DEA Aviation, a specialised aerial data-acquisition company based in Nottinghamshire, has secured a multi-million pound finance package with Santander UK, supported by UK Export Finance (UKEF).
It is DEA’s second round of funding secured with the support of UKEF, to sustain growth in its export and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) business segments.
Last year, DEA secured £16.5m in its first tranche of funding with Santander UK to meet job creation, capacity and capability objectives, focused primarily on its ISR and export operations.
DEA is a technology-led provider of specialised aerial data-acquisition services in the ISR, search and rescue and aerial mapping sectors. It is frequently relied upon to provide security services of national importance, demanding class-leading safety and compliance processes.
In 2024, DEA flew ISR and search and rescue missions for its major European customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year. It provided real-time intelligence to support thousands of events that arose in their border and illegal-activity protection roles.
Since the initial investment, DEA’s workforce has grown by 10%. It now employs over 220 people worldwide, most of whom are highly-skilled engineers, pilots, sensor operators, systems architects and software developers operating from accredited facilities in Nottinghamshire.
Joanna Allen, CFO of the DEA Group, said: “This new funding package, enabled by UKEF, positions DEA to continue a strong growth trajectory in its export and ISR operations internationally as the worldwide demand continues to mount.
“The funding recognises that DEA is a substantial exporter and will enable the company to continue to build upon the momentum that we have generated over the course of the past year.”
Tim Reid, Chief Executive Officer of UKEF, said: “This announcement of our second Export Development Guarantee for DEA shows how we can develop longstanding relationships to help UK businesses scale up. UKEF’s support is already helping DEA to unlock its potential by creating new jobs and growing.”
Liz Pickering, Relationship Director, Santander Corporate and Commercial, added: “We are pleased to have provided DEA Group with an additional lending package to support the Group’s expansion. The funding will help the business establish itself further as a major exporter of tech-led aerial data services. We look forward to continuing working with the DEA team and UKEF.”
