The Ministry of Defence is reviewing the regulatory system governing the testing of uncrewed and autonomous systems, and says sandbox measures in a Bill currently before Parliament would significantly help the department’s testing capabilities.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge asked what assessment the department had made of the impact of the regulatory approval process on testing such systems.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard replied on 8 July: “The Ministry of Defence launched a review of the regulatory system governing uncrewed and autonomous systems in defence in February 2026, inviting contributions from industry and the wider public. Defence is committed to reforming regulation to ease the burden on industry and drive innovation.” He added: “The Regulating for Growth Bill contains sandbox measures that would greatly assist defence’s testing abilities for uncrewed and autonomous systems.”
A regulatory sandbox typically allows a defined set of tests or products to be trialled under relaxed or bespoke rules, monitored by a regulator, without waiting for full-scale regulatory clearance, an approach already used in sectors such as financial services.
Applying the concept to defence would let developers of drones and autonomous vehicles test capabilities in real conditions before every regulatory question is settled, addressing a complaint often raised by industry that certification and airspace or safety approval processes were designed for conventional crewed platforms and now lag behind the pace of uncrewed development.
Here we go.
The RN released a video on instagram the other day showing off the hybrid navy. One of the drivers concepts that stood out to me was very reminiscent of the WW1/2 monitors. Basically a big ass gun on a small platform, wonder if the RN are reconsidering NGFS.
That video was purr AI slop, someone in the RN should get a telling off for putting that out.
It shows you that they didn’t bother to reviewing it to rush it out fir the NATO summit.
That video was pure AI slop, someone in the RN should get a telling off for putting that out.
Back in the late 18th Century progress in warship design was so rapid that ships were obsolete as they were being built. But you had to keep building because obsolete is better than not having. We’re in the same situation re drones today – and the systems we use to develop and make them need to be able to keep up. It’s one area where as much deregulation as possible is needed – you can’t depend on a 10 year lear time if the things are already obsolete in the second year of that!
Even more rapid in the 19th Century…. 😇
I’m getting old and it’s hot… 🙂
The Government need to be providing facilities for testing in a controlled environment not setting up obstacles.
Lets commit tp building a hybrid fleet and worry about the details later. No risk at all.
Don’t worry, its only a review. Then there will be… but you know the rest.
What’s with the images being shit AI generations?
And all in smooth seas too! That middle Romulus (?) usv looks like a junky container truck.
How much are they spending on these? Hope they don’t neglect arming actual ships and not just drones first.
Now there’s a funny thing, RN crewed ship availability is at an all-time low it even makes international news headlines, then along comes the DIP, heavy with autonomous vessels, and that’s not a convenient coincidence? I doubt for one minute it was all deliberate, but what a boost it gave in convincing parliament this was the most plausible answer to addressing the RN’s conventional vessel crisis. Now, time is of the essence, so let’s see some unhindered progress with UK-built units.
A 1000 ship navy with up to 981 drones will need a lot of remote operators! And maintenance! But it might be quite well suited for some people. Get some people off the unemployment queue, give them training and opportunities.
I want to know count bin faces policy in this area.
This new drone navy is pure vapourware.
Literally everything is not existent blue sky dreaming that will never survive contact with sea water.
And all the likely millions been spent on it and then more millions on the missiles and silos. How many ship equivalents would that buy? Hope they keep the ship silos and cannisters topped up first just in case the drones go bung.
1000 ship navy, does that really mean 981 drones? Surely there’s money there for a half dozen more actual ships? Drones won’t do self refuelling, port visits or humanitarian relief well, and if their controlling mothership is lost thats a lot of assets wasted unless remote/global remote control works and they’ve got enough fuel to return to port. Might be a need for largish drone tender type vessels, maybe a MROSS variant of the ATS with a well dock to refuel and repair at sea.
A fictional future RN being pushed will end up yet another failed aspiration. What the Navy needs are real ships with real sailors onboard who can cover so much more than any drones will ever do. If we go down the self thinking AI controlled hulls then we will get human killing machines with no human in the loop, do we really want that even if it is possible???????? Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you have too. And no matter what just where are they all going to be based and maintained?