New funding for regulators to cut red tape, like speeding up clinical trials through AI and trialling drones for medical emergencies

New technologies, like drones for delivering vital supplies to smarter medical software using AI to help doctors spot diseases earlier, could reach the public faster through new funding to cut unnecessary red tape and keep pace with innovation (Thursday 22 May).

The Regulators’ Pioneer Fund supports regulators to trial new, more efficient ways of working that allow businesses to bring their innovations to market faster, in turn supporting the economic growth at the centre of our Plan for Change.

The launch of the fourth round – worth £5.5 million in total – builds on its previous phase, which supported 24 pioneering projects across the country unlocking new opportunities in sectors like health, transport, and energy.

Supported projects include exploring safer ways for drones to fly in the same skies as other aircraft – which could contribute £45 billion to the UK economy at its highest potential. These trials have laid the groundwork for future drone deliveries, and helped regulators keep up with new technologies while making sure people are protected and rules are clear and fair. Other projects include using realistic, computer-generated data to speed up results of clinical trials, which could in future help get new medical treatments out sooner.

The fourth round of Regulators’ Pioneer Fund is open to regulators and local authorities across the UK and will include projects in key growth areas such as AI in healthcare, engineering biology, space, and connected and autonomous vehicles. Projects might include smarter ways to test new treatments, manage the use of airspace for drones, or support technologies like lab-grown foods – helping ensure the rules are fit for purpose to bring innovations to market.

This latest round – delivered by the Regulatory Innovation Office – is now open to regulators and local authorities across the UK. It will support bold ideas that back some of the UK’s most promising growth sectors – including AI to support the NHS, engineered biology to improve food security, satellite tech to improve farming and climate tracking, and self-driving vehicles. It’s part of the government’s Plan for Change to make the UK the best place to test and grow new ideas, while making life better for the public.

Science Minister Lord Vallance said

Smarter, more agile regulation is key to businesses bringing ideas to market faster, while giving the public confidence in new technologies.

These projects show how regulators can work with industry to unlock breakthroughs – from autonomous drones improving emergency services, to AI that cuts the cost and time spent on clinical trials.

By backing this kind of innovation, we’re helping to make the UK the best place in the world to launch, test and scale new ideas, and drive the economic growth we need to improve lives and deliver our Plan for Change.

Some of the innovative work delivered through the previous round (RPF3) includes

• In Milton Keynes, funding helped local authorities trial drone deliveries for urgent medical supplies and environmental monitoring. This included exploring new ways such as carrying out low-risk test flights and sensors to track the drones’ path to safely test and approve these services – helping emergency responders and healthcare providers get what they need faster, while reducing emissions and traffic congestion. The project is also laying the foundations for a future UK-wide drone economy, predicted to be worth up to £45 billion by 2030.
• At the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), funding was used to explore the use of synthetic data in clinical trials – specifically through synthetic control arms, which use computer-generated data to replace some of the participants who would normally receive a placebo. This approach can make trials quicker, cheaper, and more inclusive, while still ensuring safety and effectiveness. Patients could benefit from faster access to new treatments, supporting efforts to improve health outcomes and reduce pressure on our NHS.
• The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) supported the aviation industry to reduce regulatory challenges on the safe introduction of hydrogen as an aviation fuel at a commercial scale and making progress towards bringing zero-emission flight to UK skies. Their work will position the UK as a global leader in sustainable aviation, supporting job creation and contributing to net zero goals.

All projects receive tailored support from the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO), which helps regulators coordinate efforts and safely trial new approaches.

Notes to editors

Dr Puja Myles, Director of the Clinical Practice Research Datalink at the MHRA, said

The RPF grant has given us a better understanding of the scenarios when synthetic data could be used to boost sample sizes of clinical trials.

This project is part of the MHRA’s work to promote innovation and embrace emerging technologies in clinical trials, to help get new treatments to patients faster.

Tim Johnson, Director of Policy at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said

The Regulators’ Pioneer Fund has been instrumental in helping the UK Civil Aviation Authority explore how it can enable innovators to develop new products and services, including the safe introduction of hydrogen as an aviation fuel.

This support has helped us engage early with those who are researching and developing this technology, understand key regulatory challenges, and starting to lay the groundwork for zero-emission flight in the UK.

Cabinet Member for Planning and Placemaking and Milton Keynes City Council, Councillor Shanika Mahendran, said

Thanks to the RPF, we’ve been able to start building the groundwork for using drones to make services more efficient. It’s given us a chance to explore what safety checks and rules we need to follow so we can move from just testing drones to using them in the long-term.