Supplier engagement closes today, 2 October 2026. The Ministry of Defence's official engagement notice gives the email recipients and response instructions. It states no closing time. This is an expression of interest, not a request for a priced bid, and participation gives no advantage or disadvantage in a future procurement.
The immediate opportunity concerns the FPV small unmanned aircraft system element of Project UBIQUITY. MOD describes the requirement as scalable, non-energetic FPV training systems for Army training, experimentation and force development. Its 1 October pipeline notice estimates the purchase at £3.125 million excluding VAT, with tender publication expected on 2 November 2026. That November date is a planned publication date, not a bid deadline.
A training package with support attached
The September engagement notice describes more than aircraft. Alongside affordable, scalable FPV training systems, MOD names ground control stations, batteries, spares, repair support and training/documentation support. The engagement is intended to test market interest and supplier capability, and inform refinement of the User Requirement Document before a potential formal tender.
For suppliers, the support scope deserves attention alongside the flying equipment. A credible preparation exercise would cover replacement-part availability, battery provision, repair arrangements and usable documentation. Those are practical questions arising from the published scope, not announced scoring criteria. The notices do not specify aircraft quantities, training hours, repair turnaround times or the instructor model.
MOD's wording is "non-energetic" training systems. Neither notice provides a detailed technical definition or a complete safety specification. Suppliers should avoid filling that gap with assumptions about payloads, permitted flying locations or acceptance tests.
Updated estimates, not an award
The October notice updates the September estimate of £3 million excluding VAT. The notices give no explanation for the change, so it cannot be treated as evidence of additional aircraft or expanded scope.
£3.000m
£3.125m
The newer estimated contract period is 14 December 2026 to 31 December 2027, with a possible extension to 31 December 2028. These are planning dates, not confirmed deliveries. The October notice identifies a competitive flexible procedure under the defence and security regime and marks the procurement as particularly suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.
This remains a pipeline notice, not an invitation to tender or an award. The figures describe this FPV training procurement; they do not establish the budget or full scope of the wider UBIQUITY programme.
What interested suppliers should do today
Read the engagement instructions in the official notice and send an expression of interest to the named MOD contacts by 2 October 2026. MOD is not seeking formal bids, proposals or pricing at this stage. Today's engagement is not a prerequisite for the later competition; missing it should not be presented as losing the right to compete.
Foreign-supplier eligibility is not established by the two notices. The UK contract location does not settle nationality restrictions or local-partner requirements. Those points, together with quantities and final technical requirements, need clarification rather than assumptions.
For the next stage, monitor the official procurement history for tender documents and changes to the timetable. Prepare evidence of delivery and support capacity now, while keeping commercial commitments tied to the eventual requirements.
Sources checked 2 October 2026: MOD notices 085800-2026 and 092627-2026. Supplier preparation advice is Drone Consult analysis.