UK Ministry of Defense backs new Drone Engineering Degree to make the army 10X more lethal using know-how from Ukraine
The British Army will deliver the course, which will be open to 15 civilian students, and five soldiers, each year.
A new cutting-edge Drone Engineering Degree course will welcome its first intake of students in September this year. The UK government has provided nearly a quarter of a million pounds (actually £240,000, or ~ $331,000) to back this new undergraduate degree course at the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) in Hereford, England. The British Army will deliver the course, sharing “battlefield-proven technology” based on “lessons learned from Ukraine” with the goal of making the British military ten times more lethal.
10X more lethal and using know-how from Ukraine
According to the press release, the creation of this Drone Engineering Degree course was prompted by a defense review, which highlighted the need to create improved drone technology, as well as “deter, detect and defeat drone incursions” from hostiles.
This initiative is part of a wider drive to “make the British Army ten times more lethal through AI, drones and autonomous systems.”
The UK is doubling investment in autonomous systems.A new drone engineering degree at @nmite_ac will help build the workforce to deliver it by training specialists for defence and beyond.Hear from the @britisharmy 👇 pic.twitter.com/OkQRkpnQdVJanuary 26, 2026
It is particularly interesting to read that know-how from observations, developments, and experiences in Ukraine will be passed on to students in rural England.
“In Ukraine, drones are causing more casualties than artillery - that’s the reality of modern warfare,” said the UK’s Minister for the Armed Forces Al Carns MP. “This degree gives young engineers a fast track to careers at the cutting edge, protecting Britain and powering growth in places like Hereford.”
Those interested in the new Drone Engineering Degree course can now register for updates with NMITE. Current plans are to enroll 15 civilian students and five soldiers in this course each year.
Drone Engineering courses in the U.S., Poland, and Austria
It isn’t only the British government that has noticed the importance of drones in modern conflicts. Our research reveals there are drone engineering courses already operating, or planned, at establishments in the U.S., Poland, and Austria. However, we know only of the UK-based course, which has direct military involvement.
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Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason.