The UK government is preparing for a future where drones and electric aircraft carry passengers and cargo, and a team of social scientists is working to ensure the public has a say in how that happens. This matters because the success of advanced air mobility (AAM) depends on more than just working technology. Without public trust and clear regulations, drones and air taxis could face resistance, safety concerns, or inequitable access. The Future Flight Challenge has already tested the vehicles; this phase tackles the harder question of how to govern them responsibly. The University of Birmingham’s social science team will bring together citizens, industry, and regulators to understand what people actually want from these new aircraft—and what they worry about. If this research succeeds, it could shape how drones are integrated into UK airspace, delivery networks, and emergency services in ways that feel fair and safe to the public. It could also influence future transport policy, ensuring that the benefits of AAM—such as faster medical deliveries or lower-carbon regional travel—are distributed equitably rather than concentrated in wealthier areas. The work is applied, not fundamental science: it aims to produce actionable recommendations for regulators and industry, not abstract knowledge.
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Future Flight technologies in the UK, are on the cusp of scale up and commercialization. Building on the successful work to date of the UKRI Future Flight Challenge (FFC) and the Department for Transport Future of Flight (FoF) team, the current UK Government has signalled that drones and AAM more broadly are increasingly a priority issue through investment in regulatory and innovation projects. The Future Flight Challenge - now in its fourth phase - is an ongoing multi-million programme, co-funded by government and industry, that is supporting the creation of the aviation ecosystem needed to accelerate the introduction of advanced air mobility (AAM), drones, and electric sub-regional aircraft in the UK. Since 2020, FFC has successfully built a network of engaged industry and regulatory stakeholders to better scope, understand, and test not just the technological capabilities of the air vehicles themselves but the technological and societal, policy, legislative, or regulatory infrastructure necessary to further development future flight capabilities in the UK and potential markets for UK businesses internationally. Delivered by Innovate UK, the FFC has built a strong network of industry, academic, regulatory, and public sector stakeholders. The challenge extends beyond testing technologies themselves, to examining the societal, policy, legislative, and regulatory frameworks needed for safe and beneficial deployment. Within this, the University of Birmingham’s Future Flight Social Insight team has led a dedicated programme of social science research since 2021, supported by the ESRC. Under the direction of Professor Fern Elsdon-Baker, with co-leads Dr Will Mason-Wilkes and Dr Louise Reardon, the team has expanded research capacity and developed a substantive evidence base on how UK publics and stakeholders perceive Future Flight and how these perspectives intersect with the governance of this emerging sector. Building on these findings, this fourth phase of social research will work collaboratively with publics, third-sector actors, and industry stakeholders. The aim is to demonstrate the critical role of embedding independent, citizen-informed social science in shaping the responsible innovation, governance, and equitable distribution of benefits that underpin public trust in Future Flight.
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