UK CAA Awards Airspace Modernisation Support Fund to Advance Shared Airspace Drone Operations in Lancashire, UK

• UK CAA awards funding to launch live UTM services and drone operations in Lancashire, validating how multiple drone operators can safely share the same airspace, supporting the UK’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy.
  
• The project applies lessons from ongoing U.S. operations to confirm interoperability, governance, and safety frameworks for commercial and emergency service drone operations.
  
• Led by ANRA Technologies UK Ltd with partners Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, Manna Drone Delivery, and Wing, the project will generate operational evidence to inform future UK UTM policy and national scalability.

London, United Kingdom – May 20, 2025 — The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has awarded a grant from the Airspace Modernisation Support Fund (ASF) to a consortium led by ANRA Technologies UK Ltd, with partners Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS), Manna Drone Delivery, and Wing. The project will deliver the UK’s first operational demonstration of multi-UTM service provider support for overlapping Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations in shared airspace, directly supporting the UK’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS).

The ASF, which builds on the earlier Future Airspace Strategy Facilitation Fund, supports projects that advance the objectives of CAP 1711 by accelerating airspace modernisation in ways that benefit multiple stakeholders and enable future industry-wide deployment. 

The consortium’s project leverages operational lessons from the ongoing U.S. UAS Traffic Management (UTM) Implementation, bringing those learnings to Lancashire, where the team will conduct live trials through a multi-phase approach. The work will validate interoperability, governance frameworks, and cooperative operating principles for safely managing commercial and emergency service drone operations in shared airspace.

Stuart Lindsey, Head of Airspace Modernisation, UK Civil Aviation Authority, commented:
“The Airspace Modernisation Support Fund exists to accelerate practical innovation and research that benefits the wider aviation community. This project exemplifies that intent by enabling the operational evaluation of live, multi-stakeholder BVLOS operations that will help inform the UK’s Future of Flight Programme, as well as the next stages of UK airspace policy and regulation.”

Amit Ganjoo, Founder and CEO of ANRA Technologies, added:
“As a UK-based UTM provider with global experience, ANRA is proud to lead this transformative project. We look forward to working with the CAA and our partners to create a scalable, evidence-based model for BVLOS operations that supports the AMS and unlocks new commercial and public safety opportunities.”

Bobby Healy, CEO of Manna Drone Delivery, commented:
“Manna is delighted to help bring real-world drone delivery experience to this important UK initiative. We look forward to demonstrating how fast, safe, and scalable drone delivery services can operate alongside other operators in complex airspace environments.”

Jon Charters, Chief Fire Officer at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, added:
“As first responders, we are eager to explore how digital airspace management can enhance emergency response. This project allows us to test how UTM can safely prioritise life-saving operations while coexisting with commercial drone activity.”

The project will deliver a UK-specific Concept of Operations and governance framework, building on lessons from around the world to define how multiple drone operators and UTM providers can safely share airspace. Working with the CAA, the team will validate cooperative operating principles to support both commercial and emergency drone services, helping shape future UK policy and accelerate national UTM deployment. As part of this effort, the project will also assess differences between U.S. implementation and UK regulations, providing recommendations for adoption that align with the evolving UK CAA framework, ultimately helping shape future UK policy and accelerate national UTM deployment.