A pioneering new project is launching in Coventry to build the foundation for drone and air taxi services in the UK.
Urban Ascent brings together leading organisations across technology, research, and local government to prepare Coventry for a future of safe, sustainable aerial drone mobility. The aim is to develop a city-scale blueprint for integrating drones and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft into urban environments.
In real life this means assessing how drones could enhance services in areas such as:
- medical logistics – speeding up transport of samples, medicines, and supplies for the NHS
- emergency response – delivering life-saving defibrillators or providing live aerial views enhancing situational awareness
- infrastructure inspection – reducing spending, working at risk and disruption by automating surveys of roads, bridges, and utilities
- urban air taxi preparation – supporting the long-term vision for passenger eVTOL operations to increase mobility and reduce congestion and emission
Councillor Jim O’Boyle cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change said, “Coventry is already leading the way when it comes to drones and their future use in all sorts of areas. This project will see us take the next step in aligning technology with public needs. Here we are talking about things like drones being used to fly urgent medical supplies between hospitals, being used to inspect bridges and roads and even using them to enable an overview of things like road accidents and road congestion. We’re proud to help shape the next chapter of UK aviation from the heart of Coventry.”
Rather than conducting live trials, Urban Ascent focuses on designing the essential frameworks that will make urban drone operations possible in the future including building a business case for urban air mobility and exploring regulatory and infrastructure readiness, including vertiport planning
Mariya Tarabanovska, Innovation Lead – Future Flight at Innovate UK said, “The Urban Ascent project is a strong example of how local authorities, industry, and academia can come together to prepare for the safe and scalable integration of new aviation services which benefit local communities and drive growth across the UK. We're proud to support this work through the Future Flight programme.”
The work is funded by Innovate UK and the Department for Transport through the Future Flight Regional Demonstrator programme. Led by Coventry City Council, the consortium includes Skyfarer Ltd, Coventry University, the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), SLiNK-TECH, and Odys Aviation. The consortium is supported by the Midlands Aerospace Alliance, building on insights from the earlier Drone Ready Cities initiative funded by the Regional Pioneers Fund.
Coventry City Council, as project lead, is building on its legacy as a transport innovation city - from pioneering the UK’s first electric bus fleet to being a testbed for connected and autonomous vehicles. But each partner brings expertise in aerospace, systems integration, transport research, planning, and public service design, creating a model for place-based innovation.
Skyfarer, a leader in drone operations and flight safety, will act as operational and regulatory lead. The company will coordinate the development of operational procedures, safety frameworks, and integration with national airspace systems.
The Research Centre for Future Transport and Cities at Coventry University will lead the assessment of priority use cases, showcasing how drones could enhance services in logistics, emergency response, and infrastructure management. The team will also develop the business case for urban air mobility in Coventry, providing evidence-based insights on how drone and eVTOL technologies can deliver tangible social and economic value for cities.
Consortium Partners:
Coventry City Council, Skyfarer Ltd, Coventry University, Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), SLiNK-TECH, Odys Aviation. Supported by Midlands Aerospace Alliance
Funded by:
Innovate UK and the Department for Transport as part of the Future Flight Programme (Regional Demonstrator Competition)