Insitu launches Autonomy Centre of Excellence in Oxford, UK

Insitu, a Boeing Company, today announced the establishment of its new Autonomy Centre of Excellence in Oxford, United Kingdom, solidifying the company’s long-standing commitment to advancing practical autonomy and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions critical to the future of global defence.

The new centre builds upon a decade-long presence in Oxford, where a world-class software team has served as the technological backbone for Insitu’s data processing, exploitation, and dissemination (PED) systems. Their software powers advanced data workflows across Insitu’s fleet of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), including platforms fielded by allied forces around the world.

“Autonomy is not just a buzzword—it’s an operational imperative,” said Diane Rose, CEO of Insitu. “But what warfighters need isn’t speculative AI. They need practical autonomy that works under fire, in real environments, reducing workload, and enhancing decision making across legacy and future systems. That’s exactly what our Oxford team delivers.”

The Autonomy Centre of Excellence is a focused investment that will deepen collaboration and the rapid adoption of new technology and AI solutions. The Centre will serve as a hub for research, development, and deployment of intelligent mission software, onboard autonomy, and edge computing capabilities that enable distributed, resilient operations. The team will continue to pioneer software that transforms raw data into actionable insight—at machine speed—giving commanders an operational advantage in the most contested environments.

“The future fight demands more than exquisite hardware—it requires trusted autonomy at scale,” said Andrew Duggan, managing director of Insitu Pacific. “With this centre, we’re investing in the kind of autonomy that gets fielded: modular, interoperable, and focused on effective mission outcomes.”

Located in one of the world’s premier academic and innovation hubs, the Oxford-based team will also foster local industry partnerships with leading researchers, defence stakeholders, and commercial AI pioneers to accelerate capability maturation and deployment.

This expansion underscores Insitu’s strategy of continuous innovation to deliver proven, scalable solutions for the modern battlespace—where autonomy, data, and survivability converge.