical proposal addressing robust swarm interaction and human-swarm control before the 6 October 2026 deadline.

This is money for physical munitions production capacity inside and with Ukraine, not R&D, with a relatively small consortium cap (15) that favours tight industrial teams over mega-consortia. Relevant to energetics/filling, missile subcomponent, seeker and loitering-munition makers, plus C-UAS and OT-cybersecurity firms who can slot into the site-protection work package. Do: If you make energetics, filling equipment, seekers/effectors or C-UAS/OT security, line up a Ukrainian production partner now and secure a work package in a consortium (or lead a EUR 2–30m action) before the 13 October 2026 SEDIA deadline.

EDIP common procurement money flows through state-appointed procurement agents, not to industry directly, so loitering-munition, artillery and missile-component makers only benefit by being the named supplier in a multi-country buy. Relevant to munitions producers and FPV/one-way attack drone scale-ups with EU production capacity. Do: Get your product into a Member State's planned joint buy now: brief national armament directorates and agents (EDA/OCCAR/NSPA) on your ammunition or strike-drone line and push for inclusion, including upgrade clauses, before the 13 October 2026 submission.

Fastest EU route to grant money for munitions/loitering-munition production capacity if you can bring a Ukrainian partner — and Ukrainian firms gained EDF/EDIP access in July 2026, so the partner pool just widened.

First Horizon Europe money explicitly for defence scale-ups and it is equity, not a grant — the obvious complement to a Series A/B for drone, autonomy, space and AI companies that were previously excluded from EIC.

This is EDIP money for factory capacity, not R&D — it pays to industrialise component lines (drone flight stacks, ESCs, RF front-ends, thermal modules, secure PCBs) that European drone and munitions ramp-ups currently import. Directly relevant to EU electronics manufacturers, PCB/substrate houses, battery and power-electronics firms and RF/EO module makers, including non-defence industrials with qualified production able to reserve capacity. Do: Download the call document from the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, check the eligible-countries and ownership/control conditions, and line up a consortium plus baselined capacity KPIs (units/month, time-to-rate, lead-time reduction) well before the 16 February 2027 deadline.

This is production-capacity money, not R&D: it pays to stand up joint EU–Ukraine lines, MaaS small-batch capacity and heavy-industry conversion for attritable drones and C-UAS, with KPIs on units/month and lead time. Relevant to FPV/interceptor drone makers, fibre-optic and RF-denied control specialists, C-UAS sensor/jammer suppliers and contract manufacturers with or seeking a Ukrainian industrial partner. Do: Line up a Ukrainian manufacturing partner and a consortium of ≤15 entities now, and build a proposal with baselined production KPIs (units/month, time-to-rate, lead-time cut) plus the optional EUR 200k protection WP, for submission on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal before 16 February 2027.