A town’s behind-the-scenes work to establishing itself as a major defence tech hub has seen it nominated for a national award.
Last year, Swindon Borough Council was praised by the Defence Secretary John Healey, for its success in attracting world-leading defence technology firms to the town.
Mr Healey said: “Swindon is quickly becoming the UK’s leading tech hub for drone manufacturing, which is great news for the town, bringing high-skilled jobs and boosting wider supply chains.”
Now the council has been nominated for an accolade at the 2026 Local Government Chronicle Awards.
The authority has been shortlisted in the Economic Support Award – one of five awards it has been nominated for.
Swindon is now home to a fast growing cluster of drone and defence technology companies including Stark Defence, Tekever, Neros Technologies, DSEI Flyby, Munin Dynamics, and Icomat.
This has created hundreds of high tech, well paid jobs for local people and boosted Swindon’s economy.
Tekever – a European leader in drone and unmanned aerial systems technology – chose Swindon for its largest UK site, taking over the historic, 254,000 square-foot Spectrum Building.
The investment is the largest part of Tekever’s £400 million, five-year commitment to British drone production.
Pictured: Defence Secretary John Healey with Swindon Council leader Jim Robbins at Tekever
