Welcome to the new Advance


Editorial Editor: Joanna Bailey Deputy editor: Louisa Sherlock Designer: Carmen Graham Consulting editor: Ashley Gasson, ADS Group Ltd


Editorial advisor: Freya Lewis, head of external communications, ADS Group Ltd


Editorial policy advisor: Brinley Salzmann, director of overseas and exports, ADS Group Ltd


Contributors Cover illustration: Andy Hau, designer and owner, A.H.A. Design Ltd


Louise Birkett: ADS Advance policy specialist Philip Butterworth-Hayes: Editor of Unmanned Airspace


Samuel Cranny-Evans: Defence analyst, author and founder of Calibre Defence


I’m pleased to warmly welcome you to a very different ADS Advance magazine. Alongside the recent redesign of adsadvance.co.uk,


we are taking the magazine in a new direction, with each issue built around a single theme that matters across our industries.


Our aim is simple - to make Advance genuinely useful


to ADS members. Rather than reporting what happened, we want to explore the questions being debated inside your own businesses: the opportunities emerging, the barriers holding industry back and the decisions that will shape what comes next. For our inaugural edition in this format, we have chosen


drones. Across aerospace, defence, security and space, uncrewed systems are creating enormous opportunity while raising difficult questions around regulation, procurement, infrastructure and national security. We have brought together specialists from across those fields to ask whether the UK is really ready for the drone age. This is your magazine, so I would love to hear what


you think. Send feedback, ideas and suggestions to news@adsadvance.co.uk. We have also created membernews@adsadvance.co.uk, a dedicated inbox for ADS member news, ensuring your announcements are prioritised for consideration across the Advance website.


I hope you enjoy the issue.


Mark Piesing: Award-winning aviation, technology and defence journalist Jack Richardson: Aerospace and defence journalist Laurence Russell (FRAS): Satellite and space journalist Robert Tollast: RUSI research fellow


Nick Watts: Defence journalist and vice-president of EuroDefense UK


Publishing and commercial Commercial director: Joe Muir Assistant marketing director: Niall Simmonds Digital publisher: Chris Debbinney-Wright Head of design: Ben Theobald-Morgan Head of partnerships: Victoria Down Senior sales manager: Nathan Inns


Published by


ADS Group Media Ltd Salamanca Square 9 Albert Embankment London SE1 7SP


Company No. 17206365


Directors: Kevin Craven, Jason Netherton-Sinclair and Gareth Rogers Company secretary: Christina Smith


Contacts Advertising and sponsorship: advertising@adsadvance.co.uk News and feedback: news@adsadvance.co.uk Member news: membernews@adsadvance.co.uk


Disclaimer Views expressed in Advance are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect those views of ADS Group Media Ltd.


While every reasonable effort is made to ensure accuracy of the information contained in this publication, ADS Group Media Ltd makes no representations or warranties as to its completeness or accuracy and shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from reliance on any statement, fact, figure, omission, opinion or belief contained in Advance.


The content of this publication is provided for general information purposes only and should not be relied upon as professional, legal, technical, financial or other advice. The publication of advertisements, advertorials or sponsored content does not constitute an endorsement by ADS Group Media Ltd of any product, service, organisation or claim. Responsibility for the content of such materials rests solely with the advertiser or sponsor.


Joanna Bailey, Editor, ADS Advance


© ADS Group Media Ltd 2026. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, republished or distributed, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission from ADS Group Media Ltd.


Printed in the UK.


Autumn 2026 | Advance 3


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60