The technology has proven increasingly lethal on the battlefield in Ukraine, where it now kills more people than traditional artillery.
Military drones and lasers will receive a £5 billion investment as the Government bids to put “the kit of the future into the hands of frontline troops”.
The funding, announced by Defence Secretary John Healey, includes £4 billion for drones and autonomous systems, and an extra £1 billion for lasers to protect British ships and soldiers.
It follows the publication of the Strategic Defence Review on Monday that recommended a greater focus on new technology, including artificial intelligence and drones, as an “immediate priority”.
Mr Healey said the investment would provide “the most significant advance in UK defence technology in decades” and “ensure our armed forces have the cutting-edge capabilities they need to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world”.
He added: “We are delivering the Strategic Defence Review’s vision to put the UK at the leading edge of innovation in Nato, by backing British industry and fast-tracking the kit of the future into the hands of frontline troops.”
Part of the investment will see the establishment of a new “drone centre” to accelerate the deployment of the technology by all three branches of the armed forces.
The focus on drones comes as the technology has proven increasingly lethal on the battlefield in Ukraine, where it now kills more people than traditional artillery.
At a meeting of allied defence ministers in April, Mr Healey said the UK estimated drones were inflicting 70-80% of battlefield casualties, while on Sunday Ukraine launched a major attack on Russian airfields deep behind the front line using a fleet of small drones.
In addition to investment in drones and AI, the Government has announced an additional £1 billion for the development of “directed energy weapons” (DEWs) during the current parliament.
This includes the DragonFire laser scheduled to be fitted to the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers from 2027, with a similar system provided for the Army by the end of the decade.
DragonFire and other DEWs are intended to provide a lower-cost form of air defence against targets including drones, costing just £10 per shot compared with the thousands of pounds it costs to fire existing weapons.
