Awards for Airbus, Darvick, GKN Aerospace, iCOMAT, Safran Electrical and Power and Sora Aviation

10th November 2025 — Six pioneering organisations and research projects in UK aerospace have been celebrated in the third annual Aerospace Technology & Innovation Awards, hosted by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI).

The awards spotlight innovation, collaboration and progress toward Net Zero aviation, with categories that recognise startups, impactful R&D and the ATI Project of the Year.

The winners of the ATI Aerospace Technology & Innovation Awards 2025 are:

• INNOVATION AWARD for the most exciting emerging technology – iCOMAT
• SHAPING THE FUTURE AWARD for advancing zero-carbon emission flight – Airbus
• MAKING THE DIFFERENCE AWARD for most impactful small R&D project – Sora Aviation
• ATI HUB BREAKTHROUGH AWARD for most promising startup – Darvick
• TEAM AWARD for successful collaboration and partnership – The AeroMC team led by Safran Electrical and Power
• ATI PROJECT OF THE YEAR – GKN Aerospace for the ELCAT project.

The winners were announced in front of 450 delegates during the two-day ATI Conference 2025, held at the ICC Wales in Newport on 4th-5th November 2025.

“This is the third edition of our awards and we were overwhelmed by the quality of the applications again this year,” said Sophie Lane, Chief Relationships Officer of the Aerospace Technology Institute. “Our winners tell us that the awards really do matter, and that the spotlight on their project or company has helped them to attract partners and funding.

“I would like to congratulate the six winners, as well as the many Highly Commended entries, and look forward to seeing how their innovations, technologies and collaborations make an impact on the global aerospace sector.”

AWARD WINNERS

Innovation Award – iCOMAT

iCOMAT has commercialised and patented the Rapid Tow Shearing (RTS) process, which is the world’s first and only automated composites manufacturing technology that can place wide composite tapes along curved paths without defects. In addition to lightweighting and performance benefits, the automation of the RTS process facilitates high-rate production, meeting the demands of traditional aerospace as well as fast-growing sectors such as eVTOL aircraft.

The judging panel felt that this innovation has very high impact potential, significantly enhancing the UK aerospace sector by revolutionising the design and manufacture of composite components.

The judges awarded Highly Commended to:

• ITP Aero, and its partners the Manufacturing Technology Centre and University of Nottingham, for a laser beam welding solution that takes a highly-innovative approach compared to traditional joining methods;
• TT Electronics, for its Altitude DC high-voltage power conversion solution that reduces development time and cost, allows faster iterations, simplifies integration, and accelerates qualification.

Shaping the Future Award – Airbus

The ZEST1 project led by Airbus explored fuel-cell compatible hydrogen storage and distribution solutions. It tackled several technical challenges, including integration, the ability to adapt disruptive technologies to aeronautical standards and the development of different aircraft architectures.

The judges noted that ZEST1 has made good progress to cement the foundations for zero-emission H2 flight technology at aircraft system level. It is an exceptional technology development that not only matures technology in liquid hydrogen aviation but also provides infrastructure to support future technology work by Airbus and others.

The judges awarded Highly Commended to:

• The AeroMC project from Safran Electrical and Power, which developed a Factory of the Future in Pitstone with a pilot line to prove out high-volume production of electric motors.

Making the Difference Award – Sora Aviation

High computational costs currently limit early design access to only the largest firms, creating barriers for SMEs and slowing innovation. The SoraAero project overcomes this with an AI tool that rapidly generates and evaluates preliminary designs. By reducing reliance on high-fidelity CFD and wind tunnel testing, the Sora Aviation solution could accelerate market entry by up to 24 months.

The judging panel noted how Sora is already applying early toolchain outputs to its design process, providing valuable validation of design choices and enabling engineers to identify implications early and avoid costly late-stage redesigns. Judges also noted how Sora’s work to develop a 30-seat eVTOL has attracted significant foreign investment into the UK and has directly created and sustained high-value engineering roles across the company and its partners.

 

ATI Hub Breakthrough Award – Darvick

There is currently a shortage of facilities that can replicate the extreme environments required for validating equipment for cryogenic aircraft. Darvick is developing advanced material testing capability for mechanical validation in harsh environments and extreme temperatures.

The judging panel agreed that Darvick is addressing a critical gap and showing strong innovation in creating a unique test capability that is fundamental to understanding how materials behave with exposure to hydrogen.

The judges awarded Highly Commended to:

• MatNex for its AI-driven material discovery, combining machine learning, high-performance computing, and rapid lab validation;
• The Metralis system by K3Metrology, a breakthrough large-volume measurement system for aerospace and manufacturing.

Team Award – The AeroMC team led by Safran Electrical and Power

The AeroMC project, led by Safran Electrical and Power with partners the Manufacturing Technology Centre and WMG, was created to design a Factory Of The Future and implement the first building block: a semi-automated Pilot Line at Safran Electrical and Power Pitstone. The team has successfully completed a series of project phases and workshops to ensure that the pilot line is suitable for both current and future manufacturing needs.

The judges noted that the ways of working have been so successful that the partners are now collaborating on a new project, retaining the same team members, as well as looking to implement wider benefits across Safran UK.

The judges awarded Highly Commended to:

• The team from Airbus and Dassault Systèmes that collaborated on the Smarter Testing project, which developed some breakthrough methods for combining virtual testing with physical validation tests; .
• The Green Aviation Insights (GAIN) team led by NATS for taking a shared challenge across five countries and implementing an operation tool within a year.

ATI Project of the Year – GKN Aerospace (ELCAT)

The ELCAT project brought together GKN Aerospace and leading UK universities to transform aerospace assembly through advanced automation, digitalisation, and collaborative innovation. Early exploitation of automated solutions developed under ELCAT have already achieved direct measurable savings within GKN Aerospace manufacturing facilities in the UK.

The judges agreed that ELCAT is a ground-breaking project that directly supports the aerospace industry’s journey to Net Zero by rethinking how advanced manufacturing systems are designed, deployed, and utilised.

The judges awarded Highly Commended to:

• The REINSTATE project led by Rolls-Royce, which developed engine health monitoring sensing, in-situ maintenance and inspection, adaptive repair, and digital lifecycle engineering techniques;
• The CONVERGENCE project of Moog Controls, which integrated digital twin technology, advanced automation and real-time analytics into a high-precision production line;
• Honeywell Aerospace’s ECLAIR project, which set out to reduce the environmental footprint of aircraft through improved air management technologies.