Defence Online

The future of aviation security

October 18, 2016

Innovative organisations can apply for a share of up to £1 million to develop new ways of improving aviation security screening.

The Department for Transport and the Home Office are to invest up to £2 million in improving aviation security screening. As the aviation sector continues to grow, the threat to aviation security continues to evolve. The aim of this competition is to develop new technologies and approaches to enhance threat detection.

At the same time, they should reduce the inconvenience of undergoing screening and of carrying out that screening. There should be a positive impact on the customer and the operator. Solutions should be in line with the government’s aim of creating a safer, more secure and sustainable transport system.

This will help the government, the Civil Aviation Authority and the aviation industry continue to improve airport security processes. It will help them stay ahead of evolving threats and maintain a high level of confidence in threat detection.

This competition seeks proposals to the following two challenges:

• screening people and their hand luggage
• screening aviation cargo and hold luggage

This is a Small Busineses Research Initiative (SBRI) competition run in partnership with Innovate UK. The Centre for Defence Enterprise (CDE) is running this competition which is part of the £25.5 million Future Aviation Security Solutions (FASS) programme. By 2021, the FASS programme aims to have made significant improvements to existing aviation security capabilities. It will do this by developing and exploiting technology, capabilities and knowledge.

This competition is in two phases:

• phase 1 – funding of between £40,000 and £80,000 per project with total funding of £1 million available. We expect projects to last up to 6 months and be complete by the end of October 2017
• phase 2 – £1 million will be available. Only projects funded in phase 1 will be eligible to take part

Phase 1 of this competition opens on Thursday 20 October 2016 & the application deadline is 5pm on Thursday 19 January 2017 with a briefing for potential applicants on Thursday 17 November 2016

Find out more about this competition and apply online

Get guidance from the CDE website on how to submit your proposal

Air aviation security civil aviation authority competition funding Innovation

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.