UK to get new drone university degree
Aspiring defence engineers will be fast-tracked to careers in cutting-edge military technology through a new defence-focused undergraduate drone degree.
The new course will open for enrolment at the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) in Hereford from September 2026.
Students on the Master’s of Engineering course will complete the qualification one year faster than traditional university courses, offering quicker access to specialist and novel careers.
Based in Hereford, the course also anchors significant investment in a region that is rapidly establishing itself as Britain’s ‘military Silicon Valley’.
The conflict in Ukraine has highlighted the growing threat posed by uncrewed devices, and it is critical that the UK has both the specialist capability to meet that demand and the power and authority to protect military sites from such threats.
This new degree complements powers introduced through the Armed Forces Bill last week to strengthen the Ministry of Defence’s ability to tackle drone threats and ensure Defence personnel can better deter, detect, and defeat drone incursions.
This degree forms part of a broader ambition to make the British Army ten times more lethal through AI, drones, and autonomous systems.
“In Ukraine, drones are causing more casualties than artillery – that’s the reality of modern warfare. This degree gives young engineers a fast track to careers at the cutting edge, protecting Britain and powering growth in places like Hereford,” said Minister for the Armed Forces Al Carns.
“These graduates will strengthen our Armed Forces and help push forward advances in civilian and commercial drone technology, developing homegrown talent, building British capabilities, from battlefield to business.”
Expressions of interest are now open for the course starting in September 2026, and those interested can register for updates here.
