NDIG: An Introduction
The NDIG is an initiative led by Cranfield University, Neuron Innovations and Ebeni to support innovators in the UK Drone and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) ecosystems.
A launchpad for scaling drone operations: NDIG ensures operators can scale all aspects of their operations within the UK. Operators need to build a repeatable holistic safety assessment, conduct meaningful trials at pace, access academic research, analyse prototype data and interface with the CAA. NDIG has the resources, experience, connections and industry awareness to facilitate this and can guide operators through this process at any stage of their journey.
Connecting innovators in Drones and UAVs: NDIG connects innovators from across the industry, enabling collaboration and promoting the development of partnerships. NDIG has developed a broad range of industry connections, from local councils, to regulators, to manufacturers, to operators, to infrastructure developers, and exploits this to maximise cross-organisation interaction. For example, if an operator has infrastructure requirements, NDIG can connect them with an infrastructure manufacturer and provide the facilities for them to work together, enabling the establishment of a mutually beneficial partnership.
Our Mission
Our mission is to offer the drone and AAM industry a one-stop-shop solution to accelerate the development and productive use of uncrewed systems across a range of industries and government initiatives. We reach out and offer start-ups, SMEs, manufacturers, operators, and integrators the ability to:
Design, develop, test, and operate their solution, following an innovation process that improves success rates for products and services
Gain access to office space, workshops, and event facilities to help them grow, market and successfully develop their ideas / projects
Benefit from our specialist regulatory, engineering, safety, operational knowledge, strategy, and research expertise and resources
Connect and partner with suitable stakeholders that can add value, unlock opportunities, and improve their product offering e.g Bettany Centre, Cranfield academic experts, potential investor partner
Our offer to Drone Innovators: The National Drone Innovation Gateway offers industry a single point to access multiple resources to plan, prototype, test, certify and then launch at scale solutions that will accelerate the development of uncrewed systems and their integration into a shared airspace.
About the Partners
Cranfield University: As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Cranfield University provides a wealth of knowledge through its access to academic research. It provides access to cutting edge facilities, such as DARTeC, Eagle Labs and AVIATE, allowing operators to work alongside other UAS innovators in a modern workspace.
Partner – Milton Keynes Regulators’ Pioneer Fund – Regulating UAVs within Smart City Environments
CAA Temporary Reserved Area Sandbox Participant
Partner – Future of Air Mobility Accelerator Challenge
Ebeni: Ebeni is a Safety Consultancy SME whose core business is the assessment & assurance of safety and mission critical operations, applications and products in the aerospace, defence, and ATM markets. Our team utilises our broad aviation capabilities such as operational and engineering safety, cybersecurity, regulatory expertise, assurance, safety management, software assurance, aerospace, design and certification and airworthiness to support customers involved in drone development through the entire lifecycle. As seasoned project managers, we can help deliver projects from concept through to operation and beyond.
Support to CAA Future of Flight Project
Consortium Partner – Future Flight Challenge – Project Blueprint
CAA Temporary Reserved Area Sandbox Participant
Neuron Innovations: As a future-facing technological innovator, Neuron Innovations provides advanced technical solutions to novel UAS issues, data collection and analysis from testing/prototyping, and access to a decentralised surveillance network via its 4DSKY app. Neuron Innovations provides a trust layer of future mobility, particularly ensuring the safe separation of aircraft. We apply our software development and integration expertise, with a focus on decentralising automation and mobility with partner organisations in their respective ecosystems.
Project Lead – Future Flight Challenge – Project Blueprint
CAA Temporary Reserved Area Sandbox Participant
Technical Support for Open Skies Cornwall Project
