Notice

Competition summary: the future of aviation security - finding explosives hidden in electrical items

Updated 11 October 2018

1. Summary

This Defence and Security Accelerator (Accelerator) themed competition seeks to make a real difference in aviation security through innovative science and technology. The competition is looking for proposals for technologies to improve our ability to prevent explosives hidden within electrical items in hand luggage from being taken on board an aircraft.

This Accelerator competition is part of the wider Department for Transport and Home Office Future Aviation Security Solutions (FASS) programme. This programme will invest £25.5 million over a 5 year period (2016-2021) to promote innovation and deliver a step change in aviation security.

2. Background

In March 2017, the UK introduced a ban on large electronic devices in the cabin of UK-bound aircraft from certain airports in the Middle East and North Africa. Restrictions like these are of great concern to the aviation industry, and equally to passengers. Prohibiting passengers from travelling with electronic items can have a huge impact on personal and business activity.

We’re confident in the ability of current processes used to detect threats but are aware that we need to stay ahead of changes to the threat. In addition, these processes can be invasive and time consuming for passengers and resource intensive for airlines and airports.

As part of an effective, efficient and passenger-friendly screening system we’re seeking new solutions that could provide an alternative to imposing bans on electrical items or additional laborious screening measures.

Through this competition we want to continue to improve our detection capability, reduce the risk of restrictive measures being imposed in the future and reduce the need for additional layers of security.

This competition has 2 challenges which seek to enhance the detection of threats hidden in electrical items:

• at central search
• at a final departure screening point, where there are significant constraints on size, weight, power and portability

For both challenges, we’re not just looking for solutions to detect concealed explosive devices/components. We’d also be interested in solutions to identify electrical items that may have been tampered with, or which appear to be out of the ordinary. This could allow us to focus the more resource intensive detection techniques on a smaller number of items.

Full details of the competition, including technology readiness level (TRL) entry points, will be available when the competition document is published on 20 October 2017.

3. Total funding

The total funding available for this competition will be £3 million.

4. Competition close

This competition is open and will close at midday on Thursday 15 February 2018. Proposals must be submitted to the Accelerator submission service online.

5. Other opportunities

This competition is one part of the Department for Transport and the Home Office joint FASS programme. There will be a range of funding opportunities spanning all technology readiness levels that will be open to UK-based and international bidders including an Accelerator Open Call for Innovation that will evaluate research proposals which are out of scope of any themed competition.

This competition was presented at an Accelerator Innovation Network event in London on 28 November.